Síndico, Area de Síndico 3 — San Dieguito Union High School District

1.      

a.     Safety /Well-Being

Safety and well-being is a basic need of life. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, if we are to help students and staff achieve their fullest potential and think creatively, humans must first feel safe and secure.  I believe it is important to obtain funding (through existing means, grants, and community partnerships) to ensure campus safety and the overall well-being for students. I understand a consulting firm is working on this issue, and appreciate their feedback; however, we must expeditiously move forward to ensure safety for all those on school grounds.

b.     Instructional Enrichment Opportunities for Teachers and Students

If we desire our teachers to be dedicated, committed and inspiring, we need to be dedicated, committed and inspired to give them the tools that they and our students need. Educators deserve to be given support and funding to innovate their classrooms, to be compensated to research, implement, and share creative teaching strategies that produce meaningful, engaging and interactive learning of California State Standards.  All of this directly benefits students. Again, I believe it is important to obtain funding (through existing means, grants, and community partnerships) to increase the opportunities to provide new and engaging strategies of learning.  I will support the development of additional courses, aligned with state standards, which are designed to ensure our students are ready to succeed as global citizens in today’s changing and technologically innovative world.

c.     Class Size Averages

Our classes size has gone froma maximum of  30 to an average of  38. I would work hard to decrease the current class sizes as low as possible so that students can get the individualized attention and resources they need. We will need to find ways to create additional district funding however I do believe this is possible if we work together with corporations and the community.

Every child deserves an optimal learning environment and I think that first we must ask ourselves why families seek charter schools to begin with. Is it more flexible class time? Smaller class sizes? Differentiated curriculum?  We need data on this. We have an above par district; perhaps we can offer creative educational opportunities within our existing schools to provide what charter school families seek.   I understand there are challenges to charter schools, one that they require district funds be funneled away from the general fund, which could lead to a budgetary deficit. I believe it is important to understand why families are interested in charter schools, and to encourage students from wanting to leave their traditional schools by meeting their needs. Through creating programs that are superior, dynamic and innovative, our stakeholders will have no desire or need to look elsewhere. With of the support of our educators we CAN and MUST provide a high quality and equal access education to all students regardless of their learning style, over achievement or lack of achievement. I enthusiastically believe this is possible if we continue to work hard and work together. Ultimately, we must support our students and be the ambassadors of our constituents.

Expelling students should definitely be a last resort, and compelling research from Duke University has indicated that suspension generally “is not only less effective than had been hoped, but potentially harmful not only to students receiving the suspension but to the broader school community.” Examples would depend on the actions of the individual, but some ideas include Restorative Justice, where a student offender is held accountable for their actions, and then required to face the victim in order to help restore what was lost. Peer juries and outside organizations are sometimes part of restorative justice efforts. Community service can offer kids a chance to gain skills and offer a more meaningful consequence to misconduct.  Substance abuse programs,and emotional support programsmay be more helpful than exclusionary or punitive discipline as the reason for the behavior is identified and the behavior modification is emphasized. Mentoring programs to monitor behavior accountability may also be helpful. Each child has a unique situation and the consequence for misconduct should be individually appropriate.