Candidate for
Board Member; Moreno Valley Unified School District

In 2003, I began searching for a new house in a community that I could stay and raise my children in. A good, culturally diverse school district was what I desired. I specifically looked in the Moreno Valley Unified School District and refused to even look at houses in the Val Verde Unified School district portion of the city. We found our dream house and moved into the District in 2004. I am proud to call this city my home. Moreno Valley Unified School District has all the necessary ingredients to become a leading district in Riverside County. We are the third largest District in Riverside County.

I grew up in Riverside County when it was considered "rural". I am a product of public education in this county and proud of it. I have watched as our area has come of age. Growth has brought great amenities to our community; however, it has also brought big challenges to our school district.

I believe the recent housing boom cycle is coming to an end. The same cycle that helped propel our home prices to extraordinary levels are now on the verge of decline. Growth is going to become stagnant. This decline will have a direct impact on our school district. Now is the time to plan accordingly to ensure that we are fiscally able to continue to provide quality programs to our students.

One of my leading opponents is proposing multiple and huge new costly programs while not identifying how they would be paid for. I certainly am not against new programs for students, however, we have to be realistic in how we prioritize our limited educational dollars. What my opponent neglects to state is what he is willing to cut to fund his proposals. If elected, I will seek out all the stakeholders' point of view in the development of our budget and the implementation of programs.

I have identified approximately $1,000,000.00 in savings that could be achieved by re-arranging bell schedules that were erroneously recommended by an outside Transportation Consulting firm. These changes could eliminate the need to have Laidlaw perform our routes in Moreno Valley. Those funds could then be put back into programs that can positively affect our students.

I have spent my entire career in school districts, directly serving students. I understand the role of a Board Member and how to make positive changes. I currently am employed as the Director of Transportation for the Hemet Unified School District, which I am extremely proud of. I was named Administrator of the year in 2006. My professional experiences have shown me how critical it is for the District Administration and School Board to support the learning process, not hinder it. Please join me in bringing accountability and transparency to the Moreno Valley Unified School District by voting Michael Fogerty on November 7, 2006.