Candidate for
Board Member; Galt Joint Union High School District

As a board member it is my responsibility to support the district's vision for every student to be ready for a college and career. I support this mission because it was created by a forum of students, teachers, parents, board members, administrators and staff. In addition, I agree with the district's four new goals found in the LCAP: college and career readiness for all students; rigorous learning and high achievement for all students; open communication and participation for all stakeholders; and safe, health and supportive school/work environment for all.

Improving student achievement through community engagement is more important than ever. Board members are representatives. It is my job to represent my constituents by hearing their concerns and voicing their opinions at board meetings and forums. I made a promise in 2010 that I would be available to community members, students, teachers and staff. By holding office hours, answering e-mails, talking to people on the phone and meeting with individuals at times that are convenient for them -- I have kept my promise. I don't mind people talking to me at events, whether it is a sporting event, Back to School Night, Open House, an assembly or a banquet, because it is important to hear from different people and not exclude anyone. I understand people have busy lives and can't always meet to talk, therefore, I am receptive to (and encourage) people talking to me whenever they have a chance.

In order to be an effective board member you need to be self-reflective and evaluate yourself. Often times I think of my role and the word "trustee". When I was elected in 2010 people trusted me. I take this trust very seriously. Every day I strive to be an effective board member and I remember the eight essential areas on which boards need to focus: vision, standards, assessment, accountability, alignment, climate, collaborative relationships, and continuous improvement.

It is the responsibility of the board to create a district and community consensus on achievement objectives. The process of developing the LCAP was the beginning stages of achieving this mission but there is room for growth, improvement and further collaboration. Communication is extremely important and an effective board member is not closed minded but is open to suggestions and criticism. Prior to the LCAP, I had the honor in serving on the committee to develop the district's strategic plan. As a committee, comprised of community members, students, teachers, staff and administrators, we developed goals, standards, commitments, pillars and vital signs. We developed an instructional focus and a goal to produce high school graduates who are ready for college and career.

As a board, we have approved expectations from staff for what students should know and be able to do. In addition, there are now documents that clarify those expectations and set agreed-upon measures for achievement. I want to continue getting staff, student and community members' input in defining the district's vision. The process of creating a vision involves making choices -- not only about where the district is headed but how will we get there. Establishing a vision is not easy because you need buy-in. Therefore, it is important we continue to reexamine the district's vision -- and collaboration is essential. Building a collaborative relationship with teachers, staff, students, parents, administration and community members is extremely important. I do not see how the district can move forward in a positive direction unless this is in place. In fact, last November, the elementary and high school district hosted a forum/education and community summit at Brewsters. To my knowledge, this is the first time Galt has held such an event, where members of the community, elected officials, parents, superintendents, educational leaders, teachers, staff and city officials have gathered to discuss education and student needs. I am proud to be part of the committee that helped create/develop the forum, and I am looking forward to this coming fall when we will meet again, and the superintendents will report out to the forum.

It is important to establish clear standards for student performance, communicate them continually, and disseminate standards clearly and widely to students, staff and community. The superintendent and administrators are key messengers but an effective board member is not disconnected to how these messages are being perceived and understood. Input from staff is vital to develop standards and create unification. Hence, buy-in is essential to create movement, change and progress. Without buy-in, standards are just words on paper.

It is the responsibility of the board to ensure that assessments are tied to established standards; use multiple ongoing assessment measures; and ensure that assessments are explained to the community. Over the past four years, staff has presented at board meetings and provided the board with assessments of student progress. I've appreciated the time that staff has spent analyzing data and providing the board with reports. I've listened and read those findings. School boards need information from the assessment of student progress in order to make decisions, not only about how well students are doing but about what may be needed to ensure that system goals will be met, and for continuous improvement. When school boards have accurate information in usable formats, they have a powerful tool to ensure that the superintendent and staff are using information to improve the delivery of services. Therefore, it is also the district's job to effectively communicate data to staff, and have a strong continues two-way communication relationship. Effective school boards engage in continues assessment of all the conditions affecting education.

The genesis of local control funding is that school boards are directly accountable to the communities they serve. School boards are being called to take action and responsibility for creating conditions under which excellent teaching and learning can take place. This means reporting to state authorities and to the community about how well students are doing and what actions are being taken to address perceived deficiencies. It also means taking steps through governance to ensure that commitments to the state and community are kept. I take accountability very seriously because I am a trustee and I've dedicated a lot of time to being a responsible steward. I have high standards for myself and hold myself accountable. Every decision I make I take responsibility for that action, and I'm not afraid to answer questions regarding a public vote. I am willing to compromise but I'm not afraid to be the minority and stand up for what I and my constituents believe in.

Currently board meetings are running fairly smooth and are not spectacles. I remember when I was the student school board representative in high school and meetings would run long, ending very late. Sometimes the meeting got ugly and board members would go after one another, throwing personal jabs at one another. Back then board meetings were pretty entertaining and the newspaper had a field day with all the material they got from the meetings. Today, the governing board is like a well-oiled machine. Sometimes there are disagreements but we move forward and come to a consensus. It is the responsibility of the board to build collaborative relationships and work together. We may not always agree but we can agree to disagree, and model behavior that emphasizes teamwork and shared accountability.

It is also important to build collaborative relationships with political leaders in and outside the community. For the past four years, I have been on the CAST (City and Schools Together) committee, working with city council members, the city manager, elementary board members and the elementary superintendent. I have reached out to elective officials like the county's supervisor, senators and even the governor. I also attend the Sacramento County Office of Education meetings for board members and superintendents, and attended numerous other meetings. It is important to have a board member present at meetings and forums that discuss educational policy and reform. I try very hard to stay up-to-date on political education issues, legislation, and financial matters. I need to work on building stronger collaborative relationships with business leaders to develop a consensus for student success; however, I'm proud of the relationship I have with the seniors in our community, the city, elementary district and the Hispanic population. Outreach is important and an effective board member takes time to communicate. The LCAP is a wonderful opportunity to reach out to the community and share the district's message.

It is the board's responsibility to create a climate that supports the philosophy that all students are ready for college and career. School boards need to pay attention to climate and culture, and take steps to ensure that values are driving and shaping the climate of the schools. I understand the powerful effect that climate has on the behavior and performance of teachers and students, as well as on the human dimension of the organization. As a board member I practice civility, integrity and inclusion. I have a deep respect for educators and the profession, and appreciate all your efforts.

Another key component of school board leadership is the careful alignment of resources and support with the district's vision and standards so that excellent teaching and student performance can take place. Alignment begins with the budget but it also includes looking at practices that do not support progress toward system goals and can get in the way of progress. A board member needs to be open-minded.

An effective board member believes in continuous improvement. I am a stakeholder who cares about the present and future of all three schools. Our district can be the best and I am committed to helping us become a model district. Yet, it is vital the district and the board take time to recognize their staff and students, and not always dwell on improvement. I love to recognize programs and individuals for their efforts and accomplishment, and have insisted on having mini-recognition ceremonies as part of the board meetings. Moral is important and I want to support and recognize staff. An effective board member knows collaboration, teamwork and communication are imperative and we need to meet challenges together not as separate small groups but as a powerful unit.