Wiseburn School District - Responses to Daily Breeze Questions

By Nelson Edward Martinez

My name is Nelson Martinez, I'm a Del Aire resident and a Wiseburn Alumnus. Through the support of my parents and guidance of my teachers, I went on to receive a Bachelors Degree from UCSB and a Masters Degree from CSUN. When I got married my wife and I purchased a home in the Del Aire area and have been residing here for five years. Now I have an opportunity to give back to the community that once helped raise me. I am a member of the Del Aire Homeowners Association and I've participated in AYSO and Aviation little league activities over the years.
Currently, I am the Program Director overseeing school construction for a few districts and I plan to utilize my expertise to assist Wiseburn School District in the new construction of Dana Middle School and Cabrillo Elementary School. My work experience and membership in the Facilities Advisory Committee, will allow me to bring a new insight and business approach to facilities, long-range planning and budget control.

2. How do you view efforts to turn the Wiseburn district into a unified school district with its own high school? Is it realistic or are there too many legal hurdles to doing so? Should the high school be a regular high school or a charter school? Response:

I'm extremely grateful for the efforts put forth for a new High School by the team of Chief Petitioners. After three years of petitions, committee rulings and reports, Wiseburn Community got their wish when the state Board of Education voted 10-0 to grant permission for a special election to be held. The board also decided that such an election should be limited to Wiseburn only, As long as Wiseburn's taxpayers agreed to continue paying their share of Centinela's $59 million school construction and modernization bond. The ride to Unification has been filled with up and downs, much like a "roller coaster" Recently the Wiseburn Community has encountered some obstacles that have delayed the Unification process. Nevertheless, this small, unique, family-nit community is resilient and prepared to overcome this. Wiseburn families have been fighting for many years to provide their children with a better opportunity and we've never been closer than now to a new High School.

3. Has the school district been too accepting of permit students, or are they necessary to keep the district financially sound? How should the district determine how many permit students to accept. Response:

Today, thirty percent of Wiseburn School District's student population are non-residents. This percentage accounts for significant portion of revenues which allows the District not only to be financially sound but also to offer more educational programs to all of our students. The number of non-residents students accepted should always be determined by the primary principle of not compromising the high quality of education. For example, the District should always consider maintaining class-size reduction, not overcrowding the school sites and continuing a stringent application process, review and accountability. Wiseburn School District currently uses these tools and continues its commitment to Education Excellence.
On a personal level, it is extremely important for me that Wiseburn School District be able to maintain and grow all of its educational programs. I attended Wiseburn School District during one of its lowest enrollment periods and witnessed first hand the cutting of many programs, from Music to after school activities. I remember the impact the loss of these programs had on the students and I believe that accepting permit students is one way to ensure that these great programs continue to thrive.

4. In some other districts, observers have expressed concern about teachers unions wielding too much influence in school board elections. Do you share this concern, or is it healthy for teachers to become more active in supporting candidates and expressing their views on local issues? Response:

I believe it is healthy for teachers, parents, and citizens to become more active in supporting candidates and expressing their views on local issues. I find that most of the concerns arise when voter turn out is low. We have to remember, that our democratic system and our Wiseburn School District, is always at its best when everyone participates and is involved. Most importantly, we must not lose sight of the objective of making informed decisions about our children's' future education.

5. How do you view the district's program to rebuild and modernize all of its schools? Has construction gone the way you had hoped, or do you see problems with the way the program has progressed? Response:

The District's plan is to provide the children of Wiseburn School District with state of the art facilities that are second to none. This is evident from the construction of the award wining Anza Elementary School. In my current profession, I have worked with several other school districts and have yet to build a school of Anza's caliber and I'm sure that the new Dana Middle School and Cabrillo Elementary School will be equally as impressive. It is true that Wiseburn School District's planning process has taken a little longer than expected and unfortunately, as time has elapsed construction costs have continued to soar. Nevertheless, better planning, incorporating lesson learned from Anza and considering value engineering will allow the District to minimize the budget challenges that lie ahead.

6. As a trustee, what steps would you take to ensure continued student improvement on student test scores? Response:

It all begins in the classroom and with our teachers. It is imperative to provide our teachers with the necessary tools and support in order for them to provide the best education resources and environment for our students. It is also important that all of our teachers are accredited and that we keep our teachers up to date with training and workshops. This also ensures that both teachers and students are keeping on pace with technology which strongly contributes to student improvement. Another important step is to continue with our proactive approach of having discussions with the school principals regarding the schools curriculum program and areas of emphasis. As a trustee, it is our duty to empower our teachers through policy in order to continue the success of our students and their test scores.

7. Please discuss what you feel is the No. 1 issue facing the district over the next four years and any other issue that you are emphasizing in your campaign. Response:

The major issue Wiseburn School District faces over the next few years is maintaining a steady growth in student enrollment. Remember, steady growth (ADA) is vital in keeping the District fiscally sound and responsible. Today, many of our surrounding school districts are experiencing declining enrollment which, if continued may have a direct impact on our District because we are so dependent on non-resident students. Additionally, the need for a High School in our community is essential. We continue to lose a percentage of students at the Middle School stage and at the Elementary School stage in some cases, due to the lack of a quality high school in our community. Wiseburn School District must continue to do more to attract students such as: Continuing to excel academically, marketing our schools, supporting our before and after school programs, and creating a high school for the children of this community which is much overdue