Cynthia J. O’Hora - Accountability

* I will be accountable to the taxpayers.

* I will respectfully listen to your comments, concerns and questions.

* I will respond to your questions or concerns as quickly as possible.

* I will attend all the monthly school board meetings. On the SASD web site

Jan 2007

January 9 Budget & Finance Committee 4:00 pm DO

January 10 6:00pm Strategic Planning Committee MS library

January 16 4:00 pm - All Day K Building Committee MS A103

January 18 4:00 pm - Technology Strategic Committee MS A103

January 22 6:30 pm - Policy & Education committee MS Library

January 31 6 pm - Strategic Planning Committee MS library

March 07

March 8 - Technology Strategic Com. MS library

March 14 - Strategic Planning Com. MS Library

March 19 - Technology Strategic Com. 4 pm DO

March 21 - Audit report 11am DO

May 07

May 2 - Professional Growth Incentive plans 3:45pm

May 7 - Professional Growth Incentive plans 3:45pm

May 7 - Executive Session 7pm

May 9 - Budget and Finance mtg 4:30pm MS Library

May 10 - Confidential hearing

May 15 - Building & Grounds Committee 3pm D.O.

May 15 - Personnel Committee 4pm D.O.

May 15 - Technology Committee 5pm D.O.

May 22 - Wellness Committee 3:30pm D.O.

July 2007

July 11 - Title 1 Parent Meeting

July 18 Strategic Planning Com. 1pm D.O.

September 2007

Sept 4 - HS building report 7pm

Sept 4 - Executive session after SB meeting

Sept 11 - Technology Committee

Sept 17 - Act 34 Hearing - SE Project

Sept 19 - Building & Grounds mtg

November 2007

Nov 1 - 4:00 pm - Building & Grounds meeting A103
Selinsgrove Elementary Project

Nov 5 - 6:30 pm - Budget & Finance mtg MS Library

Nov 14 - 4:00pm Building & Grounds mtg A103 HS Project

Nov 15 - 3:45pm Strategic Plan mtg A103

Nov 16 - 6:30pm Policy & Ed Com. MS Library

February 2007

February 15 4 pm - Technology Strategic Com. MS library

February 15 5 pm - Transportation Com. DO

February 15 6 pm - Strategic Planning Com. MS library

February 28 6 pm - Strategic Planning Com. MS Library

April 07

April 2 - 6:30 pm Policy & Education MS Library

April 2 - after Board mtg Executive Session Personnel

April 4 - Professional Development ST Plan - 3:40 in D. Office

April 18 - Technology Strategic Com - 4:00 in D. Office

April 23 - Chapter 12 Strategic Com - 3:30- D. Office

April 24 - Building and Grounds Com 4pm

June 07

June 5 - Graduation

June 7 - Strategic Planning Com. 3pm A103

June 14 - Building and Grounds Com 3:30pm

June 20 - Spring Sports mtg

June 21 - SUN Votech mtg New Berlin

August 2007

Aug. 6 - Policy & Education mtg.

Aug 9 - Strategic Planning Chapter 4 mtg.

Aug 13- Budget and Finance mtg.

Aug 20 - LEED mtg 6pm

Aug. 21 - Building & Grounds mtg

October 2007

Oct 1 - Policy & Education 6:30 pm MS Library

Oct 10 - 4pm - Budget and Finance District Office

Oct 11 - 4 pm - Buildings and Grounds MS Library

Oct 15 - 6:00 pm - Technology meeting MS library

Oct 15 - 6:30 pm - Policy & Education mtg MS library

Oct 26 - Trip to State College Vegetative Roof

Oct 30 - 4pm - Building & Grounds mtg

December 2007

Dec 4 4pm - Middle States at High School Library

"A popular Government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives." James Madison, 1822

*I will provide information to the community about education and the issues it faces.

Education related News

* I will advocate for school reform and financial constraint.

I voted against the 2007-2008 preliminary and final budget. I believe we can do a better job
of focusing spending on student core academic achievement.

I proposed administration appeal to the SASD employees for ways to save money.

* I will participate in the Strategic Planning Process - added 11/06 The process is ended and the plan is now completed 12/3/07

* I will increase my knowledge of school related matters. I receive email from the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
I review them for issues impacting education. Daily Session Activity EMails | NSBA Legal Clips | EPLC Newsletter

Additionally, I have watched or participated in:

12/13/07 - Democrat Debate Iowa

12/13/07 - State Athletic Oversight Committee - Athletic Transfers proposals. PCN

12/12/07 - Republican Debate Iowa

12/12/07 - School Building proposal PA House. PCN

12/6/07 - Senate Technology & Education Committees - Classrooms for the Future Hearing

11/4/07 - State Employee Retirement Plan information change to defined contribution plan Rep. Scott Boyd PCN

11/2/07 - Testimony PA House Education Committee regarding Statewide teacher insurance plan PCN

10/29/30/31 - PCN Pennsylvania House debates and info programs on Open Records.

10/26/07 - Trip to State College to learn about Vegetative Roofs

10/11/07 - Wellness meeting

9/26/07 - School Property Tax error exceeding Act 1 tax index, Senate Education Committee PCN

9/25/07 - CHIP debate House of Representatives

9/10/07 - PSBA testimony to House Labor Committee on HB1325, HB1816 Workplace safety in schools

9/10/07 - CSpan Q&A Michele Rhee Chancellor of D.C. Public Schools

8/23/07 - Joel Klein chancellor of the NYC Dept of Ed. Charlie Rose Most important - High quality teachers

8/21/07 - Safe & Drug Free Schools Conf. US Dept. - School Emergency Preparedness PCN

8/22/07 - Agriculture Education at Grange Fair PCN

8/21/07 - Early Learning Leadership Panel - integrating technology & media to enhance learning PCN

8/15/07 - Improving Under performing High Schools - CSPAN 3 What Matters for Staying On-Track and Graduating
from High School - attendance and effort are the main drivers for success.

8/15/07 - Education & the Workforce NCLB - U.S. Chamber of Commerce CSPAN

8/13/07 - Open Records laws testimony PA House of Representatives.

8/2/07 - Cyber Charter School Hearing PA House Education Committee PCN HB446 , House Bill 738

7/31/07 - School Choice saves tax dollars - REACH Foundation & Commonwealth Foundation PCN

7/25/27 - Conference on Early Childhood Education PCN

7/2-7/13 Debate in State House on PA Budget PCN

7/7/07 - Reg Weaver NEA President on CSPAN Washington Journal

7/6/07 - James Causby on School Reform - Model School Conference CSPAN

7/5/07 - NCLB Reauthorization Raymond Simon Dep. Sec. Of Education Model Schools Conference CSPAN

6/20/07 - Failing Grades report on School Dropouts ED WEEK CNN

6/19/07 - Providing Choice and Excellence in Education: PA Educational Improvement Tax Credit PCN

6/19/07 - PA Senate Joint Budget & Legislation Cmt. testimony on School Consolidation by Standard and Poors PCN

6/14/07 - PA House State Government Committee 2008 Primary Election change testimony on PCN

6/12/07 - PA Education Budget - PCN call in show

6/5/07 - High School Graduation Ceremony

6/4/07 - PA Senate State Government CMT. - Emily Leader, PSBA Open Records law changes

5/31/07 - MS Academic Honors event 8th grade

5/30/07 - PA. House Education Com. - PreK Funding Testimony PCN 1:30pm

5/30/07 - PA. House Education Com. - Basic & Special Ed. Funding Testimony PCN 9:45am

5/29/07 - MS Academic Honors event 6th & 7th grades.

5/24/07 - Outdoor Ed. Testimony - US House Natural Resources Subcmte CSPAN

5/23/07 - Sec. G. Zahorchak, Dept Ed. on PCN Call in show explaining his Budget priorities 2007-2008

5/18/07 - Fresh Food Safety testimony Agriculture subcommittee U.S. Congress CSPAN

5/12/07 - U.S. House Education & Labor Committee - Hearing on Quality of U.S. Teachers - TEACH Act of 2007

5/10/07 - Midle School Instrumental Music Concert

5/4/07 - High School Musical performance Copacabana

5/3/07 - Smart Talk on WITF-TV on Act 1 Sec. of Ed and a PSBA Rep.

5/3/07 - PA House Education Com. School Nutrition Standards testimony HB908 PCN

3/30/07 - Education Policy & Leadership Education Issues on PCN

3/28/07 - PA House Education Committee hearing - Teacher Certification and Development PCN

3/24/07 - Student free speech rights case at Supreme Court CSPAN Washington Journal

3/23/07 - U.S. House Subcommittee on Early Childhood hearing on English Language Learners - NCLB Act on CSPAN3

3/6/07 - PSBA Leadership Conference - Legislative Education Agenda speakers on PCN

3/5/07 - PA Dept. Education testimony at Senate Appropriations Committee on PCN

3/1/07 - PA Dept. Education testimony at House Appropriations Committee on PCN

2/27/07 - School District Costs presentation - PSBA meeting 2/27/07 on PCN Task Force on School Cost Reduction

2/22/07 - High School Seniors Math and Reading Scores CSPAN

2/8/07 - Dual Enrollment Committee meeting

2/7/07 - Federal Budgets reports CSPAN

2/2/07 - "Education Improvement Tax Credit" PA House Republican Policy Committee PCN

1/29/07 - U.S. Rep. James Clyburn - Education Priorities of the 110th Congress speech to National School Board Association on CSPAN

1/29/07 Margaret Spellings Sec of Ed. on the Reauthorization of No Child Left Behind speech to National School Board Association. on CSPAN

1/25/07 Education Secretary Zahorchak - Pennsylvania Education Issues on PCN

1/13/07 Andrew Trotter Assistant Editor of Education Week CSPAN Union Fees and Political Contributions.

1/8/07 Margaret Spellings Sec of Ed. No Child Left Behind speech to Chamber of Commerce.

* Staff and administration should be accountable.

Programs should be reviewed for effectiveness in serving the students and promoting academic achievement.

SASD should implement a continuous quality review process for all programs which seeks input from students and parents.

Comments, concerns, complaints - There should be a written acknowledgment of all compliments, complaints and concerns received.

I believe in individual responsibility.

On Standardized testing

I believe standardized testing is one effective measure of the quality of the education being provided in the district. Let us aspire to something more than the mediocrity of Adequate Yearly Progress. Our goal should be to achieve Blue Ribbon Schools status.

In 1999, Pennsylvania adopted academic standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening and Mathematics. The curriculum should be aligned to the Pennsylvania Academic Standards in a more timely fashion. This permits SASD students to have the best opportunity to succeed on the PSSA's. The math curriculum is now aligned for K-5 effective 2005-2006 school year.

How is the Selinsgrove Area School District doing in 2005? | in 2006? ranked 235th in PA of 499

Compare SASD with other Intermediate Unit 16 schools

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle