1. In Laguna Beach we have newly...

1. In Laguna Beach we have newly renovated schools with great

teachers and staff located in neighborhoods of one of the most

beautiful places in the world.

We are fortunate to have residents who are committed to these

schools and the students. It is most important that we maintain that

community support as we plan projects and programs. We must include

all stakeholders early in planning, and develop consensus before

implementation of new projects. We must move our schools into the

21st century making sure that we are utilizing the technology that is

available today to maximize the learning experiences for our

children.

2. I am a concerned parent of two Thurston Middle School students.

I have been actively involved, volunteering to support their schools.

I come from a family with a rich tradition in education. My father

was a teacher, my grandfather was a teacher and principal, my great

grandmother was a teacher. I was a high school substitute teacher.

I chose to follow another dream and work as a pilot for a major

airline. I am committed to maintaining an open, accessible, fresh

approach in the stewardship of the schools of Laguna Beach.

3. Our schools have strong faculties and staff. The newly

remodeled buildings and tremendous parent and community support

provide a wonderful environment for learning. We have an opportunity

now to build upon this foundation, taking advantage of all of the

talents within the schools, and throughout our neighborhoods.

4. The MTV issue, the baseball field issue, the Thurston gymnasium

and lights issues should all have been handled differently.

Our school board neighbors should have reached out to the impacted

parties prior to approving anything. Notifying the parents of

Thurston and the high school about the MTV proposal could have put

this to rest early in the process. Notifying the neighbors of

potential view consideration prior to construction could have led to

better planning and well received projects.

Our community is for the schools, we must work closely with them,

early and often, to create the best school experiences for our

children.