Some questions and answers

By Cai Williams

Cai answers some pertinent questions

Answer: By carefully establishing clear spending priorities and researching what parents are looking for, we can start reversing the declining enrollment in our district and make sure that the money we do have is being well spent. I would like to see what percent of our budget is being spent on administrative costs compared to other districts in California. In setting these priorities, I believe we must continue supporting a diversity of educational programs. Our students and their families need quality pre-school programs like the Winzler Children's Center. They need after school programs that contain both intervention and enrichment. Alternative educational pathways, including expanded technical and vocational training, have to become a priority if we are going to prepare our students for college and career in the future. Even during times of financial austerity, can we afford to not provide every student with a genuine opportunity to acquire the basic skills for the 21st Century?

Question: What are some things you feel need to change in Eureka City Schools in order to improve the district?

Answer: For one thing we need to give teachers and staff a real voice when decisions are being made in areas such as assessment, spending priorities, curriculum, and discipline. While I agree that teachers have to be held accountable, you can not demand accountability and then exclude them from having genuine input into those areas that directly affect how they do their job. Next to parents, teachers know what is best for our kids, and the overwhelming majority work hard every day to see that they get the best education possible. With so many procedures being dictated at the federal and state level, it is that much more important that we do everything we can to include their input at the local level.

Question: What do you say to those community members who feel left out of the decision making process?

Answer: It is so important that we build a real sense of partnership in our district. All involved parties, including school board members, parents and students, administrators, teachers, staff, and other community members need to be included in the process. They also need to do a better job of listening to each other. When we start excluding people from this process, or talk down to people, we lose their trust in the system. I believe that recently we have seen the district make a real attempt to start involving the greater community. They can do better, and with the skills I will bring as a member of the school board I can help that happen.