An Introduction To Stan Neal

By Stanley B. "Stan" Neal

Biography, some history of the district, and the critical bond measure S

For those of you that do not know me, my wife Anne and I have lived in this community for about 40 years. I arrived here from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to begin teaching in the Agriculture Department at Sierra High School. Over the next 20 years I developed an exemplary welding and heavy equipment operator program that served as a model statewide. During those years I taught approximately 2000 young people not only useable skills but also pride in themselves and ambition for excellence in their education and personal lives.

In 1990 Fresno City College lured me down the hill to continue teaching welding to an older group of students. I have enjoyed the challenge of instructing people of varying ages, ethnic backgrounds, and language abilities. I have also worked diligently to build up the program at Fresno City College to be one of state-recognized excellence. I retired from FCC at the close of 2005. I was recognized in June as Teacher of the Year at the FCC campus.

My wife Anne, librarian for the Auberry branch of the Fresno County Library, and I have 2 children. They have both received excellent educations in our local school district. Our daughter Elizabeth is proof of this as a graduate of the highest honors at Sonoma State University. She is teaching 3rd grade at an International Baccalaureate school in UB Mongolia. Our son John graduated with high honors at Cal Poly and he is a construction manager for a building energy efficiency firm in San Francisco. I must say I am very proud of the entire faculty at Sierra Unified for doing such an excellent job of preparing our community's children for higher education and the world of work.

Today our district is in trouble with declining enrollment which has caused a shortage of funds to maintain programs. Everything would be fine if our enrollment would be high and stable as it was in 1997. Back in 1993 after unification, the board of trustees decided to build Foothill Middle School. They did this because Auberry and Sierra elementary schools were packed to the max and statistics at that time showed continued growth. People have long since forgotten the big sign near the bottom of the foothills that said "Future Home of the University of California." The new university of course went to Merced and with it new students. District enrollment in 1993 was about 2290 when FMS opened. Enrollment peaked in 1997 at 2422 and today it is about 1609. To finance the middle school the board put together a certificate of participation (COP) combined with state funds to build the school. In my opinion the COP was a mistake and the board should have asked for a bond at that time. That was yesterday, today the situation is different.

If measure "S" is passed, and it must be passed, the COP will be shifted out of the budget to free up funds to keep our excellent programs in place. The measure "S" bond will also allow several repairs to be made to the old buildings at both elementary schools.

In closing, the board is totally united for measure "S" and we want to maintain the excellence of our schools in our community. Did you know that every school in our district is a California Distinguished School? And did you know that every school in our district has a score of over 800 on the API? No other school district in Fresno county has that record. We want to continue to hold this high standard for our students and our community.

Sincerely, Stan Neal