I really enjoy reading about Moorpark's academic decathlon team. What do you attribute their success to in the many competitions they have entered?

I am glad to see a new faced wanting to become involved with our school board. Can you explain what you mean by your "communication" goal? And how would that effect youth sports?

I am glad to see a new faced wanting to become involved with our school board. Can you explain what you mean by your "communication" goal? And how would that effect youth sports?

Brian asked some excellent questions - I look foward to reading your answers.

Lots of questions to answer. I will answer Brian's first.

1. The school board election is a non-partisan race; therefore, I will not seek the support of a political party for my campaign. However, I will ask colleagues and friends that know me personally, from both parties, for their support.

2. Thanks for such an interesting question. Working in education for over 22 years, I know that firing a poor performing employee who has tenure is extremely difficult. But who is to say that the teacher is “poor�? Is it solely determined by low test scores of the students? Is it if the employee has attendance and/or health problems? Is a poor employee one who “stirs the pot� and is unpopular by colleagues or administrators? The district contract ensures that a teacher or any other credentialed employee is protected to prevent unfair treatment, which I think is reasonable. However, if all steps have been taken to help the employee improve, and it is clear that the employee is just not effective in the position, then I think termination is a reasonable option.

3. I have not had the opportunity to attend a Moorpark School Board meeting, but plan to attend the August 19th meeting. I have, however, attended 3 or 4 School Board Meetings in Los Angeles Unified School District (which is an experience in itself) and have presented a program to the board as well.

4. Charter schools receive public money but have been freed from some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter. Charter schools are held accountable to their local school board, state education agency or other entity—to produce positive academic results and adhere to the charter contract. However, research shows that 11% of the over 4000 charter schools founded in the United States have closed for reasons including academic, financial, and management problems, and occasionally consolidation or district interference. Charter schools provide an alternative to public schools, however, I think that much thought and consideration must be made before we implement Charter schools in Moorpark.

5. The local politician I respect the most in our community is my husband, City Councilman, Mark Van Dam. He is a gifted 7th grade teacher, dedicated council member, involved father, and loving husband. What more could I ask for?

Thank you Scott for your academic decathlon question. I believe that their success can be attributed to the extremely hard working team members, the parent support and their amazing coach. It is clear that our school district has done a fine job in preparing these students to be the best in the nation.

CJ also asked about communication. It is important that the families and students are very aware of what is occurring in the school district. History shows that the city, school district and other entities in Moorpark run very well independently, but we should be collaborating together far more than we are now. Working alone is fine, but we can accomplish much more by working together.

Please continue to submit your questions. I look forward to answering all of them.

Thank you.

Ute

Do you have any thoughts on who the county should appoint as superintendent?

I see Katie has no problem with this husband-wife team...

I appreciate your straight-forward answers to the previous questions. However- You mentioned, which could been seen as a conflict, your husband's position on the city council. While I believe that he has done an outstanding job thus far, there will be some questions asked about the real or perceived conflict should you get elected. Can you explain your position/situation please?

Ute,

What are your thoughts about the High School at Moorpark College?

Does it cost Moorpark Unified money when students from Simi Valley enroll at the school? Are you familiar with their programs?

What are your feelings about introducting Creationalism into Science classes?

Since there is no such thing these days as a non-partisan office, how will you handle overtures from the various Political Parties? For instance, the local Republican Party will be tempted (if it has money) to do a Membership Communication for right-winger Natalie Panossian. This will be funded by Tobacco money. Are you prepared for this?

Can you expound on Charter Schools a little bit. We have a local charter school whose parent company, Charter Resource Servies, give campaign donations to the Stricklands, and various Strickland supporters that are elected officials. It this right?

You are welcome to send a candidate statement, pic, web link to KatieTeague@verizon.net and I will put it up on the www.PoliticalCentrists.com website.

Ute, Congratulations on deciding to run for public office. It's not for the faint of heart. A few questions:

1. You've never attended a Moorpark school board meeting, but feel compelled to run for the position now. Why?

2. You're a registered Democrat; your husband is a Republican. You said you would not seek support from your political party because this is a "non-partisan" race. As Katie pointed out above, that is wishful thinking these days. Certainly you know this already, being married to someone who is currently elected to a "non partisan" position. Would you refuse to be added to a slate card or member communication sent out by the Democratic Party?

3. You chose to highlight involvement in your church in your opening statement. What does your religion or religious activity have to do with your running for school board? What is your stand on prayer in public school, and creationism being taught in public school?

Ute:

Thanks for the response on the academic decathlon team. I think that is a great program and should be replicated in every district.

There has been a great deal of discussion lately on what is and isn't taught in school. Floating around the state legislature are a myriad of bills requesting specific language changes to the curriculum.

Do you think that educational curriculum should be defined or reshaped by whoever is the majority party in the legislature at the state level?

If not, who should define what an educated person needs to know and what they do not?

What is your view of mandatory volunteer work that students in some districts are required to do in order to graduate?

Thank you, thank you for all of the questions. Please keep them coming. I will answer them as they were submitted.

Conflicting Positions:

This question is regarding my husband’s position on the city council, and should I be elected to the school board, would or could this be a conflict? I researched this very question prior to submitting my name as a candidate. I contacted the Office of the Attorney General-California, the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) as well as the City Attorney of Moorpark.

While this scenario is rare, none of these government entities saw any direct conflict of interest. The main concern would be when personnel issues or closed session discussions take place. All of this is confidential and would not be discussed with anyone, including my husband.

My husband is one of the most ethical individuals I know, and I follow his lead. I agree that at face-value these two positions raise concerns, but I am very clear about what is and is not appropriate and legal to discuss with my husband, and with the general public for that matter. Excellent question.

Brian:

Brian asked about the High School at Moorpark College. This is a wonderful program. We have close friends and neighbors whose sons recently graduated from there. They have never been more pleased with their educational experiences.

While some have the perception that this program is for students who have problems, it is not. Not by far. This program offers students who do not fit into the traditional school setting the opportunity to learn in an environment that is more suited to their needs. This is an alternative to traditional high school and I fully support this program and the funding necessary to guarantee its success.

Katie:

I appreciate Katie taking time to read my responses and continuing to ask additional questions. While our country has had discussions on the creationism vs. evolution, both are thought-provoking and lead to intelligent discussions.

Our schools need to promote open and honest critical thinking skills in our children. I do not believe that the schools have a right to promote a specific stand or opinion based on the political correctness or special interest groups or what may be popular at the time. Creationism is a topic that is more the responsibility of the parents to discuss and promote as they see necessary.

Your political party question is a good one. While I do not know Ms. Panossian personally, my husband and I have many mutual friends, and they have all had good things to say about her. She has every right to promote whatever political party she supports. If during her campaign she raises money from the Republican Party, good for her. I am confident that she, if elected, would make good decisions for our schools and students, and not allow the “party line� to dictate decisions. Laura asked a similar question which I will answer below.

A school board member, regardless of political affiliation, should be making decisions based on fact, priority, reasonableness and need. If elected, that is how I will decisions: keeping the students best interests as the number one priority.

Charter schools are very good options- if needed. Many schools that opt to go this route have had concerns with how their school’s money is being spent and the quality of education that is happening within a specific school. I do not see this as a need in Moorpark at this time. Our schools are united, our test scores are excellent, and students are motivated and happy, and our teachers, administrators and school board members are very hard-working.

Special interest groups are everywhere. Although I know both Tony and Audra personally, I do not work for them or their campaigns. They will determine who they will accept donations from. Every person or company who donates to a campaign has some sort of interest in that person or proposed measure. I guess the real question is trying to figure out what a contributor’s agenda is and if it is compatible with the beliefs, morals and values of the recipient. Keep those questions coming Katie. I appreciate them.

Laura:

Good question as to attending board meetings. I have not attended due to scheduling. My family comes first. Since my family is very active in the various music programs, church activities, sports, etc. our schedule is very full. And if it is not full on a particular evening, family time together then takes precedence.

Why now? First of all, my schedule has changed to a point where I can get involved in additional groups, and the school board is one that I would like to become more involved with. I have 2 sons at the high school starting this year, and I want to be more involved (than I already am) in their final 4 years and feel as though I can contribute to the school district in a beneficial manner.

Partisan politics. Can’t dodge that topic for long in a big election year. It is true, I am a registered Democrat. And yes, my husband is a registered Republican. And yes I voted for Audra Strickland. And yes I voted for Peter Foy. And yes I voted for Elton Gallegly. And yes I voted for Al Gore. And I will not vote for tax increases. I vote for the person or issue, not the party. My views are not dictated by what a certain party is promoting. My decisions are based on what is fair and reasonable.

I will not engage in any of the partisan politics for my goal of being elected to the school board. Everyone has their views, and I respect that. I do not force my own views on others, but if you ask me, I’ll tell you what I think.

I mentioned my involvement in our church because it is one of the many areas that I serve our community. I also listed youth sports, the schools and Kiwanis. All are organizations that I feel are very important and I enjoy helping with. I know what I believe, but I do not force my beliefs on others. A school board member should have a well-rounded background that allows them to see issues through a variety of positions and angles.

Prayer in schools is a personal issue. Each student decides for themselves if prayer is something they want to participate in. Many districts have “a moment of silence� when honoring an event or individual as a sign of respect and remembrance. While this is not a time of prayer specifically, I am sure many students use this time to pray. If students don’t want to pray, then they should never feel obligated to do so. If students want to pray, then they should feel comfortable enough to do so without fear of retaliation.

There are a variety of student clubs and organizations in most schools that allow students to choose a group that they feel comfortable with to share their feelings and interests. Tough questions Laura- thank you.

Scott:

Sorry to keep you waiting, but here you go. Curriculum should not, ever, be dictated by a specific group, organization, or political party. That’s ridiculous. It should be promoted by a diverse group of individuals, who have different views and opinions, and then in the end, ideally, curriculum is agreed upon that is both beneficial, appropriate and educational to students. There are always two sides to every story and point of view, if not more. One is not always right and one is not always wrong.

Who defines what is important and what is not in school? It is the person reading or researching a specific topic or subject. They make the ultimate decision. Our parents gave us thousands of rules over the years, and in the end, we decided what we were going to follow. But it is important that students have a well-rounded knowledge base when making decisions. When my own children ask me questions, I have biases, of course.

However, I give them both sides of the story or situation, and they are allowed to ask more questions and to form their own opinions. All students need to be able to think critically.

I believe that the volunteer work is crucial. Moorpark has implemented a policy of 40 hours of community service hours in order for students to graduate. My 15 year old son and has already accrued hundreds of community service hours by performing music at charity functions, helping at events through the parks and recreation department, and serving the homeless in LA missions.

I see what a valuable learning experience he receives when serving others, and believe all students should have this experience. I would increase the hours if it was up to me. Students need to know and understand what service is all about. Performing these hours may, at times, be inconvenient and time-consuming, but it forces students to do something for others and hopefully gain a new perspective on what making a positive difference means.

WOW. That took some time. Time well spent. I will continue to answer your questions, comments and concerns. Thank you again.

Ute

Laura,

I think you should refine that question about prayer in public schools in the future.

Prayer isn't banned in public schools. Students are allowed to pray, carry a Bible, and form religious groups at school.

The restriction is on teachers leading prayers because they are government employees.

I know you already know all of that but I have discussed this with people that aren't aware of the basic rules on this important issue.

When someone talks about prayer in school they are either talking about time being set aside to pray or about teachers leading students in prayer.

Brian and Laura:

I can attest to there being prayer in school. It was called Scott before a Chemistry exam. Who says there isn't any religion in science class. :)

Ute:

I appreciate your comments. You appear to really have a good balance on the issues that brings people together. I wish you the best of luck in your campaign.

On a personal note, I've heard that Moorpark's mandated volunteer requirement excludes many forms of community service and even selects certain programs for students to participate in versus others.

Disclosure - This is what I've been heard and doesn't mean I know the facts.

Can you speak to this at all?

Correction:

Disclosure - This is what I've heard and doesn't mean I know the facts.

Ute, thanks for taking the time for answering my (and many others) questions and being forthright in your responses. Good luck in your race.

Brian, thanks for the tip, but honestly, you must know by now that I am very deliberate with language and the way I pose questions to candidates, for very good reasons. What they say, and don't say, in response tells me what I need to know. In fact, people will often tell you more than you asked. Bonus time.

Please go to my new website at www.vandamforschoolboard.com for more information.
Thanks,
Ute

Ute Van Dam's work in education and psychology provides her a unique insight into the minds of students. The minds of the students should be the core focus of any school board.

School violence is a concern with any school. Every school board should be so fortunate to have a psychologist with an emphasis on education sitting on the board. The job of a safe school ultimately falls with the students. The one thing the parents can do is elect Ute Van Dam for Moorpark School Board. Voting for Ute Van Dam for Moorpark School Board is how Moorpark shows it cares about the students and the community.

Thank you for your comments Nobodyopolous.

School safety is very important. I would like to see an increased roll of law enforcement in our middle schools. The high school has a resource officer, but the middle schools do not.

We should be able to find a way to work with our police department and the city to accomplish this goal of having a middle school resource officer.

Thank you.

Ute

I read your response in the Moorpark Acorn this week and was a bit saddened that you would want to "give away" a perfect piece of land that a school could use in the future. Land is hard to find and you want to give it back to the developer? How does that make sense?

I read your response in the Moorpark Acorn this week and was a bit saddened that you would want to "give away" a perfect piece of land that a school could use in the future. Land is hard to find and you want to give it back to the developer? How does that make sense?

It's been a while since the last question was posted. Thank you J.Z. for contacting me.

You are very correct: land is hard to find, especially one suitable for a school site. However, this land has quite a few concerns attached to it. One of the most glaring issues include a declining enrollment that is not anticipated to change until at least 2012, or later.

Funding for the building of a school is also not guaranteed. The district is doing the best with what they have, and they don't have funds for a new school site, nor does the state. A portion of the Measure R bond in 2002 was originally earmarked for the Pardee location, but enrollment and construction costs had to be addressed, and building a new school did not make any sense.

The Citizens Bond Oversight Committee as well as the district saw that immediately and made appropriate changes to their plans.

The Measure S bond extension, which will be voted on in November, does not have funds allotted to build a school either. However, Measure S is badly needed, especially for our high school. I fully support Measure S!

The school district and Pardee have an agreement to purchase the land, and our Superintendent of schools has made that clear in several letters published in the local paper and sent to the residents of the Moorpark Highlands.

The other issue is the residents who are paying for a site that may not have a school built on it for many years. Is it fair to have these select homeowners pay for this site? I don’t think so, based on enrollment and funding projections.

I believe that the school district, Pardee, the city, and any other parties to this deal, need to re-evaluate their positions and find an alternative that will make sense. We can’t control the economy, but we can control the decisions and actions we take.

I am very confident that when a site is needed, the district, the city, and whatever developer is building in Moorpark, will find a suitable and beneficial location for a new school.

Please continue with the questions.

Ute

Hello Mrs. Van Dam. I have met your husband several times and appreciate all he has done on the city council. I have viewed your website and it is very informative.
One of the poiints that you have made was increasing the commuication and cooperation with the city and community. You husband used this goal when he ran in 2006. If he can't make a difference, why do you think you can?
Thank you.
(I am also pleased to see that at least one candidate has put some time and effort into this election.)

Thank you for your question Sue. I appreciate the positive comments about my husband and will pass them on.

Communication is the key in any relationship, regardless of the position(s) they hold. It has been very clear that the relationship between the school district and the city has been a bit strained over the past years for a variety of reasons. However, I disagree that no progress has been made.

There is ongoing conversation between the city and the school district. They have also collaborated on a variety of matters with very positive results.

Realizing that they, at times, have different views and goals on certain issues, they still are communicating and making progress. However, there is still a need for a closer relationship between the two parties.

Moorpark is not so large that the district and the city cannot work hand-in-hand in most of what they do and strive to accomplish. Both have the best interests of the community at the forefront of their decisions.

Changing attitudes and ways of thinking can take time. If you read Mark's letter to the Moorpark Acorn a month ago, he made it very clear that there should be a significant effort to take the next step in cooperation from both groups of employees and elected officials and that excuses were not acceptable.

The past is the past and we need to move on. It is perfectly acceptable to disagree, but no one should be taking it personal. There will always be issues and differing opinions, but communication and cooperation can benefit everyone involved.

I hope that answered you question Sue. I look forward to more questions and comments.

Ute

Please refer to my website for more information.

www.vandamforschoolboard.com

It appears as though the other candidates for the school board are working together. Barker, Thomas and Langkush seem to have some connection with all of their signs being placed next to each other. What is your take on this? It can't be good.

Interesting question that you have posed. It would seem to be somewhat unethical for the current board to "choose" a fellow board member, but they have done that in the past with the appointment process. That is why we have elections.

Lou is wonderful. She would do a great job on the school board, but if 3/5's of the board are already working together, how would or where would impartial views and independent thinking come in?

I have seen their 3 signs together- like a team. I don't think that tactic will work since the voters in Moorpark are smarter than that.

I guess we'll see on Nov. 5th...

Thanks for the question.

Ute

www.vandamforschoolboard.com

Hi Ute-
WOW!!! I'm impressed. I have been trying to speak with you;however, I couldn't find anyone with your phone number--
I remebered that your husband had run for office in Moorpark, and while looking for some way to contact you, I came across your School Board election. Congratulations! Julie Greene is retiring and we would love to invite you and Liliana. This is the closest I have come to being able to communicate with either one of you. Please call me: 818-880-1441 or email me. The party is on Saturday, July 17. Contact me and I'll give you all of the info. Please help me locate Liliana so that I can invite her also. I hope you can both attend.
Hugs and Kisses,
Ivy