Candidate for
County Superintendent of Schools; County of Riverside

http://www.rothblatt2006.com

Jim Rothblatt has nearly 30 years of experience providing direct service to students, parents and staff in schools within Riverside County. His experience includes serving on various school and district administrative teams as a School Counselor, Student Assistance Program Specialist and as a consultant to the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) filling the position of Liaison for the Safe Schools Unit of the RCOE. He has served as a Field Colleague for the California Department of Education on Consolidated Compliance Review Teams which has taken him into schools and school districts beyond Riverside County.

Jim is the recipient of the 2006 Betsy Houghton Award for his "exemplary" contributions in education presented by the National Student Assistance Association.

Jim Rothblatt has made the decision to run for the position of Superintendent of Riverside County Schools as a way to honor the students, parents, educators, classified staff and community people he has had the privilege to know and work with as a professional educator during the course of his career. After nearly three years as a Consultant and Trainer working with the current leadership of the RCOE, he feels he is morally obligated to offer the voters and educators of Riverside County a choice of someone with his practical, resourceful and creative vision. In choosing to run for this office, he looks forward to engaging the public in a respectful and open and honest dialogue with the current County Schools Superintendent as well as the voters and educators throughout the county.

Mr. Rothblatt knows the kind of successes that are possible in public education, because he has played an important part in the development of thriving, cost effective systems that address the educational domains of academics, social/emotional needs and career development for all students.

Mr. Rothblatt will build a team of leaders drawing from all regions of the county. Maximum inclusion would mean drawing from existing community resources such as public and private universities, the business community, parent/teacher organizations, public and private mental health clinics, law enforcement, Boys and Girls Clubs, County Mental Health Prevention Services, faith community, local government entities and especially, the creative use of existing school and district-based resources. On the day Mr. Rothblatt begins his service as County Superintendent of Schools, he will implement a county-wide system for open and honest dialogue that will empower all county-wide students, parents and staff. He looks forward to opening up the RCOE to the constituents that he believes it is meant to serve.

Mr. Rothblatt has lived in southern California most of his life. While growing up he attended public schools in Compton and Los Angeles: graduating from Washington High School in 1960; then on to El Camino Junior College; Cal Poly, Pomona; Cal State, Long Beach; Humboldt State; and Cal State, San Bernardino. He holds the following licenses and credentials: Marriage and Family Therapy License; Administrative Credential; Pupil Personnel Services Credential; Standard Teaching Credential; and Community College Counseling and Teaching Credentials.

In 1965 Mr. Rothblatt interrupted his university studies and joined the Army. He served three years, which included a tour of duty in Vietnam as a Combat Medic with Charlie Company, 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry, 199th Light Infantry Brigade. Much of the personal strength and drive that he brings to his work; he owes to his war time service and especially to the men he had the honor to serve.