Santa Clara Citizen's Advisory Forum - as presented

By Jim VanPernis

Jim VanPernis' responses: Note: Only questions 1 - 4 were actually asked during the Santa Clara Citizens Advisory Committee School Board Candidate Forum held at the Santa Clara City Council Chambers on September 24, 2012.

Response: In light of my knowledge of the past budget-cutting approaches by SCUSD that I have observed over many years during my regular attendance at Budget Study Sessions, I anticipate that similar priorities (always trying to keep cuts away from the classroom for as long as possible) will be presented to the Board, depending on the depth of our fiscal problems. That is why it is so critical that Proposition 30 (or Proposition 38) passes this November.

2.) Question: What actions have you taken in your professional life that indicate your willingness to think "outside the Box" when dealing with issues that will affect either your workplace or your community?

Response: Regarding bullying, instead of simply punishing the bully,I am an "outside the box" proponent of the Restorative Justice approach, also sometimes called Reparative Justice. It is an approach to justice that focuses on the needs of the victims and the offenders, as well as the involved community. As an example, Desmond Tutu used a version of this approach in healing the wounds from the legacy of apartheid in South Africa.

3.) Question: What personal experience do you have that will indicate your ability to work with other members of the SCUSD Board to work collectively, in order to do things that you are chartered to do?

Response: During my professional life, I was a member of a technical team that received the Lockheed Martin NOVA Team Excellence award (the highest award Lockheed Martin engineers can receive) in recognition of our great engineering teamwork for the highly successful and complex IKONOS-2 commercial imaging satellite.

Today just happens to be the 13th anniversary of its launch and its still working collecting imagery as we speak. Its anticipated useful life was only 7 years, by the way....a testament to the reliability of our product.

More recently, I also have been very active on the campaign teams supporting four of SCUSD's Ballot Measures, where I dealt with a large number of stakeholders, so I fully understand the importance of teamwork in resolving complex issues effectively and efficiently.

4.) Question: What do you feel are the greatest challenges facing teachers today and what can you do to help them achieve what is necessary for ensuring that all students can receive a quality education?

Response: I believe that Board members should support the early implementation of Common Core Standards in our School District, prior to the 2014 mandate, if feasible. This should help the teachers of this District along on their path to providing a world-class learning experience to our students.

5.) Question: In the face of projected budget cuts, will you be a strong supporter of music, theater & arts and athletic programs in our schools?

Response: These are gut-wrenching decisions that the Board may have to face if Proposition 30 (or Proposition 38) does not pass this November. The priorities suggested to the Board as potential options, should this occur, will need to be explored.

In any event, retaining the fiscal solvency of the District is a must do for any Board member.....The Board as a whole is the guardian of the public trust (It is our fiduciary duty) to keep the District functioning and providing our students with educational services.

I do support the use of public-private partnerships and grants to help retain these types of activities during lean times and to enhance them during better times.

6.) Question: Do you have personal experiences to show that Measure A, a parcel tax, is currently working for the Santa Clara School District?

Response: As the former Treasurer of the SCUSD Measure A parcel tax campaign, I am well aware of the School counselor and librarian positions that were not eliminated this school year due to its passage. I was at the Board meetings where these potential cuts were rescinded, due to Measure A's having been approved by our voters. It is accomplishing what was promised to the voters in the ballot statement.

7.) Question: Will you support greater accountability in the SCUSD and what will you do to ensure that this "accountability" will exist?

Response: I think "fiscal accountability" should begin at the top with our Board's budget decisions. The Board must to be held accountable by the community for guarding the public trust by ensuring a prudent budget reserve is maintained and that taxpayer dollars are wisely allocated to improve the education offered by our District.

In my opinion, it is a good thing that "Accountability", as defined by currently used legacy student testing metrics, will be supplanted by improved, Internationally-benchmarked, Nationally-adopted metrics in 2014.

8.) Question: What are your plans, if any, for ensuring that qualified, experienced teachers will be retained or hired in the SCUSD?

Response: I believe that, as a Board member, my support for quality professional development will go a long way for encouraging our teachers to stay within the District and for recruiting teachers to want to apply to work here.

I also think that if the Board truly works as a unified team and (along with the Superintendent, Administrators and teaching staff) concentrates on the improvement of instruction in this District and on the adoption of new educational-support technologies as they evolve, it could greatly improve teacher morale.

9.) Question: Do you believe that smaller class sizes will be sustainable in the future and what actions will you take to ensure that they will exist in kindergarten through third grade?

Response: Only if Proposition 30 (or 38) passes this November and California's and the local economy also improve substantially will smaller class sizes be back on the table anytime soon in this District, in my opinion. Otherwise, this is not feasible.

10.) Question: Have you been personally involved in any after school tutoring and guidance programs for challenged students?

Response: I was a volunteer member of the Employer-School Council while I was employed by Lockheed Martin. It works helping New Valley and Wilson Alternative High School students with scholarships and, in some cases, has helped students find employment and explore career and educational options beyond High School.

 
11.) Question: What do you believe are the greatest challenges facing the SCUSD in the upcoming years and what are your plans to face them?

Response: Fiscal challenges. The great challenge that is possibly facing the School Board is to find a way to help ensure the maintenance of a full school year for education in this District if Proposition 30 (or 38) does not pass.

Another of the challenges to be faced are the resolution of the issue about purchase of the Agnews site in North San Jose from the State. This is critical, so that needed school facilities can be built out there. Also, finding the resources to fund the purchase of new (digital) technologies for student education.