Candidate Questionnaire: Sheila Palmer

Name:  Sheila G. Palmer

Party affiliation: Democrat

Previous political experience (elective and appointed positions): N/A

Education:  I am a 1983 graduate of Archbishop Carroll High School and a 1987 graduate of Villanova University with a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance.

Career: I was a corporate banker for ten years primarily in a specialized lending group that focused on clients in the education, healthcare and not-for-profit business sectors.

What are the most critical issues in the school district and how would you address them? 

I think the most critical issues in the School District right now are Educational Vision, Prioritized Funding and Communication.

The Superintendent has just begun a process to elicit feedback from within the District on a strategic vision. I applaud this effort as our District has been in reactive mode as a result of legislative changes that have not been helpful to public education. I would like us to proactively identify educational areas that need to be at the forefront of preparing our students for their future. Key among them should be our science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs, updating our world language offerings at the middle and high school levels, integrating technology in the classroom and maintaining effective professional staff development for our teachers.

This requires funding. I would like us to prioritize these needs. This way we will be able to more effectively budget our tax revenues and supplement with alternative funding. I would leverage my involvement in the Radnor Educational Foundation (REF) to target alumni giving and corporate sponsorships.

Throughout this process, I would utilize effective communication with all of our stakeholders (parents, teachers, staff, administrators, community residents) through the use of advisory groups. We need to better tap the resources and expertise of our community members.

What skills do you have that you think would be an asset to the board?

My professional background in education finance provides me with the ability to analyze the financial statements and budgets of the School District. I understand the impact that legislation has on the delivery of the educational services of the District. My administrative skills give me the capability to manage several projects at once which is key given the many initiatives needed within the District. My experience as a PTO President at Radnor Elementary School for two years has honed my communication skills to listen to and balance the needs of students, parents, teachers, administrators and taxpayers.

What do you think the school district is doing right and what does it need to improve? How would you improve it?

I think that the District does a great job of providing a caring learning environment for each student with an emphasis on the “whole child.” We have a very qualified, dedicated group of professionals who work with our students and they want our children to be happy, safe and successful.

I think that as a District we need to proactively inform the community (parent and taxpayer) of our successes and of the rationale for the educational decisions that are made. I would like to utilize quarterly reports and town hall meetings to better disseminate information to the community.

I believe the District needs to better promote public education to our state legislators. I would like to engage our immediate community in better dialogue on the legislative issues affecting our school district. I would like to partner with fellow school districts boards and communities to proactively recommend legislation that supports public education. Every taxpayer shares in the investment and in the benefits of a strong school district.

Curriculum in the schools has had to be altered because of budgetary reasons over the past few years. What do you think the shape of the “Radnor education” is right now and how would you improve it?

 I’m concerned with whether we really know the full impact of some of the support service modifications that were made a year and a half ago. I think we need to do a periodic analysis of those changes and whether we are still meeting the needs of all students without an inordinate amount of pressure on our building administrators.

Do you support implementing full day kindergarten? If so, what would you do to make that happen?

 I do support the implementation of full day kindergarten. The current half day program packs much in a two and one half hour day with little time for 5 year olds to take a break or partake in some recreation which would help the child to better concentrate.  Before embarking on this program, though, I would like to understand the cost/benefit analysis and ascertain where this program would stand in terms of priority against other programmatic needs.  I think we should conduct a district survey of parents with pre-school age children to see the interest for full-day kindergarten or a choice for half or full day programs. 

How would you represent the interest of tax payers who do not have children in the school district?

I would like the Board to implement the use of periodic reports to all taxpayers on financial status of the District, legislative challenges, success stories, status report of where we stand with the implementation of our educational vision, and an analysis of current local property values versus that of other school districts. I would like us to have “town-hall” style meeting where there can be an actual dialogue with members of the community to answer questions.