League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara, Santa Cruz County, CA November 2, 2010 Election
	Neil Green Answers Questions Candidate for Board Member; Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District

The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. How would you determine that the schools are using federal, state, and local funds wisely and fairly and how would you report your findings to the community?

I think the most important thing in looking at district funding, especially in this challenging environment, is the preservation of student programs and services. Keeping budget cuts as far away from the classroom as possible is one of my priorities. By analyzing the breakdown of this district's budget and benchmarking it against similar districts, I will look to identify opportunities for optimizing district funding.

If elected, I will work to create greater transparency between the board and the communities. To report my findings and provide transparency, I would use the public board meetings, the district's website, Home and School Club meetings, Parent-Teacher-Student Organization meetings, school booster organizations, using the local weekly newspapers, town/city council meetings, and any other forum where board members can interact and engage with the community.

2. Are the schools offering instruction appropriate to the diverse educational abilities of all the students?

I think both schools in this district do a great job preparing our students for college. However, I think the schools can do a better job providing learning environments that benefit ALL students. For example, the district should offer `tracks' or curriculum with specific focus in certain fields (i.e. healthcare, engineering, technology). In addition, I think more attention should be placed on offering programs or services for students who don't thrive in the traditional classroom environment. There's a lot of research and application of alternate learning environments that students in this district could benefit from.

3. Where do want the district to be 5 years from now? What steps should the district take to get there?

I want the district to be fiscally sound while offering a rich curriculum of academics balanced with arts and athletics. The district should maintain small class sizes and continue to recruit and retain experienced and passionate teachers. I'd also like to see the district better leverage the best of both schools by offering programs/classes to students not offered at their assigned (permanent) school. To achieve this vision, the district should work collaboratively with the communities, teachers' union, district suppliers and others to generate the necessary funding to run the district efficiently. Additionally, the district should partner with technology companies in the valley to bring specific tracks to our schools (programs that can better prepare students for the corporate world after their educational pursuits).

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League. Answers must not refer directly or indirectly to another candidate.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: September 20, 2010 22:38
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