The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.     See below for questions on Finances, Instruction, The Future

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

Answer from Royce Lorraine Peterson:

As a Board member I would carefully study all the budget documents, including the parcel tax budget, to see whether the district is spending state, federal and local money prudently and in accordance with the Board's budget priorities. I would meet with the business manager and any other appropriate district personnel if I have questions. Any problems that can and should be addressed immediately will be put on the agenda for the next board meeting. I will call for the Board set up a process to reevaluate the District's budget priorities. District and school administration, teachers and the other employee groups will be asked to present their lists of budget priorities. Public meetings at the sites will be held to gather input from parents and community members. The Board will then set and publish the priorities for the 2007-08 budget. The Board will review these priorities yearly.

Answer from Matthew Dean:

Engage a community team comprised of parents, teachers, adminstrators and student and business leaders to:
1. Review and adjust district goals and priorities
2. Review all spending against those goals and priorities
3. Identify areas in need of changes and improvement
4. Communicate those proposed changes to the community.
5. Implement the identified changes. Take the above steps on a yearly basis as change and improvement is an ongoing process.

Answer from Pamela (Cox) Parker:

As a Board, we receive financial reports periodically, as required by law. They are made public at our board meetings and are available for anyone who would like to review them at any time. Our board, administrators, and teacher and support staff representatives, also sit down for a study session each year when preparing the budget for the upcoming year. At that time, we go over with our Assistant Superintendent + Chief Business Officer, any questions or concerns we may have with any item(s) in the budget. I believe our district has been very prudent in our managing of a very complicated budget process, which has allowed us to continue to provide the programs our students should have.

Answer from Joe Pandit:

I would review the proposed funding for various educational programs, review them with parents, teachers and other interested groups and then set priorities on funding these programs. From time to time I will meet with these groups to review the effectiveness of the programs, review any modifications that may be needed to make the programs more costeffective.

Answer from Philip Reynolds, Jr.:

I would propose to evaluate current programs utilized by the District, remove or eliminate the ones that do not work, eliminate duplicity, and keep the programs that are actually working for the enrichment of the students. This proposal would include members of the community, students, staff, parents and board members working as a team, to bring to the attention of State and Federal representatives, the need for change in positive ways for a successful evaluation of proper spending of funds. Reporting back to the community would entail holding Board meetings at the different High Schools around the District, making easier access for parents and members of the community to attend.

Answer from Matthew Dean:

Yes. However, there remains many opportunities for improvement. Also, what about the diverse educational needs of the students? Are these being met or is the curriculum focused only on academics? Not everyone goes to college. While our school system needs to prepare students to attend and succeed in college; it also needs to prepare students to succeed in a vocational career.

Answer from Philip Reynolds, Jr.:

I believe that the schools within the Campbell Union High School District are meeting the needs of all students attending, but there is room for improvement.

Answer from Joe Pandit:

Diversification in educational programs is a good idea if there is adequate funding available to implement those programs. However, in the event of tight budget, the District should primarily focus on basics that would benefit most of the students and not just few of them.

Answer from Pamela (Cox) Parker:

More so then ever this is occurring. We have a team of teachers, administrators, and parents who have been focusing on 5 goals in this area:
1. Facilitate Student Learning through Differentiated Instruction.
2.Build Teachers' Tool Kit
3.Build Students' Took Kit
4.Promote Effective Parental Involvement in School
5.Ensure Successful Implementation of the Local Education Agency (LEA) Plan Addendum.

We made 28 out of 28 Adequate Yearly Progress targets in our district this past year and I am convinced this is a result of our focus on the above goals.

Answer from Royce Lorraine Peterson:

This is an area that the District is working on. The schools are using new programs and new approaches to address the needs of our students who arrive at high school without the necessary skills. We need to constantly evaluate the effectiveness of these and make changes if needed. We need to make sure that our teachers have the training and tools necessary to meet the diverse educational needs of our students. We need to encourage more students to use the daily tutorial, where they can get individual help from the teachers, and the homework centers, which provide teacher and peer tutoring. We need to work with the parents to make sure that their students put homework above TV, video games, etc. To meet the needs of all our students we need to retain, if not expand, vocational, fine arts and performing art classes. We need to encourage our college-bound students to take the college readiness test (EAP) developed by the California State University system. I've already spoken with the District's Literacy Coordinator about using the materials developed by CSU in our curriculum so that our students will be ready for college work.

Answer from Royce Lorraine Peterson:

In five years I want the District to be a place where students get an excellent education that prepares them for either college or career. I want it to be a place where students participate in a wide range of extracurricular activities (clubs, sports, homecoming, band, etc.). We must keep our schools safe by constant vigilance and frequent training of both staff and students. I would like CUHSD to be a place that attracts and retains the best teachers. We can do this not only by offering a competitive compensation package but also by creating a climate in which teachers feel that their expertise is valued in making decisions at both the school and district levels. I want parents to buy houses in our district because they have heard of the excellence of our schools. An important component in accomplishing all of this is better communication. The board, administration, teachers, and parents need to work as a partnership to prepare all of our students for the 21st century.

Answer from Pamela (Cox) Parker:

I would like to see all students prepared to go out into the world and be successful. Whether going to college or going straight into the workforce, they will all have the basic skills to be successful. With the advances in technology we have all experienced over the past few years, reading and math are more important than ever. Every student needs to be extremely proficient in these areas. I believe our District is already moving in the right direction to see this is the case. I also believe it takes the involvement of all parties to make this happen; administrators, teachers, support staff, students, parents, and the community.

Answer from Philip Reynolds, Jr.:

In five years from now, I would like to see parents purchasing homes within the district boundries just so their children can attend one of the schools in the Campbell Union High School District. I would like to see our schools competing for top schools in the nation. The steps required to achieve the goals mentioned above are as follows:
1. Toss out political correctness and replace it with common sense.
2. Increase outreach to parents, encouraging them to be involved with their child's education.
3. Become a "Squeaky Wheel" in Sacramento. Put Campbell Union High School District on the map. Lead by example and have other districts looking to us for leadership.
4. Last but not least, never accept "No" or "It can't be done" as an answer. Strive to find a way to solve problems.

Answer from Joe Pandit:

I really would not know until I get on the District Board and have opportunity to review the budgets and various programs currently implemented by the District.

Answer from Matthew Dean:

In five years I want the district to do a far better job of preparing our students for both college and vocational careers. We should have partnerships, internships and work experience programs in place for our students so that they can get a feel for a variety of career options. Each student should emerge from their High School years not only with great memories and experiences, but having passed the High School Exit exam and be able and ready to either attend college or pursue a vocation.

The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.