Candidate for
Governing Board Member; North Monterey County Unified School District

The North Monterey County Unified School District is much like a family and my committment to the district is much like my committment to my own family. You must commit to a family by nurturing it. Every member of the family is important and every member of the family has a role and responsibility. A family supports each other through the good times and the difficult times. There may be disagreements but you are there for each other when the air has been cleared. In families you must take the time to listen to each other. Communication, commitment, respect and supportive relationships help the nurturing process.

The three priorities that I have include student achievement, fiscal stability of the district and ensuring an environment that is safe for students and staff and that it is conducive to learning and working.

In the area of student achievement we must continually assess our practices to ensure that we are doing what is needed to realize successful student achievement. We must identify the barriers to success and mitigate them. Whether the barriers are health issues, socioeconomic stressors or familial challenges. We must know the community and its resources and ensure that the resources are known to the family and the children. Education is not only the responsibility of the school but of the family and the community in which they reside.

Fiscal stability is one of those areas where the familial approach to relationships is vitally important. We as board members must go to the public, the parents, the teachers, the custodians, the aides and administrators and ask for their input. It is incumbant upon the board and administration to ensure that the public understands the impacts of the recommendations for the district.

During these difficult fiscal times we must not only look at where we can cut but we must be proactive in enhancing revenues. Support programs that help to ensure attendance. A healthy child is more likely to attend school thus maintaining our ADA. We can look to securing grants not as a panacea for lost funds but to enhance what we do have. Don't seek grants and then worry what happens when the grant sunsets but be proactive in planning for how we will continue the service(sustainability).

Finally, we must provide an environment that is conducive to student achievement and a working environment for our employees that helps them to support successful children.

A little while back we were successful in our efforts to pass a bond measure in North County. The wisdom of the residents in investing in their schools was not only an investment in our children but an investment in the community. Our schools will be rehabilitated to support making the environment conducive to learning and being successful.

We must also examine the safety of our schools. We must pay attention to the problems that exacerbate violence and intolerance. The North Monterey County Unified School District has been proactive in using programs to promote the respect and value of our diversity. We have much more work to do in building the relationships in our North County "Family".

My experience as an incumbent board member will allow me to keep my committment to working collaboratively with my fellow incumbent board memebers to nurture our school district's family.