Candidate for
Board Member; Riverbank Unified School District

My best experiences in education occurred within the walls of a classroom. As a teacher, those were the walls of my classroom, when I became an administrator those walls became the walls of classrooms of teachers all over my district. There is nothing quite as exciting to me as seeing a student engaged in learning - especially when that "light" turns on and a student finds himself able to read a word, solve a number problem, convey her feelings through writing, experience a hands-on experiment in a science lab or understand what motivated the forefathers of our country to create a bill of rights and constitution.

I am running for school board because I believe I have the knowledge, experience and capability of being a school board member. I believe that such service is working for a cause beyond myself and an opportunity to give back to the community in which I have lived and worked for the past 25 years. I believe my experiences of being a teacher, administrator and parent within Riverbank School District give me a broad focus for a position on the school board.

It is my desire to demonstrate integrity, knowledge and fairness as part of the school board while consistently prioritizing opportunities for student success. I think that a school board that unconditionally puts students first builds trust from those who are affected by their decisions. I agree with those who have said that observing law, developing policy, working morally and harmoniously as part of an effective team should be goals of a school board and these are things I would for which I would strive.

School board members should demonstrate unconditional respect for staff, students, parents and administration. I think it is important to attend every meeting and district functions as possible as a school board member and to come to each meeting prepared and ready to work collegially with the rest of the board. Effective schools research shows that teamwork is essential in good schools and that should begin with the school board demonstrating a model of teamwork.

I feel very passionate about the capabilities our students must develop to ensure they can be self-sufficient members of society one day. My hope is that our students will be able to find careers in areas in which they are interested and well trained through the education they receive in our school system. I believe opportunities for professional development are critical for all staff and would support such opportunities. Along these lines, I fully support the use of instructional coaches in our District.

Great communities have great schools. I believe a great school board is one where people are interested in collaborating and working as a team to ensure the success of all students in the District. I would be humbled, if elected, to work on the Riverbank Unified School Board toward furthering these goals.