Candidate for
Board Member; Glendale Unified School District

I am running for GUSD School Board because I believe in the importance of quality public education. I have 2 children currently in the Spanish Dual Immersion program and have a preschooler who will enter school in the fall. I have vested interest in seeing our GUSD schools be the best. I firmly believe that every child in the district has the right to the same quality education my children are receiving in GUSD. It is the responsibility of the school board to oversee and ensure that those opportunities are available for every child.

I envision a district where communication is our top priority. I believe that all of us involved in the schools want our children and students to succeed. To that end we must create a district focused on success in the 21st century economy. We must promote programs that are both focused on the future, yet educationally sound. We must be certain that we are always operating in the best interest of our students and resist the temptation to chase after the highest short term test score.

Vision I firmly believe that all children have the right to feel safe, nurtured, and accepted on their school campus. I believe it is the job of the district to work with our teachers and parents so that our adults are the models for respectful behavior, fairness, and equality, regardless of the child's status or profile.

I envision a district where we have a mix of neighborhood and magnet schools. The decision for what type of a school will be based on what is best for the neighborhood. Our specialized programs will be planned out K-12 so that families and teachers understand the direction of the district and are able to effectively plan for the future.

Communication Parents: I will make sure parents are aware and informed about the options they have in our schools. The School Board must do a better job of connecting with parents and bringing them into conversations about programs, safety, and engagement. I will reach out into the community to find the groups where parents are engaged and be a bridge between those groups and the district.

Community: The communities surrounding our schools need to understand what is happening with their local school. Schools undergoing major changes such as becoming magnet programs, construction, solar panel installation, etc. need to work with the community to ensure our neighbors are partners with us in education.

Teachers: Our students learn best when our teachers, parents, and community members work with the same sense of priorities. I will work with our teachers to support the academic programs that are working well within our schools. I will help teachers and parents connect in order to create a learning environment for our students that challenges them, nurtures them, and ensures their ability to succeed.

Experience Teaching: As an experienced, successful educator, I have the experience needed to evaluate program effectiveness and promote quality teaching. As we are moving towards more specialized programs with implications from elementary through high school it is imperative that we have an educator on the school board who fully understands the impact of these programs. I will work to ensure that we select programs that will most benefit students and provide our families with a broad range of educational choices, from language to arts to technology, etc.

Parent: As the parent of two (soon to be three) Dual Immersion students I am closely involved in the programs that will affect the district's future. I understand the need for the schools to reach out and connect with parents to bring them in as partners in their child's education. I will ensure that our parents are aware and well informed about the options they have for their child's education. I will make a conscious effort to bring them into the discussion about their schools and programs.

The Freemon Commitment to Glendale Schools

• Improve access and input from parents. * Give teachers the support they need to succeed.
• Make every school a strong center of learning. *Ensure all students develop both the real world skills for the future and the critical thinking necessary to succeed.