Candidate Questionnaire

By Bradley L. Bartz

The Leauge of Women Voters of Palos Verdes asked a the following three questions.

Length of residence on the Palos Verdes Peninsula: 21 years

Occupation: Entrepreneur

Education and civic activities: (50 word limit)

Founded and operated Telemarketing Visions Institute, Inc. 501(c)(3) (TVI) to train blind persons how to get jobs. I moved to Japan for 11 years, starting with teaching English as a second language and then business. Both of my children attend Cornerstone; we are committed to parent participation with education.

There is a 375 total word limit for the following 3 questions, roughly 125 words per question.

1. How should the school district accommodate the current growing student enrollment while considering the future possibility of declining enrollment?

Plan Smarter - I think we should open Palos Verdes High School to its capacity as grades 9 - 12 from the beginning. Currently only 500 students are expected to enroll during the first year. This is simply not enough to relieve the gross overcrowding taking place at Peninsula High. According to the business services office of the PVPUSD the current modernization program does not limit Palos Verdes High School to only serve 9th and 10th grade students. Physically it is ready to open and possibly service 1500 kids on its 35 acres. This will leave 2000 students at Peninsula and 1500 at PVHS. Our Kids will be comfortable and safe.

Elementary growth is the highest since the 1960's and looks to continue on that trend. As elementary schools are crowded now I suggest we open Valmonte as a school and move administration 38 Crest Road (where it used to be). We should strive to use all school sites as schools.

The demographic enrollment data for the past 40 years shows we can expect enrollment to continue to rise at a more rapid rate than it declined. We can expect 1000 new students a year for the next 7 to 10 years.

In times of declining enrollment (which won't begin for eight, possibly 12 years) we will offer more adult education and offer our space for the community to use. Community use and partnership with education give us what is needed to utilize PVPUSD assets to their fullest.

2. In your opinion did the testing requirement enacted by the state in recent years change the ways our teachers teach?

New testing and thus teacher evaluations might be creating walls - walls between new teachers and seasoned teachers. We need to establish cooperation and competition among our teachers, parents and students.

Testing might be opening up opportunities for individualized education for all of our children. PVPUSD administration appears to be learning how to use pin-point testing data to direct teachers on deficits of our children and what materials/ teaching methods might bring up their test scores.

TECH Smarter -- Homework on the web and more aggressive use of Internet technologies are a must in this testing environment. Working parents demand it. A Vote for Bartz is a Vote for Technology.

3. How would the second new high school impact the existing high school in terms of finance, curriculum, and the allocation of the most experienced teachers?

The Impact will be stunning and PV property values benefit. The desirability of the two fully functioning high schools will increase overall enrollment leading to more income. Our most experienced teachers will be allocated to all of our children and we will attract new teachers. We have the equipment to broadcast live classrooms and thus share elective courses and end up offering more to all students and the community.

SPEND Smarter -- but always keep the student the number one priority. We have the school facilities -- we should use them.

http://www.bartz.com

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