Why Did Ron Run?

Ron Peppe School Board of Falls Church City
	What does Ron stand for?

The City of Falls Church has good schools. Ron wants to help make them better.

Ron has served on school boards for nine years. Ron knows there is always more to learn, but Ron offers a track record of experience, leadership and vision.

Click here to see what one local newspaper said about Ron when he left Frederick County.

Click here to see what the other local newspaper had to say about Ron when he stepped down as President.

Ron's commitment as a School Board Member

A Commitment to Teamwork

The School Board must represent the entire community. Board Members should bring different backgrounds and experience to the table, so that all issues are fully considered from all perspectives. While this diversity is good, the Board must function as a team. Board should thoroughly debate all issues, and many times decisions will not be unanimous, but, at the end of the day, the Board Members must support the Board's decision. During his years as President of a school board, Ron made sure all views were brought out and considered, and that the Board attempted to reach the best decision on each issue. Ron has his own opinions, but always supports and advocates the decision of the board.

A Commitment to Continuous Improvement

Ron knows the all schools can be better. Ron has been a strong advocate for strategic planning and continuous improvement. We must continue to honestly review results, and align resources with our goals. Click here to learn more about improving our schools. Return to top

A Commitment to Student Achievement

We must focus on student achievement. We must eliminate preconceived notions of which students will succeed and which students will fail, and demand top performance from ALL students. We must prepare every student for higher education or a career. Return to top

A Commitment to the Arts and Health Education

Academics are the core, but we must also remember that art and music are vital parts of each student's education. America needs to shape up. All students need health education and healthy activities. In many places, too many of these programs were cut in the past, and now we are paying the price. Return to top

A Commitment to a Safe and Secure Environment for Students AND Staff

We must provide staff and students with a safe and secure school environment, free from disruption. We can not tolerate abuses. Return to top

A Commitment to Open and Honest Budgeting.

Ron also strongly supports transparent budgeting better coordination between the funding authority and the board. Budgets should be based on the analysis of needs from the continuous improvement model. Ron supports multi-year budget planning as a tool to better manage the schools. When Ron was concerned that citizens did not know enough about the process when he served on a school board, he wrote a pamphlet to help everyone see how the process worked. You can read the citizen guide to the school board that Ron wrote here. Return to top

A Commitment to Recognize and Reward Good Performance

Ron has worked to make the school administration accountable for educational results. When he was President of the Board, Frederick County became one of the first districts in the state (and the nation, for that matter), to make the Superintendent's pay depend on measurable results. Return to top

A Commitment to Examine What Needs Fixing

Ron advocated reexamining the way schools do business in a number of support areas, such as custodial services, food service, and grounds maintenance. The system worked with outside consultants who analyzed these services and recommended changes that resulted in better services at a lower cost. Return to top

A Commitment to Explore New Solutions

There are many tools being used nationally to help promote academic achievement and provide a safe and secure school environment. Not every idea is appropriate for every jurisdiction, and some ideas do not help our public schools, but it is important to look for new ideas to solve local problems. Return to top

A Commitment to Address Even Sensitive Issues

Like it or not, the school system must deal with a number of issues that still divide our society. Some public bodies deal with this by avoiding sensitive issues. While we can disagree about the best way to do things, Ron has demonstrated a commitment to make sure important issues are fully examined in an an open and fair manner, so that the board can reach the best result. He also helped change procedures to provide all citizens an easier opportunity to voice their opinions. Return to top

A Commitment to the Entire Community

Finally, we must continue to forge partnerships with businesses and community groups. We must never forget that the money we spend on schools comes from each taxpayer. We must always make the best use of these public resources. Return to top

Click here to Learn More About Ron

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Ok, Ron admits he created and maintains this web site all by himself. This is Ron's personal site, and his views do not represent the position of the George Mason PTSA.