Candidate for
Board Member; Windsor Unified School District

My name is George R. Valenzuela, and I would be honored to have your vote on November 4, 2008 for Windsor School Board. I have 17 years of work experience in the field of education and 9 years as a parent of children in WUSD. As a product of public schools in Los Angeles, I have been a supporter of public school education all of my life and have seen firsthand the life-changing experiences that teachers and schools have on children. I came from a socio-economically disadvantaged background. A strong public education served me well, and I have seen it work well for so many. We need to continue to have Windsor schools be a positive life-changing agent in the lives of our students!

Upon graduation from U.C. Berkeley in 1989, I began my educational career as an elementary school teacher in southern California. I also volunteered as an after-school flag football and basketball coach for at-risk students. My career then led me to teach middle school students for 2 years prior to returning to an elementary school in Los Angeles.

After my first son was born, my wife and I decided to move to Sonoma County because of smaller town appeal and great schools. We settled in Windsor in 1996 and have never regretted it!

While living in Sonoma County, I became a teacher for the Santa Rosa City Schools (SRCS) and worked at Burbank School and Lincoln School while completing my legal studies. Apart from seeing academic growth, my greatest joys as an educator were always found in the positive student-teacher interactions that yielded changes in student attitudes from "learning is not for me" to "when I go to college...." Education can open doors for children for a better life and can teach them how to become positive contributing members of society. In 2003, I was offered a position with SRCS as in-house counsel and I have served in this capacity for the past six school years. As an attorney with SRCS, I focus on maintaining safe schools for student learning. I regularly meet with the SRCS Board to discuss student discipline issues, and I have occasionally met with the Sonoma County Office of Education Board of Trustees for similar reasons.

Education has always been important to me, as that was my gateway to a better life. The children of Windsor deserve a high quality education that will prepare them for their future. Their teachers deserve the support and resources they need to make learning happen. The parents and citizens of Windsor deserve a dedicated board member who is committed to "Putting Windsor's Children First" when making educational decisions, for this will not only benefit the children but our community at large.

Please vote George Valenzuela for Windsor School Board Member on November 4, 2008.