This information is provided by the candidate
I always strive for a strong concensus rather than making decisions by the simple majority of the board. In a democracy those objecting to a position are entitled to be heard and considered and their greatest concerns should be addressed.
I want to hear from our staff on important matters before making a decision. They are the paid experts.
The staff and board members must have the vision to see how the school district will be in say four or five years and plan for the growth in students we are getting. That means we have to make compromises today sometimes in our budgets in order not to make a greater compromise of our students' needs in the future.
Even though we have gone to year-round-education in all of our schools except the two high schools and the preschool, in order to make room for the 20-1 student to teacher ratio in grades K to 3, and are just completing construction of the new middle school the district will still probably need a new elementary school in the next five years.
Because state funding is uncertain (there are no state funds now unless one of the two current bond measures passes) I have supported the administration's conservative budgets to allow for the needed future construction. We have spent $5 million in the past year for school buildings, in addition to the state funding and bond issue funds and are just about to start the modernization of Monte Vista School, and the construction of the new library and performing arts center at S.J. High School, and the new high school kitchen.
The recent move of the District Office to larger quarters will allow us to set up more computers and software to teach our teachers how to use and to teach computers and technology to our students. Our new Director of Technology will have room to promote the orderly expansion of the use of technology such as computers and the internet in our schools.
| 