Educational Excellence for Selma Students

By Steve Rezac

Cooperation, not conflict. Partnership, not politics.

I have worked in credit union management for nearly 30 years. This experience includes successfully managing multi-million dollar budgets. I have honed strong business skills, ethics and practices in an environment that requires that you to listen to people. I have taught management and accounting at a technical-vocational institute, and managed many adult continuing education programs. I have a bachelors degree in journalism/marketing. My experience in banking, managing multiple priorities, dealing with compliance and legal issues, and being able to consider innovative ideas will help Selma schools achieve excellence.

2. What is your vision for the district, and what do you feel should be the district's top priorities?

We need to pursue education excellence by electing a school board which will work in partnership with parents, teachers, school employees, the community and local government to ensure that Selma Unified prepares our students to meet the challenges of tomorrow. We need board members who are fully committed to giving everyone a voice at the governing table, because we need partnerships, not politics, to keep our schools on the right path. My top priorities are education excellence, strong financial management, retaining excellent employees, better communication, and planning for the future.

3. What role should the board play in setting policy and procedure, and in working with diverse employee groups?

The buck stops with the school board. The board is ultimately accountable for the quality of education we provide our children. In setting policies and procedures, not just with employees, but with parents, students, local government and citizens, the school board must foster leadership with good vision, with compassion and with the ability to properly set priorities in difficult financial times. "Teamwork", "Training" and "Technology" - the board must lead the way on these issues to provide students and employees with the training and technologies they need to succeed and prosper.

4. What emphasis should the district place on state testing, benchmark assessments and achieving standards-based learning objectives?

The district must emphasize testing and benchmarks because these reflect the skills employers expect students to have when they graduate. Standards are very important because they guarantee that all students are receiving the same, thorough curriculum regardless of which school they attend. We must recognize that not every student will follow the same career path or have the same life goals, and we need to dedicate ourselves to providing all students with the access to high quality education, training and vocational programs that prepare them to be productive citizens.

5. How do you deal with the district's budgeting needs, particularly in light of rising costs for employee benefits and diminishing likelihood that the state will provide adequate financial support for programs it mandates?

Our students can't succeed if classrooms are overcrowded, schools are unsafe, or we can't attract great teachers. The board must honor the three "R"s, and Recruit, Retain and Respect excellent teachers. Schools need to be equipped with the best materials and staff available. That means building budgets from the classroom up, not from the district office down. There is no question that insurance costs and unfunded mandates are a challenge. We can overcome challenges TOGETHER with board members who respect parents and school employees, and involve them in achieving success.

6. What would you do to improve English language learner programs in the district in order to better prepare these students for future challenges?

Fact: Approximately 40% of Selma students are English language learners. Therefore, oral language and literacy programs are extremely important. We must better focus curriculum, programs and results for English language learners. On average, English language learners take longer to master literacy skills to standard levels. The district recently dismantled highly successful literacy programs and installed literacy programs without proven track records. I strongly support an intense district-wide focus on excellent literacy skills for all students, especially those students who struggle. Good literacy skills are the basis for personal success.

7. What role should parents and community, specifically, play in the educational process, and how should the district reach out to get them more involved?

Nobody knows better than parents what their children need. We need a school board that respects parents and works with them, in a partnership, to make decisions about our schools. The school board must actively work with community groups - not burning them by pricing youth sports programs out of existence with facility usage fees or shutting doors to churches. Also, it is very important that the school board conducts ongoing, effective dialogue and planning with other government officials to help everyone manage the impact of growth in our community.

8. What should a student know when he/she graduates from high school, and to what extent should all students (including those in special education and English language learners) be held accountable through the state's exit exam?

Everyone knows this century will not be like the last - schools need to change. Important tests, like the exit exam, reflect expectations that all students be prepared for a productive life. We need to respect that. We need to prepare our students for college or career with computer skills and vocational training. We must teach all students to be responsible citizens and prepare them for life. We must do this with an integrated approach to curriculum that emphasizes problem solving, critical thinking and hands-on math applications for the real world.

9. How do you want the district to address the impact of growth - on existing facilities and on planning for new and/or modernized schools?

Selma is growing rapidly, and it is no secret the current school board is behind the planning curve. There simply has not been good communication from the school district to other government agencies. The school district must significantly improve its planning for the future. The district must maintain close relationships with other government groups to anticipate what is needed to assure adequate classrooms, teachers, school staff, support systems and materials. And, we must have plans to keep current facilities not only safe, but able to support modern education requirements.