Quality Education First

By Juli Kauffman

Our school board is comprised of five individuals whose job it is to create and maintain an educational environment that enables each student to reach their full potential, value life-long learning and to respect and contribute to our diverse society. As a member of the Kentfield School Board, I will work to accomplish these goals by focusing primarily on the following areas:

· Our teachers are our greatest resource. I will focus on teacher retention and recruitment by providing a competitive work environment, promoting open communication between our school board and teachers, and making on-going teacher training a priority.

· All California schools face fiscal and legislative uncertainties. I will work to defend our funding at the state level and to develop stronger relationships with legislators and key advocacy groups. Education must be at the forefront of our efforts and priorities.

· The local community supporting our schools contributes at the highest level of any community in Marin. This support (which is primarily through parcel taxes and bond measures) is crucial in enabling the district to continue providing the quality programs that benefit our children. I will focus on maintaining this support through improved long term planning, communications and problem-solving with the community.

Our level of community involvement, the quality of our teachers and our great programs make the Kentfield School District a model for the rest of the state. I embrace the active partnership between our teachers, administrators and community set forth by our current School Board and will work as an advocate for our children.