New president, same goals for district

Suzie Harrison

At the Laguna Beach Unified School District’s school board meeting

Dec. 9, the presidential gavel was passed from Kathryn Turner to El

Hathaway. Jan Vickers is now clerk, while Turner, Robert Whalen and

Betsy Jenkins remain on the board.

Members said they are a cohesive board and they share common goals

to enhance learning for Laguna children.

JAN VICKERS

Vickers said that the board’s goals are regularly examined to make

sure everything is on par.

“It’s a nice thing to have a cooperative spirit,” Vickers said.

“We don’t always agree but we have a good balance and respect each

other’s opinions.”

She talked about the five main goals the board is working toward

-- which include continuing to maximize the construction and

modernization of the schools according to timelines and budget;

developing a comprehensive budget plan for 2003 to 2008; achieving

tangible progress with the components identified in the district’s

“Quest for Excellence” program; initiating a process for team

agreement on the descriptors of excellence for elementary, middle

school and high school students; creating and implementing strategies

for supporting students.

“They’re lofty goals but the district’s mission is to maximize

each student’s potential to learn and make a tangible and positive

contribution to our world,” Vickers said.

EL HATHAWAY

Hathaway said that it is a pleasure to serve on the board with the

other four.

“They’re exceptional professionals, each has a strong suit and

brings a different perspective,” Hathaway said. “I can’t remember

when a vote wasn’t unanimous. It’s healthy for our kids in town.”

He said that the district is blessed with a wonderful

superintendent, two assistant superintendents and excellent

principals. Hathaway feels the whole team works well together,

working for the best interest of the children.

He believes the board shares the same ideals and was happy

specifically with construction at the schools being on time and

within the budget, if not slightly under.

He said the district is working on a five-year budget and that a

major problem is that health care costs for the district’s employees,

which went up 10% the previous year, has gone up 30% this year.

“We’re working very positively with the employees on ways to

contain health care costs,” Hathaway said. “We’re working with both

unions but can’t continue to absorb the 30% increase.”

A common thread among the boards was that they wanted to focus on

individualized attention to students reaching their goals.

“We support students in any way we can through mentoring with

individual educational programs and looking at their needs -- helping

so they’re really doing well and always improving,” Hathaway said.

ROBERT WHALEN

“The board is terrific, I enjoy working with all the members who

are devoted to making the district a better place,” Whalen said. “I

couldn’t be happier.”

He said he has been discussing some of his goals with Supt.

Theresa Daem since the school year began.

“My goals are to increase the percentage of Laguna Beach graduates

who attend a four year college,” Whalen said. “Right now I think it’s

slightly less than 50%.

“I would like to see us teaching foreign languages in the

elementary schools,” Whalen said. “It’s a struggle because there’s so

much that the state hands down as the prescribed curriculum.”

BETSY JENKINS

Jenkins is the newest member of the board elected in 2002.

“I’m really enjoying learning so much,” Jenkins said. “I feel like

our schools are really soaring, and that our work [as a board] has

value.”

She appreciates all the time and effort the board puts into

reaching goals to help students be their best.

“I have great respect for the other board members and enjoy

working with them,” Jenkins said.

She said some of the goals are to work on getting class sizes

down, which was one of her campaign goals.

“I feel we’re really doing a lot to get more of the extra things

like music and art back in the classroom,” Jenkins said.

KATHRYN TURNER

Turner is hoping that by the end of this school year most of the

major construction will be over, and by fall all the schools will

have new facilities.

She praised all four schools and said that their goals for “Quest

for Excellence” are on track.

“We’re moving forward, which is allowing us to focus on the fact

that we can make a difference,” Turner said. “We have the data to

back it up.”

Turner herself was selected to receive the “Orange County

Education Award” on Jan. 8 for her outstanding contribution to

education.