Piedmont Post Questions & Answers

By Andrea Swenson

Answer The first priority is to complete all of the seismic safety work including those projects that were postponed when it was unclear if, or when, we would receive additional funds. After all high priority seismic work is completed, it is expected there will be remaining funds. A list of additional proposed projects exists and will be prioritized by the School Board with input from the steering committee. I have studied the additional proposed projects list. I favor doing the structural improvements to the Wildwood roof, and garden work at Wildwood and Havens. I am very interested in using some remaining money to improve technology infrastructure as well as to do important work on Alan Harvey Theater. It is also possible that more money will come from the state. If that happens I would earmark some of that money for an earthquake emergency fund and some for early repayment of Bond Anticipation Notes.

Question If not elected, how do you plan to keep showing support for Piedmont schools and what do you hope that your new school board will accomplish in the next term?

Answer I will continue to serve on the Piedmont Educational Foundation Board. The PEF Board is composed of dedicated and creative community members who are working together to serve our school community. This year, PEF provided funds for the new cutting edge teacher evaluation system. On Monday, January 30, PUSD teachers met to talk about common assessments to benchmark student progress and to consider shared teaching practices. This happened because PEF approved a grant enabling the District to buy back a furlough day. I will also continue my work with the Piedmont League of Women Voters.

In the next term, I expect the School Board will: ~ collaborate with the greater community over the scope of the next school parcel tax ~take an accelerated look at better ways to use technology in the classroom ~improve our technology infrastructure ~continue to determine ways to accommodate unpredictable state funding of education ~ show initiative and creativity about doing more with less to assure that Piedmont
schools continue to deliver an excellent public education

Question What do you think the school district can do to better incorporate technology in the classroom?

Answer This is a terrific question and, if elected, one I am anxious to give specific and immediate focus. It is imperative that we use technology strategically in our schools to support student learning and to improve student and teacher efficiency. Technology can be used as an administrative tool and an educational tool. Teachers are currently using computers to post grades and homework assignments, and to communicate with their students. With the new Teacher Evaluation System, teachers will increasingly use a new program called "Data Director", to develop and analyze common student assessments, and to develop student and parent surveys that will aid in teaching effectiveness. This is a fabulous step. Teachers can also use technology as a tool to leverage differentiated instruction in the classroom, utilizing document cameras, LCD projectors, and interactive whiteboards, for example, to deliver instruction in varied ways. The caveat for this discussion is that technology is expensive and seems to become out of date soon after it is acquired so we must be very deliberative about how we proceed. One of the most important tasks we have over the next few years is to improve our technology infrastructure so we can fully utilize technology in the classroom. Having classrooms full of hardware does not work if we don't have updated software and the band width to support it.

Question What are the strengths and weaknesses of PUSD's foreign language program? What can be done to strengthen the weaknesses?

Answer We need a strong and vibrant world language program to put us on par with comparable school districts and to prepare our children for a global world. The world language program is currently in the midst of a Curriculum Review. This review process is an 18-24 month opportunity to reflect and evaluate how we are delivering our language program. The review is led by a group consisting of teachers, administrators, parents, students, and board members who take a critical look at the existing program and consider how it can be improved. I expect they will consider best practices in comparable districts and discuss ways we can leverage technology in delivering language instruction. I further expect they will look at increased differentiated instruction in entry level language classes. Piedmont Schools must offer a solid language program so parents don't feel they have to go outside the district to get tutors and/or classes for their children. In addition, though expensive and difficult to implement, language study needs to be integrated into the curriculum starting in elementary school. It is unfortunate that Piedmont Middle School students have a double period of English-Language Arts which forces a choice between language and music in 7th and 8th grade. PMS students should be encouraged to pursue both language and music. We need to assure that our Piedmont students are well prepared in all subject areas.

Question Most previous questions have focused on the specific issues facing the City Council and School Board. It would be helpful for residents to know what sort of candidate could best contribute to solving these issues. As an elected official, what steps would you take to work with your colleagues and the community to provide leadership on a range of issues before you?

Answer I am the only newcomer running for School Board with a 15 record of getting things done. For 15 years I have identified problems and brought groups together to solve them.

~ I united City and School District agencies through six months of preparation and on-site support during the first anti-drunk driving program at PHS, creating an enduring template for city-school partnerships.

~I re-vamped and led the largest, most critical fundraiser for our schools: The Piedmont Giving Campaign, securing a record dollar amount to fund academic programs.

~ As President of Associated Parents Clubs of Piedmont, Piedmont High School, Piedmont Middle School and Wildwood School, I managed parent club budgets and contributed to budget advisory committee discussions for 10 years, gaining a strong grasp of school funding and spending. ~ I organized community-building panel discussions on Civic Involvement and Civic Engagement for Piedmont LWV. A task very well done because I now find myself in a contested election, stay tuned for the outcome.

~ I comprehend the larger K through 12 picture. My two children are recent graduates from Piedmont Schools. I am able to make decisions with a tenured point of view. ~ I helped develop The PIEDMONT PORTAL to improve how we convey information to parents and the broader community. ~Last spring, I received the Art Hecht Volunteer of the Year Award in recognition of my service.

As a School Board Member, I will continue to demonstrate initiative and leadership to benefit our Piedmont community.

Question The City of Piedmont and Piedmont School District have been working for more than a year to create an equitable replacement fund for artificial turf fields. The City and School District co-operatively have decided that participants in all sports programs + city-sponsored, school-sponsored and youth sports organizations + should pay a fee (surcharge) to cover the cost of maintenance (such as the resurfacing of the city-owned tennis courts), and ultimately the replacement of artificial turf fields, which generally have a life span of about 8-10 years. A. Do you support such a concept? Should such a system include all participants and sports programs for children in grades K-12, or are there exceptions?

Answer Piedmont fields and other sports facilities are community assets and need to be maintained. It is clear that in these tough economic times the City and the School District are not able to pay for large outlays to maintain and replace fields and resurface tennis courts out of their respective general funds. Though not a pleasant idea user fees would raise money that could be used to help pay maintenance and replacement costs. The City is able to levy a user surcharge but the School District is not legally permitted to do so. The School District can ask for a voluntary donation, similar to the way they collect donations for coaches stipends at the high school. Those that are not able to pay can request a scholarship.

Question For many years the City and School District have granted one another use of their facilities on a no-fee basis. In addition, the City's Recreation Department for more than two decades has operated the Middle School sports program initiated by a request by the school district. A. Do you believe the mutual no-fee use of facilities should continue? B. If fees are imposed, do you believe they should be reciprocal? Such fees might include:

• City use of school-owned school facilities (Witter Field, 2 gyms at middle school, High school gym)
• School use of city-owned facilities (Rec and Park tennis courts, Beach Field, Coaches Field, community pool) The City and School District must continually look for opportunities to establish and develop successful partnerships. We must explore how the city and schools can share and benefit from existing local resources. The better the City and School District communicate and work together the more we benefit our community as a whole.

Question Do you think PUSD should change its capacity policies and add more students? What are some of the ways it can do so? The current interest in changing student capacity policies stems from a common belief that increasing student capacity would bring needed financial support into the school district. At the present time, the most strategic way to increase capacity is to allow grandchildren of Piedmont residents to attend Piedmont schools. Sounds easy, but problems arise because it is tactically difficult to incorporate every grandchild in a practical and cost effective manner. The unfortunate reality is, it costs more to educate a Piedmont student than Piedmont receives through funding from the State of California. The shortfall is subsidized by generous parent and community responses to organized fundraising efforts. The only way to add capacity without creating additional cost to the School District Budget is to add students in specific classes where there is existing space available. It is difficult to imagine a practical and equitable method of increasing capacity by enrolling grandchildren of Piedmont residents by limiting enrollment to situations where a specific class is undersized. It is possible that sometime in the future we may as a community make the decision that allowing grandchildren to attend Piedmont schools is the right thing to do and that we are willing to bear the expense. What are some of the ways PUSD can improve its program to keep up with other high performing districts?

Answer PUSD Board Policy Goals provide a blueprint for improvement. PUSD Board Policy #1 mandates that the School Board adapt and improve educational program delivery. It is clear we cannot use an ominous budget situation as an excuse for not advancing program improvements. Nevertheless, we can reconsider the manner we deliver program in a way that may save us money and improve program at the same time. We can consider how technology can help. We can re-think our current class configurations and consider some strategically selected lecture style classes that will then allow us to offer more small seminar style classes. I am open to ideas and discussions that will allow us to improve program in a cost efficient manner. There will be new and creative opportunities for policy defining discussions for the incoming School Board. PUSD Board Policy #2 mandates support for professional growth and instructional effectiveness. Great first steps were recently taken by the Piedmont Educational Foundation's unanimous vote to underwrite a grant for a new Teacher Evaluation System. This cutting edge evaluation system will strengthen teaching and learning. Another positive step came when the PHS Parent Board funded 11 PHS teachers to pursue National Board Certification. These are great first steps that will create a constructive ripple effect for years onward. We must persistently look for opportunities that allow us to continually strive for improvement. And we must specifically look for opportunities that will teach us how we can adequately develop and retain great teachers.

Question At the recent League of Women Voters Candidates Forum, most candidates expressed confidence that the City and School District will move forward in a positive way financially and otherwise. A. How does the suit filed by Friends of Moraga Canyon impact the community's ability to move forward? While the lawsuit is welcomed by some neighbors, others worry about the impact on children if Piedmont cannot provide adequate field space. What will the lawsuit mean for Piedmont's strong youth sports tradition? B. Should the city worry that residents may not continue to dig deep for parcel taxes and donations if the assumption is that their efforts to improve the community will be stymied by lawsuits?

Answer Our City and School District will move forward in a positive way because all of our citizens share a common pride and a common belief that when we work together to achieve the common good, then good things happen.

It is unfortunate that a community disagreement has escalated to a lawsuit. To prevent this from happening in the future, we need to improve the ways we facilitate communication between citizens and governing bodies.

The City and School District are separate and distinct entities. Development of Blair Park is an issue that has been deliberated and decided by City Council. The legally established separation between these two governing entities means that Members of the Piedmont School Board are not involved.

My primary focus for the past 15 years has been maintaining and improving academic program for Piedmont's children. Revenue from School Parcel taxes is critical to the ongoing support of Piedmont Schools. Piedmonters have a strong tradition of supporting School Parcel taxes. In 27 years, 7 parcel tax measures have been approved by voters. To maintain this tradition of approval, we must engage the entire community in parcel tax discussions.