Sylvia Garrett for HBUHSD Board

By Sylvia Garrett

A New Direction

We have a great school District, and we must seek ways to maximize our strengths and concentrate on areas that we need to improve. A School District with a good reputation is critical to our children, and as it improves, so will our property values. All of our students deserve the best educational resources.

I am committed to maintaining Fiscal Accountability, Diverse Funding Opportunities, Clean, Safe Campus environments, and State of the Art Resources for our students. In addition I want to assure that there is always Open Communication between parents, students and staff.

• I will work for a Clean, Safe, Campus Environment! All of our campuses should be in good condition to foster a productive learning environment. This requires the combined efforts of all staff, students, parents, and community. "Deferred maintenance" should be used only for those items that do not pose a threat to health or safety. Our maintenance departments at every campus should be provided with the proper resources, including training so that they will perform their duties with pride of ownership. Students should be allowed to be a part of the solution so that they will help maintain their campuses as a place that they can be proud of.

  We should use technology and a strong relationship with our local law enforcement agencies so that all of our students and staff feel safe. Parents should be included in this partnership to support our staff so that students come to school on time and ready to learn.

• I will work for Fiscal Accountability! Our District should produce a user-friendly budget that allows taxpayers to see where their dollars are being spent. We should use the technology that is already available to streamline administrative operations and expenses so that monies and staff can be redirected to the schools to benefit all of our students. Our schools should be empowered to partner with parent groups and members of the community that can provide additional resources for our schools that would otherwise not be available. All staff should be held to the highest standard so that students, parents, and community can be proud of their association with our District.

• I will work for Better Communication! Students from our feeder elementary schools should be prepared for high school through active, consistent collaboration of all curricular departments so that there is a seamless transition from Middle School to High School. Staff development days between the various school districts should be aligned to allow teachers to interact with each other and compare teaching strategies for the success of all students.

  Open communication between teachers, parents and students should be encouraged so that each feels they are a member of the partnership. The principals at each of our schools are the primary link between the school and the community. They must have effective administrative support to enable them to resolve issues and build on the strengths of their campuses.

• I will work to Diversify Funding Opportunities! We are fortunate that our District is located in an area with a large variety of businesses and industry. Our high schools can serve as a vehicle to harness the energy and good will of people in our community who are willing to create business partnerships with our schools for the benefit of all of our students. These partnerships can be in the form of internships, staff development, in-kind donations, a speakers bureau, and more. In exchange, our high schools will produce the talented future employees that these businesses will need.

• I will work for Open Enrollment! Each of our schools has a unique focus centered around a well rounded curriculum that prepares our students for post graduate education. Students who have an interest in a particular program deserve the opportunity to apply for enrollment in the school that will best serve their needs.