The path to a better district and more successful students

By Jay F. Chen

These were the goals that I set out when I ran for office four years ago. I am proud of making great progress in meeting these goals, and they remain as relevant today as ever.

• Market and improve the Academic Performance Index of our schools to attract more families and funding, while advocating greater local control of our schools.
• Bring representatives from top 2-year and 4-year universities to campuses early and often to ingrain students with college expectations and give recruiters familiarity with our district.
• Better inform students about little-known scholarships, fellowships, and other financial aid.

• Achievement cannot be defined by testing alone; engage students with expanded extracurriculars, unique summer learning opportunities, study abroad, and diverse internships.

• Build a strong alumni network of recent grads and young professionals who can give back with student mentorship, college admissions advice, career guidance, and fundraising.

• Invest in technology and construction that saves money long-term by reducing energy and maintenance costs; make our district the model for economic and environmental efficiency.

• Fight childhood obesity by making nutrition education available to all families; ensure only healthy foods are available on campus and incorporate more fruit and vegetable offerings.