Candidate for
City; City of Santa Rosa High School District

1. Improve communication between the school communities and the public. I think there has been inadequate communication about the strength of the different schools that has allowed parents to believe that many of the schools provide poor educations. I think that is untrue for the most part and that the press and others have not done their homework in this area. It is essential for the Board to make this a high priority.

2. Removing obstacles to the educational process. It is my belief that those who work in education feel called to do just that; educate. I think there are too many other things that get in the way of the classroom. Students want to learn when they are given the room to learn. Teachers want to teach when they are given the room to teach. Too often the classroom teacher and student have been forgotten among tests, score, money, budgets, etc.

3. Resolve the flight of students away from schools. I think this issue is closely tied to my first two points. If we allow for the best learning possible in the classrooms no one will feel compelled to leave. I think this issue needs to be studied seriously and thoroughly. We must be willing to look at this and to search for the root causes. It will take time and courage to do it but we must turn the tied on this.