Third in a series
Re “What Karlo Has Learned on the School Board”
[img]1789|right|Mr. Silbiger||no_popup[/img]A School Board member is elected, typically, for what he or she believes, without necessarily factoring in how the person’s ideas may play with a team of disparate colleagues.
Even if the candidate’s philosophy is irresistible, will he be able to create a consensus with more than half of his colleagues?
Karlo Silbiger, running for a second term on the Board, was talking about the mix of personalities among fellow members.
“It really is hard to talk about the difference in personalities between the makeup of the Board four years ago and what it is now,” Mr. Silbiger said. “So many changes. We also have had different superintendents. And issues are different from four years ago.
“A couple of things are remarkable about my time on the Board. I have been watching School Board meetings for a long time.
“This is the first time I can remember four years have gone by and every person in his or her first term. The first two years, both (Kathy Paspalis and I) were new. Now everybody is new.
“So we have not had any pecking order, no one with seniority. That has been interesting because all of us are learning as we go along.
“As for differences between the makeup of the Board when I was elected and the present Board, I think this Board has done a little better job than the Board before at working jointly, not only amongst the five of us but also with our employees. The relationship with our employees is much, much better now than it was even a couple years ago,” Mr. Silbiger said.
“And with staff, it feels like there is a little bit less contention, a little more getting done, getting finished up. It may be that some of us have been there a little longer. And it may be our new superintendent (Dave LaRose, rounding out his first year).
“What I am saying is, everything is moving more smoothly.”
(To be continued)
