LEE Winocur Field, Candidate for Laguna Beach School Board,

By Lee Winocur Field

Our community deserves to have a world class school district. I have such a vision for the schools of Laguna Beach.

Life has taught me that if you have a very clear picture in your mind of whatever you hope to accomplish, it will happen. I have such a vision for the schools of Laguna Beach.

Our community deserves to have a world-class school district # one that offers an education second to none with a reputation that opens doors for our graduates. Every child should graduate with the skills and attitudes essential to successfully compete in the technologically rich, culturally diverse, global economy of the 21st Century. All of my past experience and expertise in public education tells me that, given the right conditions, our schools can compete at every level with private schools - and far exceed them.

Laguna is the ideal school district in which to make this happen. This community values education highly. According to the Vision report, more than 80% of us continued our education after graduating high school and over 50% of our adult population holds a college degree. Our residents have incredible talent and energy that are generously shared with our schools. Our parents are successful, bright, concerned and committed. Our teachers, several of whom I have observed regularly over the past three years as a Teacher Supervisor for UCI and CSUF, are enthusiastic, dedicated and hard working professionals. And our children, with great intellectual potential, are energetic, curious and eager to learn. We could not ask for a better environment in which to build toward the future.

At this moment in our history, we have a tremendous opportunity for this small community to show what we can do. It will require that we work together to (1) raise our expectations for what our schools can accomplish by "benchmarking to the best" - meaning that we must seek ways to improve by comparing our achievements and practices to those of the best schools in the country; (2) maximize our resources by carefully monitoring business practices and construction contracts and seeking alternative sources of funding; (3) insure safe, up-to-date, well equipped classrooms which will require that we raise approximately $20 million, (4) engage our community in a dialogue of continued cooperation and involvement and (5) elect Board members who know enough about public education at the K-12 level to anticipate the long range consequences of their decisions for our children, our educational system and our community. In future articles I will expand upon the critical importance of raising our expectations for performance, as well as stabilizing our fiscal position and resources.

My thirty-five year career in public education at all levels as a teacher in Berkeley and Newport-Mesa (NMUSD) classrooms, administrator in NMUSD and Huntington Beach Union High School District and the Orange County Department of Education, consultant to the State Department of Education, and President/CEO of an educational research and development corporation, coupled with my steadfast commitment to this community and reputation for coalition-building offer a valuable asset for meeting our future educational, financial and management challenges. As a member of the Board I will work to inform this community about the issues and to create partnerships between groups so that decisions concerning our schools can be based on consensus.

I am so enthusiastic about this opportunity to work with my community to build the best public schools in the country. My background and experience with similar governing boards coupled with my style of cooperative problem solving will insure that we work together to build an environment for learning of which all Laguna will take pride. Join me in making this vision a reality. I am honored to be a candidate for the Laguna Beach School Board. I appreciate your support and your vote on Nov. 7.

Lee Winocur Field