This is an archive of a past election.
See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/sd/ for current information.
San Diego County, CA November 2, 2004 Election
Smart Voter

Re-elect Proven Leadership

By Wendy Zeugschmidt

Candidate for Board Member; Valley Center Pauma Unified School District

This information is provided by the candidate
We have a unique school district with quality teachers and harmonious board meetings. We worked hard to unify away from Escondido High School District. Let's keep a great thing going!
Can you imagine a school district with 24 years of settling with labor unions on the first day of labor talks? 24 years of school board, administrators, teachers and classified employees putting children and their education, first. ---all the while building trust. I have had the privilege of being part of such a school district for the past 14 years.

I have witnessed and been part of continued harmony on the school board. We don't always agree, but we always respect each other. We don't have late night contentious meetings. We work together to set the tone, policy, and hire and then support the best people to do their jobs.

My four children have received a quality education in this district. My son graduated from VCHS this past June. He is in his first year at a four year college. He says his high school years were the best in his life. I asked him recently if he felt he had been prepared for the rigors of a college curriculum, he said, "College is harder than high school, but yes, I feel prepared." My oldest grandchild attends Kindergarten here at this school. I am indebted, and continue to be indebted to the dedicated and professional teachers, staff, and administrators in this district.

I am passionate about the importance of a quality, well rounded public education. Many of us moved here because of our schools I believe in this school district.

We are always looking for ways to improve. We were the first district in the county to embrace class sized reduction. We are one of the few who has maintained it continually in k-3. We have small class sizes and small school sizes. We have continually planned for future facility needs to accomplish this. We offer free bussing to every student. We have clean, well maintained schools. We believe in and support our teachers and staff. We have built years of trust. I believe it should be protected. We have something very special and unique.

As a community we worked hard to break off from the Escondido High School District. We no longer have to worry about our children driving up and down the grade every day. We no longer have to acquiesce to the bureaucracy of a larger impersonal district. Unification was a long tough road. Together with the support of this amazing community, we made it happen.

On occasion, controversial topics or concerns arise. We listen and respond. One candidate has said our high school is a four year experiment. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges disagree. They have awarded VCHS a rare, 6 year accreditation on our first time out applying.

Our school board meetings are virtually unattended by the community. I have always taken that as a positive. We have been entrusted with the trust of our community todo the right thing. We take that trust very seriously. Our record speaks for itself. The trust of a community speaks even louder.

I am humbled by this trust. Alone, I am but one/ fifth of a board, but together we are a unified board of a unified district. I urge the community to protect what we have in our schools. Keep a great superintendent , and proven board leadership, ...

THANK YOU!

Candidate Page || This Contest
November 2004 Home (Ballot Lookup) || About Smart Voter


ca/sd Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 15, 2004 10:21
Smart Voter <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund.
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.