School Board Candidate: Karen Sloan

Karen Sloan, the current school board president, is one of two candidates running unopposed for the two seats available on the Port Washington School Board. Christina Nadolne also running. 

The election and school budget vote is Tuesday, May 21. Polls are open from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Find your polling location.   

Patch is speaking with both candidates about the election, and why they are running. Here is Sloan had to say.     

Patch: How long have you served on the school board, and what are you most proud of your time served?  

Karen Sloan: I have been on the school board for 6 years, two terms, if elected it will be my third. This is my fourth year serving as president.  I am most proud of this past year, and how our district as navigated all of the changes in education and the changes in our district with a sense of calm, professionalism, collaboration and tone of respect for all.  

Patch: Why are you running again?  

KS: I am running again because there is a renewed excitement and enthusiasm in our district, and I want to be a part of it! I believe that I can still make a positive difference and want to do so.  I hope to help our educators by overseeing all of the efforts I have already seen towards moving our students ahead, and finding new initiatives that will only build on our success.  

Patch: Do you support the proposed 2013-14 budget? Why or why not?  

KS: I do support the proposed 2013-14 school budget. I personally believed it was of the utmost importance to stay at the tax cap levy again this year, to be as fiscally responsible as possible for our community.  With much effort from our entire staff, and the generosity of our bargaining units (this year largely from the PWTA), the leadership of our central administration and oversight of the BOE Budget committee, we have been able to do so.  This a balanced budget, with some cutbacks felt with staff and programs, but those cuts have been minimal and on the whole, we are in a very good place. Thanks to very careful planning and review, programs that had been cut but we all believed to be of the utmost importance to restore, have been restored, like full-time elementary school librarians. There is additional funding to technology, security and our mental health professionals. Money has been added to our curriculum budget to be able to keep our district moving forward with what is necessary in program costs such as software and staff development. These are just a few of the highlights! There is more budget information available on our web site.