Candidate for
Board Member; Sunol Glen Unified School District

Over the past 13 years, as an involved parent of three students at Sunol Glen School, I've witnessed our little district rise up to become one of California's very best. We overcame deep budget cuts to keep critical programs alive here - programs other schools were forced to abandon. Parent volunteerism and strong community support helped us come through unscathed. Now that we've started implementing Common Core Standards, Sunol Glen and Sunol taxpayers can benefit from my 30 years of experience as a small business owner, software developer and part-time adult education instructor.

I am a Bay Area native with a lifetime interest in education, but I worry about current trends in government spending. While lawmakers spend too much time dialing for dollars, lobbyists tailor our laws so that their interests prosper. It's a disastrous formula: reap big profits now, and let future generations foot the bill. If we are going to continue to heap debt onto our children, shouldn't we at least arm them with the best possible education? Isn't it in our nation's best interest?

Technology has been a priority for my family since the day our twins entered pre-school at Sunol Glen. The Apple 2E computers are all gone now, but many needs persist. Sunol Glen sits at a crossroads, trying to determine just how much emphasis to place on acquiring tablets, more laptops or something else. I can help by establishing technology policies that make sense for a small, "family style school".

Another priority is teacher retention. Having been honored with the California Distinguished School award, Sunol Glen has proven that we can hire some of the best educators available. We need to provide an environment that ensures we don't lose these incredible teachers to other districts.

My chief aim, if elected, will be to continue to offer the children of Sunol an exceptionally rich, character-building educational experience. By accepting families from neighboring districts, we can continue to inspire and prepare our kids. With thoughtful management, Sunol Glen can continue to lead in areas as diverse as mathematics and gardening, science and art, literacy and sustainability.