Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Pittsburg Unified School District

THE MOST URGENT NEED FACING OUR DISTRICT

The most urgent need is to improve student achievement. This can be accomplished by getting parents, teachers, classified staff, administrators and the business community working together more successfully than they have up to this point. We also need to be better at clearly communicating expectations to students and parents. And there must be accountability when student performance is unsatisfactory. To begin I will work to:

- Expand opportunities for parents to be more involved and more effective in supporting their childs education.

- Improve lines of communication among teachers, classified staff, administrators, Board members, students and parents. I will also take steps to assure effective implementation of academic programs in the classrooms, provide quality staff development, and support the "teacher teaching technology" program and ensure each site has a master technology instructor.

- Work with fellow Board members, teachers, staff, parents, students, businesses and the community to develop ways to celebrate academic achievement. We do an excellent job of celebrating sports achievements among our students however, we need to be much better at celebrating student academic achievements.

- We need to be better at clearly communicating expectations to our students. Clearly communicating academic, behavioral, and other expectation to our students can be a catalyst to begin improving pupil performance.

AVOIDING FUTURE LABOR PROBLEMS

- I believe we can reduce exposure to future labor problems by opening lines of communication and making sure future negotiation teams follow ground rules and conduct negotiations in an environment of muture respect and dignity.

DIVERSITY

- As a Board member I will fully support enhanced diversity, cultural, sensitivity, and life skills programs for students and staff. I will ensure the needs and issues of all Pittsburg communities are addressed.

PITTSBURG SCHOOL'S CURRICULUM

- We need to improve reading, math and science programs. The District has been focusing on improving the current reading programs and is beginning to show improvement at the elementary level. The math and science programs at the secondary levels still have weaknesses. We need to look at those programs, have experts evaluate them and make recommendations. Staff development and parent involvement are also key in this area.

TECHNOLOGY

- As a Board member I will work as closely as I can with the District's information services staff to ensure classrooms are always equipped with the most current and appropriate technology.

READING LISTS

- The Board needs to ensure that full parent and staff input is included in the selection of books and other materials. Parents have the right to determine the appropriatness of reading material for their child. Reading lists should have options.

FOUR YEARS FROM NOW

- My vision of the District four years from now is of a District with improved pupil performance, more open lines of communication among parents, teachers, students, staff, and the Board, and enhanced staff development programs.