Q&A with Deanna Bavlnka, School Board Candidate

Elected in 2011 to serve out the remaining year of service vacated by a board member who resigned, Deanna Bavlnka is the only incumbent running for the Board of Education this year. The mother of two students in the school system, Bavlnka is a human resources professional with more than 20 years of experience in the field. She is running on a slate with Bill Connors.

Bavlnka said her goals for the district include improved communication and transparency between the district and the residents, as well as working with local legislators to influence the way state aid is distributed and attempt to achieve some relief related to unfunded state education mandates.

Patch recently had the chance to chat with Bavlnka for a question-and-answer session.

Patch: What made you decide to run for school board?
DB: The opportunity to run to get involved and volunteer my time and be involved in the future decisions that will affect all of the children was important to me, so I decided it was a good idea. I’m running again to continue to uphold the excellent reputation of Three Village. I believe in the value of public education, the democratic process, and I have a huge interest in the entire school community.

Patch: What do you think of the board's adopted budget?
DB: I’m behind the budget. I was one of seven who adopted it. ... We cut $6.5 million, and of that $6.5 million, nothing has effected the children. We’re reducing the postage and the printing, supplies and equipment, contracted services. Things that are not related to the children’s whole educational experience.

Patch: What changes would you have made to the budget?
DB: In the interest of preserving the programs for the kids, there isn’t anything I would change. We went through that book page by page. We did not take that book and throw it into the fire. This has been going on since December. Anytime we had any questions, we asked the administration for data on certain line items. We were given it. I think the whole underlying meaning to success is you can’t scream, you can’t demand, you can’t fight. You have to be cooperative, you have to work together. The more professional and respectful you are, the more you get.

Patch: What is your priority as a taxpayer?
DB: We could pay less for a house and less in taxes, but we’ll have an OK or less-than-desirable school district. ... We’re more concerned about making the sacrifice for our kids. The experience as a whole, that’s what molds kids.

Patch: What do you want people to know about your campaign?
DB: I’m teaming up with Bill [Connors]. I 100 percent believe in multigenerational teams. You’ve got your traditionalists, your Baby Boomers, your Gen X'ers, your Gen Y'ers. These four generations are crucial to work intertwined. You’re going to learn, and they’re going to learn from you. ... It’s a great way to work and accomplish things and get through those difficult decisions. ... And, being a fresh face, even though I have one year of experience, I bring a huge part to the table from the private industry.