Wiseburn School Board Election Position Paper

By Thomas H.G. Hartnell

To: Wiseburn School District Neighbors

Hello, my name is Thomas Hartnell and I am running for a seat on the Wiseburn School Board. My wife June, our three children Sean, Seth, Jesse, and I live in the Wiseburn area of Hawthorne. My family has had three generations of family attending the Wiseburn School district since 1947. All of my children have attended schools in the Wiseburn School District. My son Jesse will be in 4th grade this year at Peter Burnett. I have coached AYSO, Little League and actively support the Boy Scouts. I recently served 2 years as a School Site Council Member at Peter Burnett Elementary. I have a great interest in this community and would like to see progress on a number of issues that have for some reason eluded our current School Board. I have decided to run because there are a few things that concern me regarding the current state of our district:

1. The need to have a balanced representation on the Wiseburn School Board. Of the five elected board members, four reside in Hollyglen and one resides in the Del Aire area. There is currently no representative on the board from the Wiseburn area. This needs to be corrected. Roughly 1/3 of the students attending Wiseburn schools come from the Wiseburn area. I will represent you and your children and together we can have more of a say on what goes on in our school district.

2. The large influx of permit students (up to 1/3) into the Wiseburn School district. While the addition of students attending Wiseburn schools on permit is necessary - it helps to offset the budgetary restraints placed on our schools by Sacramento, I fear that our current board is allowing too many permits to be filled. (Note: There are two new portable classrooms that have been placed on the softball field beside Peter Burnett.) The current School Board needs to limit the number of permit students. We should work together to find other ways to raise money for the District. We don't want our schools and playgrounds to become overcrowded.

3. Unification. I would like to see unification and eventually a high school built in our school district. However, what I see being allowed by our current board (increased permit approvals, overcrowded campuses, inconsistent maintenance on schools currently in the district) makes me have a sense of cautious optimism about what will happen if unification does go through. Parents shouldn't have to rethink whether they should send their children to a different middle school such as we do now when it's time to enter high school. Together, we can make a difference.

4. The failure by the current board to keep up consistent maintenance of our schools. I understand that the district is in the middle of various construction commitments. However, our schools should not fall into such disrepair that it takes a motion by the school board to cut the grass. Some of our schools even have paint that is chipping, dirty old carpeting and windows that don't open. There is a certain amount of community pride that is lost when children and parents see things in such shape. This may be one of the reasons why our district is lacking when it comes to community involvement. Our schools represent our community + consistent upkeep is a necessity.