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This information is provided by the candidate
In this election I have become a controversial figure with a history of opposing the RVSB when it decided to open Deer Park as a public school.
My opposition was based on a thorough analysis of the economic and other aspects of the situation, including my knowledge of the traffic situation (from having served on a Fairfax traffic study) and the need for the FSACC to be preserved to support the education of the economically disadvantaged in Ross Valley. The latter, is a responsibility of the RVSD which it is not capable of fulfilling at this time for economic reasons.
Eventually the RVSB realized the district could not afford the $10M upfront and fixed annual costs of opening another school if they were to maintain equity and have bond money from Measure A to meet the needs of the other K-5 campuses.
Although this is now apparent, the Board has not issued a statement to this effect. Thus people, including parents, who do not have the time to analyze a complex situation cannot be faulted for blaming me, the messenger.
In many ways running the RVSD is very similar to running a medium sized company, and the Trustees occupy the positions of directors. They are responsible for setting the course or "vision" of the company (strategic plan), creating the means to fulfill the mission (facilities), supporting the implementation (teachers and curriculum), and monitoring the progress (review, testing etc.), as well as reporting back to those concerned (parents and other tax payers.)
Directors are usually chosen for the diversity of their backgrounds and the specialized skills and experience they bring to the team. Looked at from the position of diversity, I bring unique perspectives to this election, these include:
1. As a senior I have an historical perspective of the effect of education on my three children that was not available to me when I was in the throes of child raising and earning a living. I also understand more the mind set of the older segment of our society from direct and indirect experience.
2.I have studied formally the human condition from many different view-points, including a degree in evolution and laboratory science research, medicine, the speciality of anesthesiology and stress reduction, and the humanities including the history of fine arts and the history of medicine.
3. I have taken numerous courses in educational theory and practice and have taught in many different environments. This includes small group teaching full-time for three years at a half clinical salary. I was chair of a committee which investigated psycho-social and other human value considerations including "critical thinking" in education.
4. My historical studies and educational activities have involved periods of paradigm shift. My thesis was on the impact of Versalius during the Renaissance. We are now in another such period of rapid cultural change. I have helped develop and implement several innovative curricula with this historical understanding in mind.
5. I have a broad global perspective from being raised in a different culture and from extensive travel when I have visited schools in nine "underdeveloped" countries and been on pediatric orthopedic missions to three in Central America.
6. My overview of the challenges the RVSD faces has been formed from attending over 100 RVSD meetings and from being appointed to the Citizens Oversight Committee. I played a very active role with 20 hours on the phone bank to support Measure A.
In many ways my experience and skill sets would complement those of the incumbents and I felt it an obligation, and the best use of my retirement, to help with the enormous challenges the district faces at this time.
In my opinion, the Board needs someone with educational expertise to help forward the numerous discussions needed to update the strategic plan and translate into reality, the complex educational goals the Superintendent recently presented to the Board.
These curriculum discussions are long overdue. At the Board level there has been very little attention to the need to focus on education which is the fundamental reason for a school board.
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