To gain understanding of my philosophy go to www.studentsfirst.org

To the editor,

My name is Mark Billings and I am a candidate for the Member At Large position on the Inter-Lakes School Board. My wife Martha and I live in Meredith, two of our three sons, now in their late twenties also live in the area, and we all care deeply about our community.

Americans live in a very challenging time right now and we face very tough issues. Now, more than any time that I can remember, we the citizens must step up, work together and take responsibility for finding solutions. There is no greater challenge, nor more important issue than the education of our children, and I choose to invest my time, my energy, my knowledge and my passion in the search for answers to the critical issues we face.

My wife is a retired elementary school teacher, my sister and her husband are both public school teachers and many of my heroes are the teachers I had growing up in a small, rural cooperative school district in Massachusetts. There is a nationwide revolution taking place in public education as our children are falling further and further behind their global peers and the economics of our current system is becoming completely unsustainable. Change is imminent, whether we want it or not, and we as a school district must decide whether we will lead that change or fall victim to it — I choose the former.

By way of background, I spent my professional career in the financial services industry, specifically investment banking and asset management. My specialty is macro-economics and financial analysis and one of my passions is the study of history and long-term economic trends. I am a fiscal conservative and a social moderate with no particular party affiliation. I am a member of the Meredith Conservation Commission, a member of the Meredith Energy Committee and I was co-chair of the Page Pond and Forest Conservation Project recently completed in Meredith.

The best way I can articulate my philosophy regarding public education is to refer you to the recently founded national organization www.studentsfirst.org. I recommend everyone who cares about this issue take the time to read the Mission Statement and Policy Agenda. This is also my core philosophy, with the full understanding that it must be modified to the unique characteristics of our school district. As a macro-economist I know these changes will take time, but we must start now and our goal should be nothing less than being the best public school system in the state of New Hampshire. My focus is one of reaching out to all constituents, embracing inclusion, encouraging great debate and fostering creative and innovative thinking in the search for solutions. I believe in transparency, collaboration and the idea that ordinary people can do extraordinary things.

I strongly believe we must tap into the phenomenal human resources we have in our communities and inspire them join us. To achieve this goal, I would propose that the school board establish its own web site as a means of reaching out to and engaging the public. I see this as a tool with three functions: first, as a bulletin board fostering greater transparency in the management our schools, second, as a discussion forum, a place where people can come and ask questions and share their ideas and third, as a link to other web sites such as “Students First.” We are not alone in dealing with our issues and it makes great sense to see what other communities and organizations are doing.

Finally, as a school board member, I will fairly represent all of the people within our school district in the management of our education process. I would appreciate the chance to meet you at the School District Public Hearing on February 7 at 6:30 in the I-LHS Community Auditorium, at the March 8 polls in Meredith, Center Harbor, and Sandwich, at the School District Meeting on March 12 at 10 a.m. in the I-LHS Gymnasium, or at any Meet the Candidates Forums which might be planned within our District. You can also reach me at 603 279-8572 or email at windywalls@aol.com.

Please cast your I-L School Board Member At Large vote for Mark Billings on March 8, 2011.

Mark Billings

Meredith