Candidate for
Board Member; Laguna Beach Unified School District

OPEN COMMUNICATION

My political philosophy is informed by my roots in small town Missouri. I believe in fair play and being open and honest with the public I serve. The most important job of any elected official is to speak for their constituency. This constituency is not just one's friends but the community at large. That said, I feel that too often policies and protocols which are in place are flouted by the few. LBUSD needs to be held accountable for the enforcement of the rules that they themselves instituted. This may be uncomfortable in a small town but it is necessary. A Board member is elected ultimately as a path of communication between the student and parent communities, and administration, certificated and classified staff. If Board members do not uphold their own policies, this line of communication is hopelessly lost. The Board itself must model open communication in order for all levels of administration and staff to feel at ease doing the same. Only in this way will we be able to create the best environment for the critical users of the District, our students.

CHOOSING OUR SUPERINTENDENT

This year we are presented with the opportunity to choose a new Superintendent. The importance of this decision cannot be diminished. The person who is chosen to lead must have very specific experience and qualities to succeed. It is imperative that whoever is hired have comprehensive K through 12 district level experience. This is crucial for the implementation of interdisciplinary curriculum throughout grade levels. Curriculum modifications should be done with input from all school sites, as any change reverberates through the system. A "bottom up" approach to change - that is soliciting ideas from teachers, parents and students alike - will ensure transparency and a sense of buy in from all stakeholders. We should be looking for someone who values what teachers do each day in the trenches. A new Superintendent must be willing to participate in the process of education. He or she must be a visible presence at all school sites on a regular basis to emphasize this. Accessibility should be the norm. We should be looking for someone who has proven "out of the box" thinking. All of our students are not headed to Ivy League schools. Many need and want practical, real world training. ROP goes a long way to provide this but needs to be supported on a District level.

I feel strongly about all of these issues and hope that my passion comes through. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns regarding any of the foregoing.