League of Women Voters of California
Santa Clara County, CA November 4, 2003 Election
	Albert "Al" Hill, Jr. Answers Questions Candidate for Board Member; Los Altos School District

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Los Altos/Mtn. View Area and asked of all candidates for this office.

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. What do you see are the challenges facing the school district for the next four years?

It is extraordinarily important to the community-at-large for the Board to exercise its fiduciary responsibility to ensure the District's development of a long-term, thoughtful, balanced budget that will allow our community to continue to provide a first-rate education to the children of Los Altos.

Much like a public corporation, it is important for the District to have some Board members who are "outsiders" with the capability to evaluate complex issues and to make difficult decisions. I will bring to the Board more than 26 years of expertise in financial management, auditing, budgeting, and commercial facility construction and leasing. I am committed to bringing an outsiders' fresh perspective to the District's decision-making process.

I have two young adults, Katharine and Andrew, who graduated from Los Altos public schools: Loyola School, Blach Intermediate School and Los Altos High School. Our family has been highly involved in curriculum and academic issues, music programs and student athletics. My spouse, Ellie, has been very active in Los Altos' schools, serving two terms as Loyola PTA treasurer, teaching mathematics at Egan Intermediate School (7th and 8th grades) during a credentialed teacher's six weeks leave and evaluating curriculum and mathematics textbooks. Both Ellie and I have participated in advisory groups for Los Altos High School.

2. If a charter school is approved, what do you see as the issues and benefits for the district?

The Bullis Charter School was conditionally approved by Santa Clara County. We must minimize the negative financial impact to the District, but now is the time for a cooperative spirit to be advanced by school and community leaders.

3. How should the Bullis School site be best utilized?

Clearly, the Bullis site is a valuable asset which must be retained by the District for possible future use. However, I am a proponent of giving the Bullis Charter School a fair and open hearing regarding its possible use of the facility.