Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Proposed Lammersville Joint Unified School District

I thought a good way for you to get to know me is to find out what I think about the district's philosophy upon which all the By Laws and Policies are founded on. There are 15 of them and I have included my thoughts on each one. Thank you for taking the time to look at it.

Sincerely,

James

"As part of its responsibility to establish a guiding vision for the district, the Governing Board shall develop and regularly review a set of fundamental principles which describes the district's beliefs, values or tenets. The Board and district staff shall incorporate this philosophy in all district programs and activities.

It is the philosophy of the district that:

1. All students can learn and succeed."

Possibly the most controversial thing I'll write on this subject is that I do not agree with our first principle.

I know only too well a small portion of individuals will not be able to learn. Whether it be due to a coma from an accident, a vegetative state because of complications at birth, or some other tragedy, the principle does not hold true for everyone.

What do I believe then?

All students are precious, and will be treated by this district with the respect and dignity they deserve.

"2. Every student in the district, regardless of gender, special needs, or social, ethnic, language or economic background has a right to a high-quality education that challenges the student to achieve to his/her fullest potential."

I think this goal is well intended, but impossible to implement. At its core is the concept of FAPE, Free Appropriate Public Education. This is defined in Education Code, the Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 and Civil rights Legislation more commonly called Sec 504. It is something that administrators, teachers and especially special educators are trained to know and implement in CA. FAPE is what every child has a right to.

What I believe to be impossible to implement is, "a high quality education that challenges the student to achieve to his/her fullest potential." Aside from being grammatically challenged (according to my better half and editor), this presupposes that we know what each and every child's full potential is and that there are unlimited resources to allow for such exploration of every child's potentiality. I don't view education as something to be mastered or potential attainment. I want to develop in our students a hunger to learn, to discover, and make breakthroughs. Maybe a better turn of phrase might be, "has a right to a high quality education that challenges them to not only be knowledgeable and think critically, but constantly encourages them to dream, create and become the visionary leaders of tomorrow."

"3. The future of our nation and community depends on students possessing the skills to be lifelong learners and effective, contributing members of society."

I wholeheartedly believe in this. There are many definitions of intelligence but a few terms cut across all of them. One of them is the word adaptability. Providing our children the opportunities to develop what we in school and neuropsychology call Executive Functioning (EF) such as: planning; problem solving; switching/perspective taking, are all key. Adaptation is the coordination of EF skill. Forgive the analogy but MacGyver (from the hit 80's TV show) is a great example of a master of Adaptation.

"4. A safe, nurturing environment is necessary for learning."

This is true and I'll briefly explain why: Maslow in his Hierarchy of Needs, speaks to the vast majority of people not being able to develop socially well adjusted, when their basic needs aren't met, like: food, shelter, and safety. Only when these needs are met can people develop more pro-social skills, like looking out for your neighbor, etc.

Current research shows that the brain's ability to learn is affected by its environment. In fact the brain shuts down, when confronted with high levels of stress or trauma. Ever have trouble finding your keys right when you need them the most? We as a district can only control what happens inside our school boundaries. So this is why we, I, take school wellness so seriously.

So just remember when your child is stressing out studying for a test. Sit with them, give them a hug, talk to them, tell them how proud you are of them, and watch their anxiety go down and test scores go up. This works for spouses as well.

"5. Parents/guardians have a right and an obligation to participate in their child's schooling."

I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe in this. This is part of being an advocate for our children and I take it very seriously. Being the voice for those that can't yet speak for themselves.

"6. The ability of children to learn is affected by social, health and economic conditions and other factors outside the classroom."

Given what we know to be true for principle 4, this is why fidelity to FAPE in principle 2 is so important.

"7. Early identification of student learning and behavioral difficulties contribute to student success."

I have made this ideal my life's work. As an educational and school psychologist, it has been my responsibility identifying these strengths and weaknesses for the most needy children in our state.

Primary prevention, intervention and meeting the needs of our children as soon as possible are my passion. This is why I am not only pushing for providing information and services during our preschool and prekindergarten parent information sessions, but finding resources to fund for more of them.

I also assist our district in finding funds and grant writing, for our Crisis Prevention/Intervention and Wellness committees to more fully develop what we have for the betterment of our district at all age levels.

"8. Students and staff respond positively to high expectations and recognition for their accomplishments."

The only way our children will learn to soar, is if we tell them we expect them to fly. It is their job to try. It is our responsibility to find a way for them to learn so their trying isn't in vain. We need to make sure students are able to access the curriculum. If not, accommodations need to be made. If accommodations are not enough, modifications need to be made. These are the fundamental principles of Response To Intervention (RTI) and ensure children are provided the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) to access their curriculum. Reaching these goals is not easy for the student or teacher. It doesn't happen overnight, so both deserve recognition for journey.

"9. Continuous school improvement is necessary to meet the needs of students in a changing economy and society."

Adaptability is not just for our children, but also in the best practices in education. The needs of our children in the ever evolving demands of our society will have to be met by a forward thinking, enlightened school board.

"10. The diversity of the student population and staff enriches the learning experience for all students."

Our children will be a part of a global community the likes of which has never been seen. Our Elementary District and with your vote, our Joint Unified District embodies and embraces this. It is one of the many reasons why we've all chosen to make our homes here.

"11. A highly skilled and dedicated staff has a direct and powerful influence on students' lives and learning."

Many cultures hold the position of teacher as one of utmost respect. I'd love for us to foster this here as well. A great teacher is worth their weight in gold. I am thrilled to say we as a district have an embarrassment of riches.

"12. A high level of communication, trust, respect and teamwork among Board members and the Superintendent contributes to effective decision making."

Honest, open, communication is what I have come to expect from our school board and Superintendent. It is a great feeling to have when everyone is working as a team. A good board doesn't always agree, because sometimes there isn't one right answer.

"13. The community provides an essential resource to the educational program."

I believe in this whole-heartedly and have ideas on how to tap into this: Developing within our community a grandparent homework club and countless job and talent clubs so that the wealth and experience of our retirees do not go to waste in this community. I see our high school students especially benefitting from this with the coming of the Trilogy development in a few years. I plan on developing in our community a team on Second Responders in crisis situations where, religious and lay leaders, psychologist, therapists, and other concerned community volunteers who will receive additional training to meet basic support needs of our students. It is the after care of a crisis that often gets over looked.

"14. Effective communication with all stakeholders helps build support for the schools."

Listening to our parents, neighbors, students, and teachers, about their concerns, and what they feel is going right, not only builds accountability, but a shared vision. What every board wants for its community is the pride of ownership in their school district.

"15. Accountability for the district's programs and operations is shared by the entire educational community, with the ultimate accountability resting with the Board as the basic embodiment of representative government."

The buck has to stop somewhere. I believe the Board is the appropriate place. Some might argue that the Board can only operate from the information its administration provides. That is true to a point, as a good Board Members know what questions to ask and when to ask them, even if it means asking the most basic of questions. It is often when we take things for granted that we slip and fall. Putting the burden on the administration is not fair. While they are charged with implementation, and can be held accountable for that; the school board is charged with oversight and are responsible in giving them direction.