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LWV League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Alameda County, CA November 2, 2004 Election
Smart Voter Full Biography for Patricia M. "Pat" Kohnen

Candidate for
Board Member; Dublin Unified School District

[photo]
This information is provided by the candidate

I'm feeling excited about this new opportunity. Education is very important to me. Both of my parents were teachers. My husband's retirement job is teaching science at San Leandro High School (he plans to teach for one more year), and my daughter-in-law Eleanor is also a teacher. I did a lot of volunteer work in the schools when our sons Bill and Mark were in school. Even after they graduated I have worked on bond issues, the recent parcel tax, served on the Dublin school board from 1995 to 1998, and been a Dublin Partners in Education (DPIE) board member. I'm convinced that education is very important for the well being of a community, and that everyone needs to care and be interested even if they do not currently have children attending school. I feel that I can represent the needs of the entire community in helping the Dublin schools reach their lofty academic performance goals. My husband Jim and I have lived in Dublin since September 1978 and our 2 sons and one daughter-in-law all graduated from Dublin High School and then from UC Davis.

I have a B.A., with a major in Chemistry, from Ripon College in Wisconsin. I continue to be an active alum and helped organize the recent 40 year reunion for the class of 1964. My husband Jim also graduated from Ripon in 1964. I also have a M.S. in Instructional Technology from Towson State University in Maryland. I got that degree in 1977 after doing a lot of school volunteer work and deciding that I wanted to head a school library media center. I did that for a short time before we moved to New Jersey for Jim's job.

September 30, 2004 I retired from ChevronTexaco after 25 1/2 years. I feel that many of the skills that I have developed at ChevronTexaco will be valuable skills for a school Board member. I analyzed, asked clarifying questions, negotiated, and worked in a cooperative team situation. ChevronTexaco values a safe work environment and safety is also very important for the Dublin school district.

I feel that the Dublin School District is in very good shape but needs to continue to work to improve and keep up with a growing District and navigate wisely through this time of change. I support the Four Bold Initiatives that the Board has developed: Expand Student Learning Opportunities, Create State of the Art Learning Centers, Establish Effective Communications and Partnerships with all Stakeholders, and Maintain Safe Schools. I support the School Bond, Measure C that is on the ballot.

As a Dublin School Board Member I pledge to actively seek learnig opportunities to enable me to be the best School Board Member that I can be. I will attend California School Board Association annual conventions and their Masters in Governance Program. My goal as a board member is to be a trustee member of a governance team, not an individual with narrow interests or agendas serving on a board. Trustees know the district must serve all children, not just some or a few. Every child must have access to a high-quality education program and no child or group is favored.

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 28, 2004 12:46
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