Sparta Citizens Ask for Support of Linda Curcio, Karen Scott and John Surdoval for Board of Education

Posted on November 1, 2015 by J. Todd Muth in Letter to the Editor // 0 Comments

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SPARTA BOARD OF EDUCATION ELECTION

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

PLEASE VOTE!

ABC’s for Sparta

Linda Curcio, Karen Scott and John Surdoval are running as a team for the Sparta Board of Education. Karen and Jack are current board members while Linda previously served 2 terms. Together they have 15 years’ experience on the Board of Education of Sparta. The ABC’s for Sparta candidates are dedicated to (i) improving Academics, (ii) honest Budget, and (iii) Community involvement. The major accomplishments over the last 3 years demonstrating our commitment to the children of Sparta and these principles include:

improving Academics	honest Budget	Community involvement
Increased average SAT scores from 1,560 to 1,623	Achieved academic improvements, maintained class sizes and programing within the 2% maximum property tax CAP	Implemented 5 year strategic plan, including holding 3 public workshops with all stakeholders to develop plans for Sparta
99% of 11^th Graders passed state testing for language arts and 98% for math	Closed high school project and refunded $1.5 million to tax payers	Adopted Board and District goals to implement strategic plan
Sparta schools outperformed between 76% and 87% of all schools statewide in New Jersey	Refinanced high school project bonds which will save tax payers $7.0 million	Implemented public group to address options and funding alternatives for athletic field improvements
Implemented full day kindergarten, STEM academy, early intervention programs, foreign language programs at elementary schools, Summer Brain Camp and Sparta Summer Academy	Improved athletic fields without raising additional tax levies, including (i) New Track ($0.8 million), (ii) bleachers and press box ($0.4 million) and (iii) new tennis court and backstop ($0.3 million)	Implemented committee to meet and work with town to address mutual needs and share services
Increased High School graduation requirements from 120 credits to 130 credits	Invested over $1.5 million in other capital and maintenance projects for all 5 school buildings	Established quarterly superintendent public forums to elicit input from Sparta stakeholders
Increased NJ Magazine ranking of state’s best schools from #88 to #34, placing us in the top 10%	Implemented budgeting for technology equipment for first time and entered into lease-purchase program enabling school to acquire 544 computers for students	Established special education parents advisory group to address needs of children and their parents
Ranked by Newsweek as the #141 best school in the country (not previously ranked)	Established policy of using any year end budget surplus to fund capital and maintenance reserves to address future projects on needs basis rather than spending surplus funds at the end of every year
Named by the Washington Post as one of the Nation’s Most Challenging High Schools (not previously ranked)

Linda Curcio, Karen Scott and John Surdoval have proven leadership in advancing the goals to (i) provide the best educational opportunities for all Sparta children to meet the demands of the 21^st century, (ii) balancing the monetary needs of Sparta stakeholders, and (iii) eliciting community involvement. The ABC’s for Sparta candidates desire to build on their prior accomplishments and adhere to the ABC principles for the benefit of Sparta.

Please vote #1, #2 and #3 on November 3^rd for ABC’s for Sparta candidates Linda Curcio, Karen Scott and John Surdoval

The above statement is my personal opinion as a private citizen and not the opinion of the Board of Education.

Melva A. Cummings & J Todd Muth

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