Whyat Ocumpaugh for Creswell School Board position No. 1

A school board, as I read in the Oregon State Constitution, is responsible for and obligated to provide a budget and curriculum for our local schools. The State does require subjects, but how subjects are taught and how material is presented is a local matter.
According to training from the Oregon School Board Association (of which I have attended) the board is responsible for presenting the budget to the superintendent, who then manages it.
Oddly enough, we here in Creswell rarely see anything about our curriculum; the board itself does not even know what the budget is comprised of, whereas neighboring districts openly post their curriculum for public view on district websites.
In recent years, our budget has not even been seen on paper before it is forwarded solely on assumptions to the Budget Committee.
A school board is obligated to be a representative of the voters and the board should be made accessible to the public. The non-confidential email system currently in place must be corrected.
If elected to Creswell School Board, one of my goals will be to end the secrecy and avoidance of public input. School board meetings are for the public. The board packets used for the presentation of the meetings should be available for anyone who desires to be aware of what is to be discussed beforehand like our neighbors do, not found out in next month’s meeting minutes.
The days of the board being unreachable or unresponsive to the public should and must end.
The board is responsible for providing education to our children and is obligated to listen to every voter and taxpayer in the district. You should expect it. The board should provide it.
The current practice of only reporting to the public what law obligates the district to say — rather than what can be said — needs to end.
With you, all of you, we can correct the years of non-responsiveness and lack of accountability and truly be your Creswell School Board.
Thank You,
Whyat S Ocumpaugh
Creswell