Candidate for
Trustee; Proposed Reorganized Grant Joint Union High School District; Trustee Area 3

I have lived in the North Highlands area for over 40 years, raising three children with my husband. I believe education is the most important gift we can give our young people. I am passionate about ensuring that all school age students receive a valuable educational experience that provides a strong foundation and meaningful opportunities for their future.

The reasons I decided to participate as a candidate for School Board Trustee, Area 3, North Highlands, (South of Antelope Road to Roseville Road), is improve the quality our children's education, but more importantly, to create future leaders, entrepreneurs and college-bound students. I believe our district can achieve and exceed in producing high-quality educational programs and setting the standards similar to other school districts such as Granite Bay, Rocklin, or Roseville.

On November 6th, 2007, the voters will decide on reorganization also known as Measure B, and also choose the new school board trustees. The four school districts involved in the reorganization include North Sacramento, Del Paso, Rio Linda and Grant School Districts.

Educational, community and business leaders agree that reorganization of these four districts into a New North Area Unified District increases the opportunity for significant improvement of educational services through:

• Increased financial stability and accountability
• Consistent academic standards
• Shared resources
• Consolidated services that free up funding for classroom programs, books and supplies.
• Students would have additional choices within the new unified district
• Additional opportunities to create and/or improve specialized schools that can better meet educational needs in technology, business, science, or visual and performing arts.
• Resources, programs and experience brought together in the new district.
• Four North Area districts would become a new unified Preschool through 12th grade school district.

As parents, it is crucial for us to be "seen" and our "voices heard" on campus. My goal as a newly elected board member is to level the playing field for our stakeholders: children, parents, teachers and all school employees by implementing high-quality educational programs that will create college-bound students, leaders' and/or entrepreneurs' that can compete with the best of the best.

I have served on the Budget and Finance and Community Relations Committee with the North Highlands Recreation and Park District. I have worked on complex issues and implemented effective solutions to benefit our community. When elected, my priorities will be to support our teachers, employees, and administrators with more tools and opportunities, create more parent involvement opportunities, and demand accountability, administrative cost savings and financial stability.

Please join the teacher associations in all four school districts (Rio Linda, Grant, Del Paso North Sacramento) and Mr. James Shelby, a Citrus Heights Councilmember and CEO of The Greater Sacramento Urban League in supporting my candidacy for the New School Board Trustee and to vote YES for Measure B. For more information on bringing pride back to our community, visit Aleciaeugenechasten.com