October 26 – Please tell us: Why do you want to serve in this capacity?
Miller: I have lived in Goshen since childhood and have strong ties to the city. As an educator, I firmly believe that public schools are essential to keeping a community vibrant. Goshen’s diversity is a real strength and I want to give back to GCS some of what I have learned over the decades in education. Children are always at the heart of everything schools do, and we need to ensure they have the support and guidance to reach their full potential, whether that is at university or in a profession.
Public schools should strive to listen and support parents and ensure concerns are heard. Truly open communication is difficult and rigorous and should be part of a daily process. That requires hard work and honest effort from everyone involved. Too often, teaching is an arduous task that can feel overwhelming, and I think it is important to make Goshen an attractive place for new teachers, and to retain experienced faculty. We must support our employees and show how much we appreciate them.
Srun: I am running because I believe that our students are the future of our great nation, and it is our responsibility to prepare them for that future. With proficiency scores declining and attendance declining, it is clear that we need to address these issues to achieve a better outcome.
I want to create a safe and welcoming environment where every student feels supported. I am committed to working with the educator, parents and the community to create an atmosphere of collaboration that focuses on improving student outcomes.
What are your qualifications for this position? Why do you think you would be the best person for the job?
Miller: I started in special education and then moved to the Social Studies Department at the old Elkhart Memorial High School. In my twenty years in education, I have held many roles and seen how public education works from many different perspectives. It’s hard to understand the magnitude of what it takes to make a school successful unless you’ve been there for a while and have seen both the good and the bad.
I am convinced that you have to be positive to be successful. The best leaders elevate others instead of pointing out how they deserve credit and praise, creating a toxic atmosphere. I could do it [not] worry less about all that. That’s not how we get things done; We can’t continue like this, and I think I would help GCS in that regard.
Srun: My qualifications for school board come from being a parent and being an involved leader. While I may not have traditional experience in the education system, I believe we need a new perspective that can help create the change we need. We have chosen people with a lot of experience. Yet we still haven’t seen any results in scores or attendance. Perhaps it is time we elect a leader who is willing to work with teachers, parents and students to address the challenge facing our schools.
I am a big believer in accountability, which is something that is really needed within the Goshen school board at this time. I also recognize the importance of asking tough questions. Sometimes an outside perspective can shed light on issues that those deeply involved may overlook.
I truly believe my unique perspective can bring about positive change in school administration. Advocating for students and ensuring their needs are met will be a priority in decision-making.
If you are elected or re-elected, what would be some of your top goals when it comes to this position?
Miller: I could choose several goals, especially teacher retention and school safety, but I will focus on IREAD. Goshen’s third-grade IREAD scores are lower than most local school districts. While we obviously want to improve reading levels in our district, Goshen has a much higher percentage of students who speak a language other than English at home. According to State Impact Indiana, Goshen has an ELL population of 38.9%, and just to name a random school, Penn has just 2.8%. Thus, the data must be viewed in context to understand the IREAD results. Improving reading comprehension means hiring additional ESL support staff and teachers at every school so that at-risk students are not left behind. The state mandates a phonics-based approach to improve IREAD scores. This should be combined with an approach that shows students that reading is a fun and enjoyable activity and certainly not a punishment. If we test children in third grade, we can expect gains in secondary education. There are no quick fixes to increasing reading scores, but with a persistent and targeted approach we will get there over time.
Srun: If elected, my goal will be to ensure a safe environment for all students. I plan to address attendance challenges by providing targeted support to at-risk students and implementing strategies to understand and address the root causes of high absenteeism.
I also want to increase parental involvement by organizing workshops that provide insight into the curriculum, teaching methods and ways to support learning at home. Working with the Superintendent and the Board, my goal is to enact policies that promote these workshops as valuable tools to engage families in their children’s education, which is a critical factor in improving low proficiency scores.
