Tracy Pellman

Name: Tracy Pellman

Age: No answer

Birthplace: Maryland

Residence: Huntington Beach

Occupation: governing board member,Ocean View School District; registered nurse

Education: bachelor’s degree in science, nursing, public health nurse

Experience as an educator: providing professional education programs to health-care professionals in hospice, home health, pediatrics, policy development

Previously elected or appointed positions: governing board member, Ocean View School District (1990-present); president, Board of Trustees; clerk, Board of Trustees;

Community organizations you belong to: In the past/present I have belonged to and held elected/appointed positions to the following philanthropic/school/community organizations: National Charity League, Pacific Coast Chapter- president; PTA, president, GATE DAC, chairwoman; HB Art Center - board member; American Heart Assn., OC - Steering Committee; American Lung Assn., OC - chairwoman, Free to Breathe Kite Festival; Orangewood Children’s Home, volunteer; HHRWF; Someone Cares Soup Kitchen, volunteer; Camp Nurse (children’s camp); American Academy of Pediatrics, Chapter 4, Violence Prevention - member; California School Board Assn. member

Why should constituents vote for you? I have had 20 years of experience with good and bad economic times, working with a variety of administrations, certificated and classified employees, different educational and political philosophies of the time periods, and still been able to help make our school district one of the best in the county as evidenced by the large number of schools that have received state/national awards and recognitions.

What do you think is the biggest problem facing your district and how do you plan to address it?

Districts were informed this summer that despite past large budget cuts, more will be forth coming this year due to the state fiscal situation. Ocean View’s biggest problem for next year is to be able to continue to maintain a balanced budget and continue to provide the necessary services to educate our children and keep them safe.

In the last year, what is one issue that you think the sitting board members handled well and why?

We balanced the budget while maintaining high academic standards, focusing on the classroom (maintained kindergarten through third-grade class size reduction), successfully negotiating union contracts, and involving parents and community members throughout the budget reduction process.

In the last year, what is one issue that the board got wrong and what would you have done differently?

This is a good question that required me to review all of last year’s board decisions. After careful review, I honestly cannot find one board decision that I regret. I am proud that despite the fact that not all decisions were unanimous, a majority was able to always come up with the correct decision.