Where I Stand

By Samuel L. "Sam" Mowbray, Ph.D.

The key to success in education is the team of the student, the parent, the community and the teacher.

When more than a hundred years ago, James Russell Lowell wrote, "It was in making education not only common to all, but in some sense compulsory on all, that the destiny of the free republics of America was practically settled," he wasn't thinking about the Claremont Unified School District. However, I do think about CUSD when I read those words. I spend a lot of time thinking about Claremont schools. I have served on the Board of Education for eight years, and I am seeking your support for a third term because I still feel the fire of desire to be part of the public education system.

As Lowell suggests, the most critical element of the success of our form of government is an informed and educated electorate. America has never limited education to the nobility; instead, it has a history of noble goals. Claremont Unified School District has a democratic vision as the guiding principle behind all its objectives. Public schools are responsible for preparing young people from all walks of life and from all perspectives on life to be contributing members of our society and our system of governance. We are strong as a society because we are strong in our commitment to a society that values the individual.

We have a great tradition in Claremont of fulfilling our educational mission. Our success is due to the concerted efforts of all of the people involved in education: students, parents, teachers, support staff, administrators, Board of Education and the public at large. The School Board does not attempt to manage; it establishes policy and is the cheerleader for the whole education community.

Three critical elements responsible for success in learning are the student learner, the committed and supportive parent, and the prepared and motivated teacher.

The Student

Students must be motivated and empowered by success. We know that students learn in different ways. Everyone excels at something in which another fails, and the trick is to breed motivation out of success and opportunities for learning out of failure. Learning how to learn is an achievement in and of itself. At the same time, each student must be held to a high standard of academic achievement and accountability. We must find ways to engage students who feel alienated in order that they, too, might become lifelong learners. We must challenge all students to reach their potential and equip them with the tools to articulate their passions.

The Parent

Every child needs an educational advocate--someone who is concerned chiefly about him or her, and that is the natural role of the parent. In my eight years on the Board, I have never yet met a parent who did not want to help his or her child succeed in school. We need to assist parents in finding effective strategies for helping their children learn and for making the most of our rich public school offerings. In some instances, this may mean helping parents to understand their child's stage of educational development. In other cases, language instruction is necessary. The Claremont Unified School District Adult School has established instruction in English as a second language at several schools.

In an extended parent role, a matrix of volunteers, ranging from our college students to our retirement communities, has spent thousands of hours in one-on-one, direct instruction, mostly in math and language arts. This extended family has made, "It takes a whole village to raise a child," more than a catch phrase in Claremont. Using this strategy, Vista de Valle elementary school raised the Academic Performance Index (API) from approximately 350 to 550 in one year.

The Teacher

The unsung heroes in all of this are the teachers. In all grades, but especially at the elementary level, teachers must know how children learn, as well as the content of a dozen subject areas. They must have a bag of tricks (AKA "strategies") large enough to communicate that information in the most appropriate learning style for each student. Teachers must be technical experts in so many curriculum areas, and yet, at bottom, teaching is an art. I have come to appreciate this in my tenure on the Board. We must continue to support teachers' professional growth, and we must find ways to adequately compensate them. They deserve our respect, and we must be their champions.

Henry Adams, a contemporary of Lowell, wrote, "All experience is an arch, to build upon." I have the experience and ask you to use your vote to help me build upon it.