Gilroy Dispatch Candidate Questions

By Fred Tovar

Fred responds to Gilroy Dispatch Newspaper Editorial Board questions

Fred Tovar: As a citizen of Gilroy and a member of the 2008 Measure P school bond executive committee, I fully support Measure P and will continue to advocate for its passage.

One of Gilroy's strongest assets has been the quality of our schools. However, many of our school buildings have not received the maintenance and renovation that they needed.

The cost of not approving Measure P will be high for our students and our entire community. We have reached the point where the state of our school facilities is impacting the education of our students, and deteriorating schools will negatively impact our town as a whole. Further delays in addressing our school buildings will only lead to higher costs to fix this problem in the future.

Priorities:
1. Christopher High Schoola. Full completion of CHS, in order to relieve overcrowding at Gilroy High School b. Quality schools will enhance our community and have a great impact on Gilroy's economic base

2. Modernization of all schools in Gilroy a. Upgrading aging classrooms and labs with new technology, equipment, wiring and computers b.Updating classrooms and technology for career, vocational and continuing education training programs

3. Look to build new elementary school a. Due to overcrowding and increase in student population thru-out Gilroy b. Renovation is not cost-effective when compared to the cost of a new, better-designed and (green) energy-efficient structure.

2. Do you believe career and technical training should be an integral part of the educational offerings in GUSD?

Fred Tovar: Yes, Students need to explore all options, and we should provide every child with as many options as possible. As school district we need to place the emphasis on providing opportunities for students to be in a position to make positive choices rather than having limited options, and an understanding that not every student heads off to college upon graduation from high school, and not every student graduates with a bachelor degree. However, I am convinced that all students will need some form of postsecondary training, be it technical, applied, or academic in nature. This will require a strong foundation in reading, writing, and mathematics to support future learning. A high school diploma is no longer sufficient to support a family, and as we prepare students for their future, we also need to provide programs in the arts, athletics, community service, and leadership. We should want our Gilroy graduates to be well prepared for the economic future they will face and to have the skills necessary to become a contributing member of our society.

3. Our dropout rate in GUSD has been marked at about 26 percent. Are there some strategies you would advocate as a trustee to reduce that number, and what would be an acceptable number?

Fred Tovar: As API test scores go up, and student enrollment continues to increase, many more Gilroy students are dropping out, and this is unacceptable. As the pool of dropouts continues to grow, employment opportunities for those individuals are very limited, because today's economy requires more education, enhanced technological skills, and lifelong learning. Now is the time for the Gilroy Unified School District to make dropout prevention a top priority, and eliminate the drop-out rate completely. There is NO acceptable number when it comes to students dropping out.

Strategies:
1. Early intervention a. Family engagement. Parents play a crucial role in keeping young people in school b. Early childhood education. Provide the best possible learning environment from the very beginning of a child's school experiences.

2. Continue to recruit and retain high-quality teachers. a. Teachers engage students, stimulate imagination, and can raise student performance. b. Train teachers to indentify and work with at-risk students

3. Continue to expand career and technical education program and choices. a. Specific skills can help prepare students to measure up to the larger demands of today's workplace. b. Work with students, parents, teachers, businesses, and community to develop specific programs of interest

4. School-Community Collaboration/ Safe learning environment. a. Community groups can provide collective support to schools. b. A safe learning environment can enhances positive social attitudes and effective interpersonal skills

4. If elected, what would be your top three priorities and why? Fred Tovar:
1. Students First - Student Achievement - Work with the entire community to introduce an innovative initiative designed to designed to increase student academic achievement, and help eliminate the drop-out rate. Continue a commitment to quality education, so that the future of our children is always the number one priority. We need to continue to work to ensure that every student reaches their highest potential, as well as working to improve the achievement of students who are underperforming.

2. Financial Sustainability and Accountability - Examine and safeguard the district's budget and expenditure patterns to prevent unexpected surprises and sudden program cuts that will affect all students. I will also fight to protect taxpayers by expecting high financial standards from district administrators and demanding the efficient use of any bond funds.

3. Great Teachers Can Change Lives - They engage students, stimulate imagination, and raise performance. One of the Board's prime responsibilities is to attract and retain excellent teachers. I am committed to recruiting and retaining qualified teachers and administrators to ensure academic excellence for all students. I'm also committed to making sure that our school employee's are well-compensated and have a good environment in which to teach. A system of accountability would help to identify those who excel. We must provide incentives for teachers. Professional development, as well as school and community service, should be rewarded.

5. Describe what you think should be the relationship between Board members and the superintendent in terms of roles.Fred TovarThe Board and the Superintendent shall work together as a team, and they shall establish protocols that describe how the governance team will operate. Together, the board and superintendent shall reach clear understanding on what the community demands and what is expected for its future through the education of its children. A strong board-superintendent relationship can help raise achievement through-out the district. It is also the duty of each board member to work in partnership with school administration, principals, teachers, staff and parents, to ensure that all students receive a high quality education.

6. What makes you unique as a school board candidate?

Fred Tovar: As a Stanford University educator, administrator, and former college trustee, I have contributed new ideas, advocated for educational improvements and proven myself to be a problem solver who follows through on initiatives which benefit all students. My leadership style as a good listener and communicator, accessible to the community, will provide improved communication between the school board and the public.

I will ensure that our children are provided the opportunity to compete on a global level via the educational opportunities they deserve. I also believe it's time to take a closer look inside our classrooms, because academic excellence for every child must be the primary focus of our public schools.

I would pursue a top-to-bottom review and refinement of the curriculum to strengthen its effectiveness and prepare every student to move smoothly from elementary school, to middle school, to high school and beyond, whether that be a vocational trade, community college or university.