Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Santa Maria Joint Union High School District

I have chosen to seek reelection to my position of the high school board because I am convinced, because of my background, experience, hands-on approach, and work ethic, well qualified to both identify and resolve problems confronting public secondary schools in the Santa Maria Valley. I have a track record of progress and achievement on the important issues of teen pregnancy prevention, class size reduction, availability of Advanced Placement classes, and student safety.

The overriding issue, and the issue to which all others are directly or indirectly tied, are campuses with twice the number of students for which they are intended. Whether Measure C2000, which will allow construction of a third campus to move forward, passes or fails in November, the repercussions will dominate board agendas and decisions for the forseeable future.

We are in an era of academic accountability. Students and teachers must be provided with every opportunity and resource to meet academic achievement objectives as determined by standardized test scores.

Students cannot learn if they are not in attendance. An attendance policy that does not tolerate truancy and holds parents as well as students accountable must be developed and enforced.