POSITION PAPER

By Michael Watkins

Michael Watkins knows quality education benefits all: students, families and the community. He will assist districts in developing rich and engaging curriculum with increased emphasis on math, science, and technology. He is a strong advocate of preparing students to meet the needs of the business community and future workforce. He believes in promoting learning experiences that address the whole student - intellectual, emotional, physical, and creative. He has always supported education in the visual and performing arts, and has emphasized integration of literacy in all subjects. He will continue to seek opportunities for students and schools to develop forums for creative endeavors. A strong advocate of PRESCHOOL for ALL, Michael Watkins believes that quality education includes a focus on closing the achievement gap and bringing equity in opportunity for all students.

He will work tirelessly to bring together the community, parents, families, businesses, civic groups, local schools, colleges and universities to form a strong network of support for our county's multi-cultural student population. Throughout his career, he has brought together private and public agencies that have created nationally recognized programs for our county's youth.

Michael Watkins understands the obligation of public education to spend taxpayers' dollars wisely. He has balanced his educational budget and has operated his programs with thoughtfulness and efficiency. He has obtained millions of dollars in grants that have increased essential services for homeless youth, gang violence reduction, fitness education, student health and more.

He endorses open communication among school districts and the County Office of Education to ensure that the unique needs of our school districts are met. He will expand County Office services to local districts, assist them in collaborative efforts, encourage sharing of resources, and disseminate best practices and research.

One of Michael's goals is to help all of our County's teachers become better prepared. He believes Santa Cruz County needs to increase the number of effective educators of English language learners. He recognizes the need to eliminate redundancy in professional development and will work with districts and professional organizations to provide state of the art professional training.

Michael has worked closely with teachers and support personnel and their professional organizations. He recognizes the financial challenges of living in Santa Cruz County and will support assistance with housing for educators. Michael values his employees and has received the highest employee satisfaction ratings of any department in the Santa Cruz County Office of Education. He will work towards recognition of teachers, honoring their professionalism and contributions.

Michael Watkins will continue to work aggressively to support local school district needs. He brings a mixture of mission, vision, passion and a focus on improving education in Santa Cruz County.