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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Eden Area and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
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Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. (School funding priorities) With school district budgets throughout the state cut to the bone, what would you cut and what would you avoid cutting if Prop 30 doesn't pass and "trigger cuts" to education are implemented?
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Answer from Heather Reyes:
There will never be enough money. The key is to prioritize what we do with the funds we know we have. If individuals and families are expected to balance their household budgets, there's no reason the school district shouldn't be expected to do the same. (As a member of HUSD's Fiscal Integrity & Transparency Advisory Group (FITAG), I have some very detailed ideas of what should happen and hope you will attend any of the upcoming Candidate Forums to hear what I have to say. Please also feel free to contact me directly! My phone number is 510-677-4557 or via e-mail: Heather@HeatherReyes4Hayward.com.
Answer from Sara Lamnin:
With 15 years of non-profit experience, I know how to accomplish much with few funds. Too often, policy makers look first to cutting existing services and front line staff. Instead, I would examine our costs and seek opportunities for efficiency, such as centralized purchasing, increasing attendance, and student retention. When I managed the Kinship Program for grandparents and other relatives raising children, I tripled the size of our department with the same amount of funding by putting the needs of our children first. Later, I decreased my hours as manager to preserve direct services to families. As a School Board Member, I would use this same inclusive decision making process to use our budget dollars as effectively and efficiently as possible.
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2. (Board Member effectiveness) How would you go about improving student achievement, gaining the trust of the teaching and classified staff, and ensuring transparency and open communication with parents?
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Answer from Sara Lamnin:
To improve student achievement, we must give students and teachers the tools they need to succeed. That means creating policies that enable teachers to reach students with a broad diversity of learning styles. Similarly, we need multiple methods of communication (digital and face to face) in order to rebuild the trust in our district. I am passionately committed to involving people in the solutions that affect their lives and have spent my professional career developing opportunities for youth, parents, front line staff, administrators, and community members to be included in the decision making process.
Answer from Heather Reyes:
(Please visit my website at http://www.HeatherReyes4Hayward.com) One thing I've heard time and time again from Hayward voters is the non-responsiveness of the Board. I'm the only candidate with my phone number in my candidate statement that went out to thousands of HUSD voters. My commitment to open communication started even before campaigning to be elected to the Board.
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3. (Superintendent performance objectives) If elected to the board, what kind of performance objectives would you set for the new Superintendent?
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Answer from Sara Lamnin:
To evaluate the Superintendent, I would consider the following questions:
Has he visited all of the campuses in our district?
Has he provided leadership and vision that puts students first and enables our district to excel?
How well is he engaging the community in our district?
Answer from Luis Reynoso:
The objective needs to be to of the ultimate mandate which is to improve education for students. In that context it includes a myriad of topics that are constantly addressed in every school district such as curriculum, school safety, fiscal management, etc,..
Answer from Heather Reyes:
(Please visit my website at http://www.HeatherReyes4Hayward.com) If we keep it simple, we are more likely to achieve our goals. HIGH STANDARDS, DISCIPLINE and SAFETY must be at the top of the list, PERIOD. Everything the district does should fall under these three categories starting with the board, the administration, principals, teachers, staff and students. Ultimately, it is the community's responsibility to ensure the business of the district is done. This is why the school board election is so important.
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4. (Board focus) Parents, teachers and the media have cited the "incivility" of some board members as a factor that hinders the board from important governance decisions. What would and can you do to ensure that the board stays focused on giving all students an opportunity at a good education?
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Answer from Sara Lamnin:
I have navigated conflicts between co-workers, between large groups with a great deal of mistrust for each other, and with individuals who assumed I could not possibly be of help. By listening, demonstrating respect, and maintaining professionalism and transparency, I brought these relationships to productive partnership. I will bring these skills to our board so that we can stay focused on our students, make decisions in a timely manner, and demonstrate the excellence we should expect from our elected leaders.
Answer from Luis Reynoso:
We must work hard to eliminate district of corruption and nepotism. Some school board members need to stop using their position as a means to carry out illicit affairs with fellow board members and possibly other district employees.
Answer from Heather Reyes:
(Please visit my website at http://www.HeatherReyes4Hayward.com) Leading by example is what I do already as a parent of two students attending Hayward schools. So long as the Board members have a good relationship with each other despite their differences, the focus can still be on the students and the business of the district. There is no excuse whatsoever for poor behavior in the public eye. To answer the question of what would I do and what could I do: I've already taken the initiative by stepping up to run for school board despite my full time commute to work, raising our two children and being a responsible homeowner. My experience and accomplishments working with challenging people in my life and current line of work will help in my role as a school board member.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates' responses are presented as submitted. Direct references to opponents are not permitted.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
