FAQ's
Do you have children who attend GRPS?
Yes, I have one child, and she attends Grand Rapids Montessori High. My daughter attended the GR Christian Schools for most of her academic tenure; this marks the third school year that she has been with GRPS. We are one of those families that made GRPS our choice because of the plethora of programs that are offered!
How much time do you believe members of the Board of Ed. should spend in the schools? Why?
I believe the role of the Board of Education is not to spend most of its time in the classrooms, that’s actually the role of the teachers and administrators, but to spend time reviewing and creating policies that assist those in the classroom. I believe we should have measures in place to assist us in monitoring the needs of the teachers, faculty, administrators and students. I also feel we should make visits on a sporadic basis in order to monitor to see if the policies implemented are successful. We are accessible for the parents, students and community to share their ideas, concerns and thoughts, too.
Why do you need more money (millages) for the smaller school model?Â
The bond request that we may propose in 2009 is to help renovate and rebuild the buildings in which our secondary schools are housed. Our students deserve to be in state of the art facilities that provides a more conducive environment for academic success. We are grateful that the community entrusted us, by voting yes, on our last bond proposal and we were good stewards over those resources. We met the goals of the facilities we renovated, and still renovating, as well as made upgrades to others. We are seeking the support of the taxpayers, once again, because our high school students deserve a better environment, too!
Have you ever disagreed with the Superintendent or members of the Board of Ed. on issues?
Disagreements are inevitable when you have 9 people and a superintendent sharing thoughts and ideas. I, personally, have asked challenging questions to help me to see the viewpoint of others when a disagreement arose. Usually those conversations, if necessary, have taken place behind closed doors, as to not draw attention to the disagreement. In each instance, the disagreement was resolved amicably.Â
What are your thoughts on Union/GRPS controversy?
Most of the disagreements, between the teacher’s union and superintendent, surround privy topics of our contract negotiations. Because of the Fair Labor law, I am not able to disclose those specifics. I suggested that these issues be resolved in a different manner and I’ve communicated this to the board’s president, superintendent and president of the teachers union.
What is one thing you think the community should know about GRPS but may not?
I would like for the community to understand that there are great things happening in this district and I would like to see parents shop to see if we can fulfill their academic goals. When you began to measure our schools up against other districts you will find that we are not overzealous with violent incidents, increasing standardize test scores, winning prestigious awards for our successes and aggressively moving towards positive changes in every area of the district. We are made up of a diverse pool of board members, administrators, teachers and faculty, because we are representing the students that we serve.
Why should I support your campaign and vote for you?
You should vote for Senita Lenear because you want someone with experience, innovative ideas, caring spirit, who is a positive role model and a proud graduate and parent of the district! For more information on what makes me qualified, please visit the “qualifications� section of my website.
Commitment to
Our schools are faced with the following challenges:
- Preparing our young people for the new global economy
- Helping them acquire specialized skills and training that will allow them to compute successfully
My commitment to the students of the district:
- To be ethical in my behavior
- Open and approachable
- Accountable for my actions and decisions
- Service-minded
- Always keeping the students and their families as my first priority.