Posted: Monday, March 15, 2010 1:24 pm

Eric Newell

Name: Eric Newell
Occupation: Team Manager Auto Claims State Farm Insurance
Education: Shelbyville Central High School; BS from MTSU
Campaign e-mail: ericnewell@comcast.net

Why are you running?
As a parent of two children and having served president of PTO organizations here in Murfreesboro and Chattanooga, I have developed an interest in our school system.

Many current board members have an educational background. I believe the non-educational prospective I would bring is just as important to the success of our system.

I want to bring to the Board a standard of sound judgment and fiscal responsibility. I want to improve the image of the School Board and how the community perceives the Board.

I want to be an advocate for teachers, students and parents. I want to make sure our teachers are provided with time and resources necessary to be successful in the classroom.

What is the most pressing issue facing city schools and your possible solution? 
The Race To The Top legislation passed here in Tennessee intends to hold teachers accountable for their students’ learning and growth. Much about how these changes will be implemented remains unknown.

My goal, if elected, would be to ensure the changes include ambitious yet achievable goals that benefit students, and whose measurements are fair and equitable to the teachers. 

What would you do to improve areas in which MCS failed to meet No Child Left Behind benchmarks?
Murfreesboro City Schools met all NCLB benchmarks last year.

We did not, however, meet all benchmarks the year before, and were therefore placed on the target list. In order to come off of that target list, we have to meet AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) for two years in a row.

To ensure our success, I propose our teachers look closely at each student and assess them appropriately, to gauge what each student has learned and identify their strengths and weaknesses. Then, implement instruction to meet the needs of each child. Extra measures for students that struggle, for students who are meeting expectations or exceeding expectations should also be implemented.

We should not be satisfied with merely meeting NCLB benchmarks. I would like to see Murfreesboro City Schools exceed them. While helping students who struggle, we cannot forget the students who are successful but need an extra push or the high-achieving students who need to be challenged.

What is your position on the consolidation of Murfreesboro City with Rutherford County Schools?
Having two separate systems is an asset this community offers that few do.

As a parent of a child currently in the city school system and a child who has been through county middle and high school, I am grateful and appreciative of the differences in these two unique experiences.

As long as the separate systems continue to provide good value for the community, both in terms of cost and educational results, I would like to see the systems remain separate.