Basic Thoughts

By Laura Gonzalez

My main areas of concern right now.

• Build Community Support We need to work to improve perceptions about our schools, their success and safety. We must remain deeply committed to public education, a cornerstone of our democracy.

• Listen to Teachers and Principals In these times of drastic budget cuts, we must make sure we have strong teachers and principals. We need to listen to those who have the most experience where it counts: in the classroom. Teachers and principals know what kind of consistent and helpful professional development and support they need to have successful schools. We won't get that information from test scores.

• Changing Demographics, Changing Schools Santa Rosa's diversity should be seen as a resource, not just a challenge. We need to support English-language learners and students who live in poverty, while making sure that all our children value diversity, to ensure our community's continued well-being.