The questions were prepared by the The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Modesto and asked of all candidates for this office.

See below for questions on New School Location, Budgeting Priorities, School Materials

Click on a name for other candidate information.   See also more information about this contest.

Answer from Connie S. Chin:

It makes common sense to site our Modesto area high school campuses proximal to current and anticipated housing, namely the Village I and Salida areas. Modesto City Schools must move forward with the construction of two high schools due to critical overcrowding in our five current facilities. The planned 80acre Grigori site near Kiernan and Stoddard roads will serve both the Salida community and the NW Modesto area, providing a well situated location for a high school, as well as community sports and arts events. In addition, the proximity of high school students to businesses can be a win-win for job shadowing, internships, and other business/school partnerships. I believe it is essential to plan for the economic development of our community and I support a plan to develop business parks. However, the city, county, and school district can and must cooperate in planning and paying for infrastructure, commercial, and recreation uses, plus a buffer zone for high school traffic and noise.

Answer from Odessa P. Johnson:

The five high schools in Modesto are extremely overcrowded, with increased residential growth and more students coming from north Modesto. For several years, the people of Salida have expressed interest in having a high school closer to Salida since as much as possible, schools should be located closer to the service area. With voter approval of the high school bond, sites for new high schools were sought with the Gregori site secured because of proximity to service area and acreage available. As with other issues that are affected by county decisions, Modesto City Schools has kept city and county staff informed of site acquisition process prior to the city/county embarking upon the business park plan. Better communication between city/county and MCSchool state may have eliminated some concerns, however, I believe the school will be built long before the park is developed and already the county has indicated a willingness to work with the school. This concept of having a school within a business park is not new for there are others in California. Hopefully, businesses will work with the schools to develop internships and allow sudents first hand lessons in business ownership and leadership.

Answer from Ted Dickason:

The new Gregori High School to be built on Stoddard Road in the Salida area is located near the center of a proposed 2200 acre business/industrial park. This location may provide for nearby business/school partnerships that will greatly enhance the educational environment of the school. This location is also in the center of expected growth in the city of Modesto and the community of Salida. Another plus is that the property is similarly situated as the site for Enochs High School in Village I, which will allow the use of the same plans, thus achieving substantial savings. The downside of this location is the lack of existing infrastructure to the site including water, sewer, adequate roads and traffic signals. Locating schools, especially high schools, is always difficult and always involves compromises that make the site less than perfect. Gregori High School is well placed to meet the needs of students in the Salida area.

Answer from Odessa P. Johnson:

My goal is always to keep cuts as far away from the classrooms as possible. My priority would be starting at the top with administration, cutting travel and and other expenditure, not completely eliminating programs but sharing the necessary reductions in proportion among many. Instead of layoffs, ccertain staff may be asked to take on additional job responsisbilities. Unfilled positions would not be filled. All salaries would be frozen.

Answer from Ted Dickason:

The most important goal of our schools is the academic success of our children. Therefore maintaining class size reductions in the early elementary years, retaining quality teachers, and insuring the safety of our children must be top priorities. Specific spending cuts can only be intelligently identified when the amount of the spending reduction needed is known and all possibilities are carefully weighed. My experience as a business owner and certified public accountant will bring a valuable perspective to the board and I have the skills and leadership abilities to make the difficult decisions necessary to effectively meet the challenges facing our schools.

Answer from Connie S. Chin:

The core of education is the qualified and prepared teacher in a well-equipped classroom. I will strive keep cuts away from the classroom. Therefore, I would direct cuts towards capital expenses (such as new furniture), travel, staff attrition with reassignment of responsibilities, and administration. I would reduce the frequency of some maintenance tasks such as landscaping and outdoor cleaning; and I would recommend that programs be evaluated for their effectiveness towards academic achievement, school safety, and teacher preparedness.

Answer from Odessa P. Johnson:

Students come from not one but many religious backgrounds in our schools, therefore, to respect the rights of all, it is necessary that we keep parents informed of curricular content and give them the option to have their child opt-out.

Answer from Ted Dickason:

Parents should always have the right to be well informed about the instructional materials and curriculum used in their children's education. Parents have the right to opt their children out of any instruction which they deem inappropriate for their children. The rights of all students and their parents to opt-out of instruction that violates their moral or religious values must be respected.

Answer from Connie S. Chin:

We are a public school that serves a diverse community of families from myriad religious backgrounds. I have always supported and encouraged the right of parents to full and informed participation in our schools. Therefore, the District should respect the wishes of parents to access to curricular content, speak with staff, and request alternative materials. Students who opt out of literature or certain movies should be respected for their choices and graded fairly on their alternative assignments.

The order of the candidates is random and changes daily.