Candidate for
Board Member; Huntington Beach City School District

When I was first elected to the HBCSD Board of Trustees in 2006, it was becoming obvious that we were headed into a fiscally challenging period. Who could have imagined then the budgetary devastation that would eliminate programs and positions in nearly all of California's school districts beginning in 2008? Our state is slowly pulling out of its recession with the result that school funding, while far from good (we still rank at the very bottom nationally for per-pupil spending), is getting better and we are able to take a breath and fully focus on curriculum once again.

Now more than ever - with the ushering in of Common Core State Standards - is the time to keep strong and proven leadership in place in order to maintain our quality schools, keep focused on student achievement, and continue to provide excellence in education. Huntington Beach City School District has strong and proven leadership in its current Governing Board and Administration Team. Ours is a fiscally conservative district that as a result, suffered to a lesser degree than many other districts during the recession. We continue to attract the most qualified teachers who are looking forward with energy, excitement, and expertise to this new dawn of education. It is in our community's best interest to vote for the leaders who are making it work.