Resident wants to give back to the community through school board seat

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When East County’s Mark Stanoch learned that Nov. 7 would be observed as Victims of Communism Day in Florida, he was inspired.

The bill that created Victims of Communism Day, House Bill 395, mandates all high school students in U.S. government classes must receive at least 45 minutes of instruction on topics regarding communism and how victims under communist regimes suffered.

Stanoch said 45 minutes was not enough. He decided to start a scholarship program, Victims of Communism-Manatee, that awarded $8,000 in scholarships to Manatee County students who wrote an essay, created a display or gave an oration on the evils of communism. 

The scholarship was one way for Stanoch to give back to the community he has called home since 2008, he said. 

Stanoch wants to continue to give back to the community as well as be a part of a school system that educates two of his three grandchildren by becoming a member of the School Board of Manatee County, representing District 1. 

“I just want to make sure they’re getting the best education,” Stanoch said. “It’s not only for my grandkids’ benefit but for all kids in the county. I want to leave the school board in a little better position.”

Stanoch started becoming politically active after his disappointment in President Joe Biden winning the election in 2020. Since then, Stanoch has participated in political groups such as Manatee Patriots, Community Patriots in Hillsborough County and Defend Florida.

Photo by Liz Ramos

Besides the school board seat, Stanoch said he has no other political ambitions. He said his sole focus is on the School District of Manatee County.

If elected, Stanoch said he wants to ensure the voice of the local constituents is heard. 

“I’ve always believed local problems require local solutions,” he said. “I know that our hands are tied by statute and a lot of things are handed down by laws and legislation, but you have to hear the voice of the people.”

His primary goal is to give back to the community. He already volunteers with Anna Maria Oyster Bar’s Dive into Reading program in which he mentors kindergartners in a summer reading program. He also volunteers for Feeding Empty Little Tummies. 

Stanoch said he loves seeing the moment students finally understand a concept or lesson. 

Stanoch said in many ways, he has served as a teacher. He served as a part-time professor at Edward Williams College, which is a part of Fairleigh Dickinson University. He’s also taught statistics, technology, marketing plans and more throughout his career. 

Stanoch spent 35 years in Information Technology working for companies including Chase Econometrics, IBM and Microsoft. He also started and led his own companies. 

He said he’s learned how to look at organizations differently to see how to automate them and make them more efficient. 

“One thing I always personally maintain is no matter what I did or where I went, it was always about providing value,” Stanoch said. “That’s what I’d like to do for the school system. I’d like to try to provide value to the stakeholders, including the teachers, the kids and the taxpayers.”

Stanoch now is retired and uses his knowledge in IT to support the technological needs of various organizations. 

When he’s not participating in political groups or civic associations, Stanoch is Wargaming, a strategy game simulating armed conflict. 

Stanoch is an avid history buff and has painted 20,000 miniature soldiers of all armies so he could recreate battles. 

He’s had a love for history since he was in elementary school. He said some people have questioned why he didn’t become a history teacher or a college professor. 

“You learn a lot from history,” Stanoch said. “There’s a lot of wisdom hidden there. It is kind of true that history does repeat itself, so you can see some patterns and things that can apply toward modern times.”

Age: 71 

Current occupation: Retired IT executive, community volunteer 

Resident of Manatee County: 16 years 

Describe, specifically, what you see as the primary role and functions of the school board? 

Article IX, section 4(b) of the Florida Constitution states, “The school board shall operate, control and supervise all free public schools within the school district and determine the rate of school district taxes within the limits prescribed.” The Manatee County School Board is primarily a policy setting body, not a legislative body. In short, it is where leadership is exercised, and decisions related to educational policy are made. But often, decisions are made in a vacuum without engaging the community. Frequently major decisions are influenced by just a handful of people representing special interests. Therefore, I see that the primary role of the school board is to represent the values, views and desires of all community members within the school district and focus on the educational outcomes of ALL students. The school board achieves this by: 

• Setting policy and ensuring that it is followed by the administration 
• Analyzing and evaluating academic performance of the district 
• Recruiting and evaluating the district superintendent based on defined measurements of district success 
• Ensure that the educational system is functioning properly and complies with state and federal laws 
• Direct strategic plan development and hold fiduciary authority for funding and all expenditures

Why are you running for office? 

As Abraham Lincoln once said about education “… I view it as the most important subject we as a people can be engaged in.” I believe that our school system is falling short in several significant ways. I am running to focus our school board on the following: 

• Grade level reading — The key to learning is reading. But currently nearly half of our students do not read at grade level. We must make increasing the reading performance of our students a key priority. 
• Local community control and engagement — I mentioned earlier that the role of the school board is to reflect the values, views and desires of all community members within the school district. 

However, the current school board has relinquished control of evaluating new ideas for curriculum to the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) and has, in my view, failed to sufficiently engage the community in its decisions. This must change. Community involvement is the key to representation. There are several strategies that can be employed to increase community involvement and representation, which I will champion as a school board member. They include: 

• Focus Groups — I found these to be an important component of my campaign. Meeting with groups of stakeholders, including teachers, administrators, parents, taxpayers and students has proven invaluable to my understanding of our challenges. 
• Townhalls — I feel that the time allotted for public comments during school board meetings is insufficient and that the lack of interaction does little to increase community involvement and representation. Establishing and formalizing a schedule of Townhall meetings would provide a forum for every voice to be heard. And these must be conducted with decorum, focusing on common sense academic excellence and not distractions that only serve to devalue the educational mission of our district and our teachers.
• Fiscal insight — The nearly $1.4 billion budget for the School District of Manatee County rivals that of many large corporations. Yet the fiscal controls in place focus simply on oversight and pays little attention to the process used in acquiring goods and services. Financial oversight is not enough. We need to transform our board processes to exercise financial insight. There other two other important reasons why I am pursuing the position of school board member: Two of my grandchildren are currently enrolled in the School District of Manatee County. I want to ensure that they, along with all of the children in Manatee County, have the opportunity to receive the best education possible to prepare them to become productive members of society as well as good citizens. In addition, being a member of the Manatee County School Board would provide me with an opportunity to give back to the community in yet another meaningful way. I sincerely look forward to being able to apply my skills and experience for the benefit of our children, their parents, teachers, future employers and local taxpayers. 

Have you ever run for public office before? If so, for what office? 

No, this is my first time seeking an elected office. 

Why are you more qualified than your opponents? 

I mentioned earlier that the school board is where decisions for our educational system are made. With more than 6,800 employees, 52,000 students and an annual budget approaching $1.4 billion, it is clear that the SDMC is a large, complex organization. Making decisions for an organization of this size and scope requires a background in managing and understanding large enterprises. I have been told by constituents that I am uniquely qualified to be a member of the Manatee County School Board. They have said in focus groups and other settings that I am a much-needed, experienced and dynamic leader who can enhance the perspective and skills of the school board in the following ways: 

• Success through collaboration — I am better equipped to represent all the members of the Manatee County community. I have a proven track record of achieving joint goals among diverse organizations. This is perhaps best illustrated in my role of Microsoft Alliance Manager at Dell. Microsoft and Dell possess very different corporate cultures and organizational climates. By establishing and adhering to a set of joint goals, I was able to drive more joint revenue than any other business partner, for five consecutive years. More recently, I have applied these skills to enhancing community engagement. During the last election cycle, I organized a voter registration drive that resulted in registering more than 100 new voters in Manatee County. Last year, I conceived and organized the “Victims of Communism” scholarship program, which in its first year awarded $8,000 in scholarships to high school students in Manatee County for their work on exposing the evils of Communism. As part of the program, community members who had suffered under Communism shared their experiences with more than 60 high school students during a workshop. Success was achieved through the collaborative efforts of the program participants, which included members from groups as diverse as the League of Women Voters and Manatee Patriots. These experiences, along with many others, have given me the ability to listen to all sides and determine what works best. 
• Business Transformation Experience — I have spent a career spanning more than 35 years in Information Technology (IT) helping to transform large and complex enterprises. My hands-on experience and training from companies like IBM Global Services and SAP, have provided me with the understanding that people, process and technologies within an organization must all be in alignment to achieve success.
• Management Skill — Unlike my opponents, I have a broad business management background, having held executive and management positions in Fortune 500 companies. But I have also incubated two technology startup companies, both of which I grew and managed from conception through acquisition by publicly traded corporations. Throughout my career, I have created hundreds of jobs and have consistently delivered value to customers and shareholders alike. Many of the positions I have created were offered to high school and college students in an effort to introduce them to technology and the experience of working in a business environment. I am proud to say that many of these team members went on to pursue careers in major corporations or have started successful business ventures. These experiences have taught me the importance of fiscal responsibility, planning and, most importantly, the wisdom to recognize the value of all team members. 
• Extensive Background in Technology — We are experiencing rapid growth throughout Manatee County. This is particularly evident in School Board District 1 where at least four new schools are planned over the next five years with an estimated expense approaching $300 million. Responding to this growth will require substantial changes in the IT plans for our school system. With my extensive experience in the design, implementation and management of IT infrastructure, I am capable of understanding and perhaps even enhancing plans for the delivery of information and instruction. I have the background to understand all aspects of IT operations, including data center capacity planning, security, Service Level Agreements (SLA) and other technical aspects relating to infrastructure architecture. Furthermore, with my certifications and experience in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, I would be able to effectively review and analyze the plans and implementation for the district’s backend systems. Historically, all of these skills have been absent from our school board. • Strong Analytical Skills — I have pursued graduate level studies in Management Science and Statistics. I also have experience in forecasting and time series analysis where I built econometric models for several markets, including telecommunications, public utilities and the travel and leisure industry. These experiences equip me as the only school board candidate capable of understanding performance measures, forecasting and program evaluation. And should the administration so desire, I can provide that guidance to them as well. 
• Full-time Position — Last but certainly not least, unlike my opponents, I have no other commitments to distract me from performing my duties as a member of the Manatee County School Board. As I am retired, my role as school board member will be a full-time commitment rather than simply a side job. The people of Manatee County deserve nothing less. 

Do you have any children in any public or private elementary, middle or high school? If so, what school(s)? 

I am blessed to have two grandchildren in the Manatee County School system. My grandson will be a freshman at Lakewood Ranch High School and my granddaughter will be attending sixth grade at Dr. Mona Jain Middle school in August. 

What are the top three issues facing Manatee’s public schools, and how should they be addressed? 

There are many challenges currently facing SDMC. However, I believe the top three issues are: 

• Our children can’t read at grade level — It was reported on the SDMC website (as of May 31, 2024), that 49% of our K-12 students cannot read at grade level. And while recent preliminary results of testing show some slight improvements, Manatee County generally underperforms the state in English Language Arts (ELA). I believe that one solution that holds promise is early intervention. There are a number of programs that introduce reading as early as Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) that should be explored further. Awareness of the available programs should be widely promoted so that more families can take advantage of them. Further analysis should also be focused on how family income level affects ELA performance with an eye toward designing programs to address the needs of these children. We also need to capitalize on community organizations dedicated to improving reading scores. John and Amanda Horne’s “Dive into Reading” is an excellent example of one program (I am currently a volunteer in this program). Efforts should be made to engage and collaborate with other groups looking to achieve similar goals. We should also recognize that the SDMC has a number of students enrolled where English is not their native language. In fact 19% of the entire student population are English Language Learners (ELL). These students typically score in the lower quartile on standardized ELA tests. There is an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program in place that acquires grants to fund an extensive list of programs to support these students. But we should do even more to ensure that these students become productive learners. 
• Coping with dramatic change — There is no denying that Manatee County is growing. But this growth is not uniform across the county. There are areas in the district where some schools are deploying portables to address overcrowding. But other areas are seeing a decline in the student population resulting in potentially underutilized facilities. While it is forecasted that during the next school year the student population will exceed 56,000 students, nearly 40% of middle school students are projected to enroll in alternatives to public schools due in large part to a lack of discipline and possibly lower academic performance in some schools. Our goal should be to achieve a balance between accommodating growth while maintaining high-quality standards for all students. The value of our middle schools should be better communicated to parents so that they can make better informed decisions for their middle school students. 
• Are we investing wisely? — Budgets are based in large part on assumptions and forecasts. There are many checks and balances currently in place to review on what our funds are being spent. There is a need to extend this to analyzing how and why expenditures are made. More effort is needed to understand the underlying assumptions of certain budget items. We must review the actual models driving forecasts of growth and expenditures. This is an activity which has been sorely lacking with the current board. Then there is the issue of teacher salaries and benefits. There is much being said about the inadequate health insurance plan offered by the district. And it is untenable that there is never enough money for classroom supplies, which the teachers have unfairly been underwriting for many years. Our teachers deserve better. We must provide well-equipped classrooms that allow our teachers to focus on their core mission. The current situation is not characteristic of a high-performing school district. We must do better. Our children deserve it. Spending smartly is a way to get there. 

What grade would you give Superintendent Jason Wysong — A to F … and why? 

Dr. Wysong has just completed this first school year as superintendent. He has quickly grasped the major issues facing our schools and has thoughtfully pursued solutions.

My nature is to be tough on myself, and I set high expectations. So, I would rate Dr. Wysong’s performance a solid “B.” He has demonstrated the potential to lead us to becoming an A-rated district and can quite possibly be an exceptional performer. We need to give him that opportunity and support programs that are consistent with common sense academic excellence for ALL students. 

What grade would you give the school board for managing the district’s tax dollars — A to F … Why? 

Most of the taxes levied are set by the Legislature and Florida Department of Education and generally fall into a category known as “Required Local Effort.” Currently there is considerable discussion concerning the “millage.” Specifically, these discussions refer to the “Discretionary Operating” taxes levied by an additional millage on ad valorem property taxes. This additional mill was recently approved by the current school board and will therefore be on the ballot for voter referendum in November. It should be noted that the current Discretionary Operating millage, approved by the school board and voters, allocates only 51% of the additional taxes levied toward teacher salaries. But there is another component of the millage rate that has an even greater impact on the property taxes we pay. It shows up on our property Truth In Millage Rate (TRIM) Notices from the county property appraiser as “School Board Capital Improvement.” Under the budget for the 2023-2024 school year, this “Capital Improvement” component of the millage generated 50% more taxes than the Discretionary Operating millage rate component (1.5 mills versus 1 mill). Yet unlike the Discretionary Operating millage, it does not require approval by the voters. Its approval is at the sole discretion of the school board.

The taxes levied through this millage rate component is used to fund educational plant, delivery of instruction, conversion of space, new school's library media center, school buses, servicing lease-purchase agreements, equipment, computers and ERP software. Unfortunately, I did not see an adequate level of due diligence on the part of the board when discussing these items. For these reasons, I cannot award a grade higher than a “C” for the current board’s handling of the district’s tax dollars, programs and policies. 

What would you change to improve the district’s fiscal management? 

I believe that we need to change our point of view as it applies to fiscal management. Currently, the emphasis focuses on financial oversight. Effectively, we review what line items are being funded without understanding the performance and effectiveness of that spending. I suggest that we need to devote more effort into understanding how items are being funded and whether the results are supported by the investment. We should determine whether items are being leased or purchased in light of their useful life, whether we are taking advantage of discounts, etc. In short, we should move from financial oversight toward achieving a state of financial insight, going far beyond the process required by Florida Law. 

What would be your priorities if elected? 

• Focus on the Fundamentals — We have to find ways to improve our ELA scores. Early intervention may be an avenue we can aggressively pursue. We need to establish a goal of significantly improving our ELA performance over the next few years. 
• Enhance School/Community Collaboration — Our Manatee County School Board should be the representative of the local community. As such, the board should be the conduit through which all of the educational needs of the community are communicated. The output of this communication could be used when evaluating curriculum and programs to further enhance the educational experience of our students. All such initiatives must have the participation of professional staff and administrators so that the board has the full perspective of issues, challenges and needs. It is also crucial for our board to partner with other elected officials as well as local employers, higher education, nonprofit organizations and others. Creating interaction among these channels would increase the overall effectiveness of the school board. I will make it a priority to develop these communication channels, expanding the participation of the greater community and thereby increasing the likelihood of developing innovative solutions. Creating local solutions to address local problems will result in better informed decisions and thus a more effective school board. 
• Insight not oversight — As I mentioned earlier, we need to shift our view from financial oversight to one of financial insight. This will require that once budget items are committed, the process of how products and services are acquired should be reviewed in depth. And all assumptions and forecasts used in developing the annual budget should be carefully reviewed and shared with the community. 

What is your position on the state’s school choice laws? 

I am a strong proponent of the free enterprise system, and therefore believe that competition should be welcomed in any market. I applaud the governor and Legislature for embracing this principal in legislation. However, with choice comes the need to inform. It is incumbent on the SDMC to ensure that all of the benefits of attending each public school are clearly communicated to the community. Most importantly, driving the district toward an A-rated school system will make SDMC much more desirable. For example, in District 1, the outstanding performance of an elementary school as an A-rated achiever prepares the youngsters for later grades, but they may end up at a high school that is merely C-rated. We need to improve the performance of the high school so that the early grade experiences continue throughout the higher grades. 

Do you believe Manatee schools are underfunded? And if so, would you support an additional local tax? 

Funding for public schools is established by Florida statute and includes State, Local and Federal sources. It is a complex matrix which must also address mandates, some of which are unfunded, from a number of agencies. Yet at the end of the day, the level of funding must be sufficient to cover the requirement of delivering an exceptional educational experience for all of our children. I don’t presume to have all the answers today regarding the need for additional local taxes in the future. Of fundamental importance is that we need to attract and retain the best teachers for Manatee County. After all, excellent instruction depends on excellence in delivery. And of course, it makes little financial sense to invest millions in plant and equipment and have it underutilized due to labor constraints. Of course everyone wants lower taxes. If we are fiscally prudent and augment financial oversight with financial insight, we may be able to accomplish more with the same amount of money. To achieve this we need a disciplined review of the budget and be willing to take a critical look at the programs we are delivering and determine where changes must be made.

There is one area that should be explored to enhance our education system while minimizing costs: Charter schools. Charter schools can offer programs better suited to certain students. A good example is Manatee School for the Arts. And these schools have the added advantage of having less regulations imposed on their construction making their building cost more economical than traditional public schools. In this way, Charter schools provide a lower cost alternative to address the overcrowding issue while at the same time offering unique programs of study. 

What is your response and position on the U.S. Department of Education's April rule changes to Title IX? 

Let me restate the obvious: Following the science, there exists only two sexes. To have un-elected bureaucrats in the U.S. Department of Education extend discrimination to Title IX based on biological sex to include gender identity and sexual orientation is absurd on its face and tragic in its execution. I agree with the lawsuit filed by the attorneys general of Alabama, Florida (thank you Attorney General Moody!), Georgia and South Carolina to have this rule change stayed before the Aug. 1 implementation date. In my view, this is yet another example of the Federal government overstepping its bounds for the sake of promoting a nonsensical political ideology. I strongly believe that the Manatee County School Board should immediately adopt a resolution similar to the one recently adopted by Sarasota County. We must protect women’s and girls’ Title IX protections.