Why I am seeking this office

By Denise Apuzzo

I have been a volunteer in our classrooms for over a decade. I believe that as an involved parent, I can provide a necessary voice on the Board of Trustees.

While I have seen many changes over the past decade, our schools still fall short of delivering on the promise of an excellent public education. Gilroy Unified School District must meet the challenge of providing an excellent education for every student.

I believe that parents, students, teachers and the administration must work together in order for our children to succeed and flourish. I have advocated for a rigorous well-rounded curriculum. I worked diligently to reinstate honors classes at Gilroy High School so that Gilroy children would have access to the type of college-preparatory classes that are available to students in the rest of Silicon Valley.

I have dedicated my time to serving my community working with the Gilroy Foundation, Theater Angels Arts League, the City of Gilroy General Plan, and the City of Gilroy Citizen Advisory Committee. In addition, I have volunteered at the Lord's Table and St. Joseph Family Center and worked with the Emergency Housing Consortium to support efforts to end homelessness in Gilroy. I have also been a Garlic Festival Volunteer for over ten years. I clearly have a track record of volunteer service to the community.

I am passionate about the integration of the arts in our public schools. My commitment to the arts has resulted in our local schools receiving over $40,000 in grants that I have obtained in the past ten years. I believe that children should have access to the arts at least once a week at all of our elementary schools. At the secondary level, our award-winning bands, choirs and drama programs must continue to receive our support.

As a parent, I am concerned about the health of our students. I support the Wellness policy which was enacted by the GUSD governing board this year. In addition to my concerns about the food we choose to serve our children, I believe that the physical condition of our students must be a priority. As a founding member of the GUSD Environmental Oversight Committee, I support making our campuses greener and healthier places to learn. I have worked to establish increased recycling at all of our campuses. It is no secret that the children in our state and across the nation are becoming increasingly overweight. Too often, our children are not getting enough dedicated physical fitness. This must become a priority in Gilroy Unified School District and in our homes.

There has been some progress over the years in GUSD, but there have been some missteps as well. I believe that our public schools must be a reflection of the best of this community which I love, and there is work to be done. I ask for the opportunity to be an advocate of excellence for all of our students.