Candidate for
Board Member; San Mateo - Foster City School District; 4 Year Term

Today we face many new challenges to providing a high quality education. We continue to struggle with adequate funding, curriculum continues to evolve, and our community continues to be mobile introducing new needs. Additionally, we have experienced a turnover in our Administrative staff that will require recruiting and hiring new administrators, and the coming together of staff, parents and the community to re-focus our efforts and commitment to providing excellent educational opportunities for our children.

We must find ways to met the challenges of today with effective and creative solutions aimed at providing positive results for Children. As we look at ways to move forward, and face the challenges of today and tomorrow, it is beneficial to look back and identify what has gotten us to where we are today? We should ask ourselves, is where we are today where we want to be? Will the methods we used to achieve today's success continue to work into the future? Will today's leaders be able to take us to tomorrow?

Sixteen years ago, I had become concerned and discouraged with some of the things going on in our District, along with some of the things not going on. At that time I had two options, to continue to voice my concerns and wait for results, or to become part of the solution by becoming a Member of the Board, and create results. I chose the latter, and with your vote, confidence and support, I became a Member of the Board of Trustees.

During the past 16 years, the Administration of this District, with Board direction and support, along with District staff, parents and the community, have worked diligently to continually improve the education and services provides to our children. This has been accomplished through collaborative, open and honest communication, parental and community involvement, dedication, hard work and a willingness to take risks.

Over the past 16 years, all of us working together have: · Passed bonds to lower class size and improve facilities · Developed and implemented a strategic plan · Developed curriculum standards and standard based assessments to inform parents about their child's strengths and weaknesses, and to assist the Teaching staff in developing programs to exploit the strengths and correct the weaknesses. · Established school programs of choice, alternative calendars and childcare centers to support students and their parents · Adopted curriculum to support new technology, new content and the way children learn

We have become one of the best and highest regarded school districts in the Bay Area, while at the same time regretfully, being the lowest funded.

Today, we offer parents and their children educational choices, all of which result is high student performance. We have improved on standardized test scores across the District, and have employed and developed a highly dedicated staff.

As we move forward, we will continue to be challenged. We must maintain our focus and our decisions on what's good for children, all of the children in Foster City and San Mateo. If we maintain this focus, and continue to work together in a collaborative, honest and open manor, our children will succeed not only in school, but also in life.

I have been part of the solution, and my promise is that I will continue to work in an open, honest and collaborative manor, focusing on the needs of all children