Candidate lists goals

Nine citizens are elected to serve a 4-year term without a salary on the Gettysburg Area School Board. The school superintendent is the 10th member of this board. This group works together in a by-partisan effort to establish and

maintain the best possible and safest learning environment in our schools. My name is John Ramirez, and I am a candidate on the Nov. 2 ballot for one of the four open Gettysburg School Board positions.

I have experienced the satisfaction of being in a classroom and realizing that teaching is one of the few professions where each day you can make a positive impact on a person’s life. The last 18 months have been the most challenging time for our students, teachers, and parents. We all have the best intentions for the education and safety of our students. Sometimes differences between us can lead to disagreements and confrontations. I will seek to reach consensus and common ground. It is important to focus on what can be agreed upon rather than where disagreements lie. I earned a Master of Arts in Psychology, and a Master of Education in Applied Human Development and Guidance both from Teachers College, Columbia University. I also earned a teaching certificate in N thru 6 grade and an Elementary School Guidance Certificate. In addition to teaching in New York and New Jersey community colleges, I held several positions in higher education administration as a Registrar, Financial Aid, and Academic Counselor. In 2011, I retired as an Associate Professor and my wife and I moved to Gettysburg, “The best small town in America,” where her family lives. Covid-19 has taken many lives here in the US and around the world. School Boards have been pressed to remain open minded and nonpolitical. The next school year will be critical in reestablishing our students learning curve. My goals as a successful candidate are to assist the school superintendent, classroom teachers, other board members and parents in coming together for the welfare of our students. There may be many difficult decisions ahead, however, the School Board must maintain the focus on students learning. I believe in the need to work together and find acceptable and innovative solutions, including using technology and creating an environment of diversity and equity. We on the School Board play an important role in our students’ future. We must be up to the challenge.

John Ramirez,

Gettysburg