TRAVERSE CITY -- Gary Appel wants to help Traverse City's public schools be more creative.
Early in his career, he taught elementary science in California and helped start an outdoor garden classroom. He used those efforts to link gardening to science lessons in a book he co-wrote on the topic.
Now that public education in Michigan faces deep budget cuts, Appel thinks school districts have to be on the cutting edge to do the most with limited dollars. And he believes he has the experience to do it.
Appel, 58, is running against challenger Diane Viskochil to retain his seat on Traverse City's school board through Dec. 31, 2012. He was appointed in January to fill a vacancy created when 2008 member-elect Amy Sutherland resigned.
The winner will take office immediately after results are certified.
Appel works to develop statewide policies with the Michigan Department of Education in his role as state manager for a federally funded division of Learning Point Associates.
The nonprofit organization has offices in New York, Washington, Chicago and Naperville, Ill.
"All of us talk about innovation, but I've actually been part of educational innovation," Appel said. "Given the stresses in the system, I see some huge opportunities to open the door."
Among those opportunities is the potential for magnet schools. Models like the district's Montessori program and SCI-MA-TECH at Central High School are unique, he said, and could turn around enrollment slides.
In addition, offering high school juniors and seniors service-learning programs and internships could create community partnerships, he said.
"Parents are consumers," Appel said. "Public schools have been slow to embrace that."
Educators need to figure out what families want from public education, he said. That may mean adding desired programs, he said, and cutting those that don't have large student followings.
Appel helped plan a committee to recommend budget cuts for next year and said he knows the process will be difficult.
It will be important to "spread the pain around," he said, so classroom instruction is spared as much as possible.
The board will look closely at each recommended cut before approving any of them, he said.
"Now's no time for a change," said Appel, who has not missed a meeting since he was appointed in January. "This is an increasingly challenging period for school districts in Michigan, and it requires all the experience we can give."
About the candidate
Name: Gary Appel
Age: 58
Residence: Traverse City
Education: Graduated from Oak Park High School in 1969; bachelor's degree in sociology from Oakland University; master's degree in science education from the University of Michigan
Work: State manager for Michigan with the Great Lakes East Comprehensive Center, a federally funded extension of the nonprofit Learning Point Associates; has worked as an education consultant for governments and nonprofits; former science teacher
Family: Wife Mimi, 51; son Raffi, 19, sophomore at Michigan State University; son Micah, 17, junior at Traverse City Central High School
Web site: www.appelforschoolboard.org, www.appelcoreideas.blogspot.com
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