Learn more abut my candidacy

By Cindy Gray

Here you will find answers to some general questions you may have about why I am running and what I will bring to the board of EUSD.

I have been a parent of children at EUSD for 5 years. Throughout that time, I have worked in the classroom, served on campus, executed fundraisers to support our programs, and much more. At times, I have seen the needs of students in the classroom go unmet until parent donations could be raised to provide a solution. One example has been seeing our schools run out of paper and basic supplies in the spring of each school year. I believe this problem can be solved by allocating adequate resources for instructional materials for the entire school year. In addition, I feel there has been a general lack of oversight with respect to purchasing decisions within our district. It was with the hope of being a part of the solution of making this district one that truly puts children first that prompted me to run. My goals are to adequately fund each of our schools, ensure a timely response to our school's needs, and work to promote positive communication between the district, our schools, teachers, staff, and our community.

What unique strengths do you have that would contribute to the team of an effective, collaborative school board?

I will bring a number of strengths to the governing board of EUSD. From an educational standpoint, I hold a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and worked in the financial industry of investment banking. I possess strong interpersonal skills, I am able to approach issues with an open mind, and I am capable of maintaining a professional and respectful attitude even when faced with opposition to my opinion. I believe in honoring my commitments, maintaining open dialogue, and evaluating all sides of an issue prior to making a decision. I have no personal agenda or interest other than ensuring the needs of students in the classroom are met and that we truly honor that motto of Children 1st by directing our resources to that end.

What is the most important responsibility of a school board member?

It is the role of this governing board to bring citizen oversight to the school district. It is important that each member is free to approach every issue with an open mind, considering all sides of the issue without any pressure or undue influence of those you've been entrusted to oversee. I can pledge to you that I will base my decisions on careful consideration and independent evaluation. I know our board will be making some very key decisions in the future. I'd love to bring a parent's perspective to that discussion and the business of running this district.

Do you have children, and if so, where did they or do they attend school? What has been your involvement in their schools?

I have two children that both attend at Capri Elementary School. They are both in the Dual Language Program there. I have served in the classroom as a volunteer, I have served as room parent, and I have served on the PTA Board. I have been the Representative for Capri to the Encinitas Educational Foundation (EEF) for four years and have served on the District Board for EEF as well. I have helped to lead many successful fundraisers at Capri and for all 9 schools through EEF. In addition, I have played an active role in Capri's Annual Giving Fund and Spring Auction helping to raise over $400,000 to support our enrichment programs. In addition to fundraising events, I have written and received grants for our school. One grant brought $4,000 in technology equipment and $1,000 for library books. Other grants I have written brought students digital cameras, an interactive program called "Walk Through the American Revolution", and another partially funded the Accelerated Reader Program which benefits the entire student population at Capri.

Are you satisfied with the current direction of the district? What do you think is working? What do you think requires change? What is your proposal for creating that change?

For the most part, I agree with what I know of the vision and direction that our Superintendant has for our district. I believe it is critical that we prepare our students with the knowledge and skills they will need to compete in a global information society.

I believe our schools are working to address the needs of the students they serve. The recent drop in test scores has identified the primary areas that need to be addressed in specific sub-groups. I will work to ensure that every school has a plan in place to address those targeted areas. Capri has a new principal this year and she has been doing an excellent job of observing our classrooms and being out with the students. I am confident she will continue to lead Capri on the right path. Each of our school's have needs specific to their student populations. Just as targeted instruction works to meet the needs of every child in a classroom, we need to utilize a targeted method to address the specific needs of each of our school sites.

My biggest concern with the current situation in our district is that I have not seen any district oversight by our board. Many decisions that have been made appear to be made with little thought or evaluation. In fact, prior to the last two years, I hadn't seen any issues that had our board members not in agreement. My thought is that a group meant to provide oversight should bring different perspectives and opinions to the discussion. Then, after careful consideration and independent evaluation, a vote would ultimately decide the course of action to take.

I will bring a parent's perspective to the business of running this district. As a parent not affiliated with this administration in any way, I am free to think independently without any undue influence from those this board is in place to oversee.

My priorities will be to ensure that:
1. Our schools are allocated adequate resources.
2. Our teachers are equipped with the tools they need to effectively meet the needs of the students they are entrusted with.
3. The needs of our schools are addressed in a timely manner.
3. Our board will embrace input from the relevant stakeholder groups that our decisions impact.
4. Our board will demonstrate the fiscal oversight and accountability this district needs to ensure that our tax dollars are managed wisely.