Beachwood Board of Education Election 2011: Steve Rosen

Editor's Note: As part of Patch's local election coverage, we will provide profiles of each of the candidates running for office. These profiles will offer biographical and issue-oriented details about each of the candidates to help you, the voters, make more informed decisions at the ballot box. Stay tuned for more coverage of the election, and for full election coverage, visit  and "like" our Beachwood Elections Facebook Page.

Name: Steve Rosen

Age: 48

Occupation: Owner, Business Sounds on Hold; Sunday School Teacher, Suburban Temple Kol Ami

Education: Broward Community College, FL, 1981-1983; University of Georgia, 1983-1985

Political Affiliation: Democrat

Office Sought: Beachwood Board of Education

Previous Political Offices Sought or Held: None.

Candidate Statement: Hello neighbor... Thanks for taking the time to learn more about me. I don’t remember where we met. It might have been when I was volunteering at Fairmount School, Bryden School, Hilltop School or Beachwood Middle School. Or perhaps it was at an event at the High School. I've been working hard to ensure that our children get the best education possible in so many ways, from volunteering in kindergarten classes to serving as Treasurer of Beachwood Pages. I have been a coach, a mentor, a DI team manager, a lunch aide, a classroom teacher, a field trip chaperone, and a regular attendee of the Board of Ed meetings.

Throughout these countless hours of service to our schools, I have seen wonderful things happen. I have watched as children have their "Aha" moments as their eyes light up having acquired another skill or piece of knowledge that will help them become the citizens we want them to become.

I've seen teachers go out of their way to encourage our children to strive to better themselves. I've seen administrators take on tough issues and grapple with intense decisions to best serve our children and to continue to forge them into stronger people, all while ensuring our tax dollars are spent wisely.

I have not agreed with every decision the Board and the Administration made under my watch, and when I didn’t, I spoke up. I did always know they had the best of intentions and always meant well.

I was the only person to speak publicly on behalf of our schools when the City Council attempted to limit the abilities of the Law Director to assist our schools. 

Beachwood must continue to be the school system others look towards to see innovations in education. We have set the bar high with our unique indoor pool, our outstanding music education program, our one-to-one laptop program, and our outstanding Chinese language program, and now other schools have adopted similar programs. But we can never rest on our laurels. The world is changing, and the way we educate our children must evolve as well. 

The current Board, along with Dr. Markwardt and Michelle Mills, has done a great job of reducing expenses while maintaining educational excellence. Financially, our district is in admirable shape because of their stewardship. We’re all aware there are challenges ahead. Federal and state policies have left our district with less money than we anticipated. In fact, my opponent’s party leaders are to blame for many of the funding cuts our district faces.

Now more than ever, both the City and the Schools need to find creative ways to stretch our educational dollars, to work as a team, and to ensure we remain the area’s premier residential community. 

We also need to become more innovative and look for ways to create a both public and private team to fill in funding gaps. I believe there are many ways we can encourage partnerships with the business community. These relationships will benefit our students, the business community, and the area at large. 

I plan on knocking on your door with the other candidate I share these ideals with, Alec Isaacson. We want to hear your thoughts. Together, our passions for Beachwood and our children will combine to once again make Beachwood the leading district for educational success.