Candidate Q&A: Maintaining SPUSD's Academic Success

and incumbents and are running for the two school board seats up in South Pasadena's November elections. (Click on each name to learn more about the candidate.)

We asked each candidate: has a history of academic success. How would you help maintain this?

We all enjoy living in a city with a long history of educational excellence, but we cannot afford to sit back and rely on our good name as we face greater fiscal threats to our educational traditions. I will help sustain and pursue greater success by proposing that we make greater use of technologies, move our schools away from inefficiencies, and pursue continuous improvements and measurable results in everything we do.

In addition, we must pursue additional sources of funding locally and at the state level to make sure we have sufficient funding to sustain our schools over time. In terms of academic priorities, I believe we must place greater focus on the following five areas in order to maintain our history of academic success:

1. Continue and expand the tradition of the Arts in elementary, middle school and high school;
2. Conduct more math preparation at the elementary schools so we can expand the pool of South Pasadena students in higher levels of math in the middle school and high schools;
3. Coordinate resources, align priorities, and improve the tracking of our students between the schools from Kindergarten through 12th grade;
4. Improve our retention of students that leave the district to private schools after elementary school; and
5. Improve the way we evaluate the Math and Reading readiness of student entering our schools at the middle and high school levels from our lower grades and other districts.

As a trustee on the board of education, I provide experience, stability and good judgment. Guiding the school district is providing a good governance model, evaluating relevant education policies, continue to implement focused goals within the strategic plan we developed, and working well with the superintendent, staff, teachers and the community. It’s the interrelationship that builds the educational infrastructure we need to provide a strong learning environment and a safe place to learn.

We went through an exhaustive process to develop our strategic plan, and we have continued to renew our plan and make prioritized goals. Our goals are measurable and are integrated into administrative evaluations and school site plans. 

Using this process will help us to continually improve our academic success. Ensuring that the School Board practices according to a proper governance model, and and appropriate working relationship with our superintendent is an important part of our success, and something I have worked hard on during my time on the Board. 

We have an open organization that has shared goals and well defined responsibilities at all levels. This has to be maintained.  And supplementing inadequate state funding with local revenue is important. 

The community's generous support through the Parcel Tax has benefited our students greatly.  Developing the District Office parking lot consistent with the City's plans for Mission Street can be another component to help our schools.