Lesli,

What motivated you to run? How do you think you will improve upon the job the current board of education is doing?

Lesli,

Is there something specific you think the current board won't make a priority unless you are elected you would like to share?

Most of the Las Virgenes schools began the academic year today. We had a greater enrollment than was anticipated. Openings were exciting and smooth as our elementary students met their teachers for the first time and our new middle and high schoolers learned their ways from classroom to classroom.

My husband and I moved our family to Agoura Hills in 1996 to take advantage of the wonderful education in the Las Virgenes Unified School District. I got actively involved from my children's first day of elementary school. Over the past 12 years my passion for working in education has grown and expanded. I have served in many leadership capacities at all levels K - 12. This passion for educational excellence has driven me to serve on numerous executive boards and committees within the district. There is still more to do. I want to continue to be a leader and champion of education to keep our schools and commumities strong.

Our current board of education is made up of individuals with a wide range of backgrounds and abilities. The open seat will allow me to add an additional voice, one that has an intimate knowledge of K - 12 issues, as well as experience in school, PFC and district budgets. In this time of budget cuts we need to add someone to the board who can hit the ground running with a working knowledge of day to day operations. Trust and relationships are crucial at this time of financial uncertainty and I have a history of collaboration and commmunication with teachers, administators, parents, students and district leadership.

I know some schools have a PFC and some have a PTA.

What's the difference?

Your website mentioned you helped to start a lecture series for local schools. Was this mainly for family members or for students?

What type of topics have already been presented?

Our school board must continue to be visionary and forward-thinking. Advancing technology must be a priority for a 21st century education. I want to ensure that Measure G Facilities and Technology Bond money continues to be spent in a prudent and efficient manner. We must explore innovative ideas in terms of curriculum and funding and expand community and business partnerships.

I have served for 8 years as Parent Faculty Club President at elementary, middle and high school levels. The PFA/PFC organizations do not pay dues to the PTA and all monies raised stay at each school site for the sole benefit of our student body.

Lesli,

In all of your years volunteering and working with schools have you found it too tough to hold a teacher accountable?

Do you think school districts should review how effective individual teachers are by looking at data including test scores?

Enchancing communication has always been a priority for me. Over the years I have worked to increase the level of information provided to our parents. I helped launch a Parent Education Lecture Series at Agoura High School that included topics of immediate interest to our parents and students. Topics included: How to navigate through high school, college admissions, letting go and understanding the teenage brain.

Enchancing communication has always been a priority for me. Over the years I have worked to increase the level of information provided to our parents. I helped launch a Parent Education Lecture Series at Agoura High School that included topics of immediate interest to our parents and students. Topics included: How to navigate through high school, college admissions, letting go and understanding the teenage brain.

Besides keeping money at the local school site do you have any other issues with PTA's?

Would you accept money from unions that represent school employees? Do you think it is a conflict of interest to accept money from unions that represent school district employees?

Accountability is fundamental in every aspect of education. I have a history of asking tough and necessary questions. We need board members who are experienced and ask the right questions of the right people. Once again, communication is a key factor in accountability. The measure of a fine teacher is multi-faceted and complex. It needs to be both quantitative and qualitative and cannot rely on any single assessment.

The PTA organization offers many great resources for schools and our district just formed a Las Virgenes Arts PTA. Our site PFA/PFC system is highly effective and successful in our district.

Lesli,

With all due respect your answer to the question on holding teachers accountable didn't answer the question.

Do you think it is too hard to hold teachers accountable?

Should test scores be a component in evaluating teachers?

On a personal level I feel the position of school board member should stand apart from "lobbying." It can be perceived as a conflict of interest and therefore I would not accept money from unions that represent school employees.

When teachers are let go because of budget cuts are you fine using the current system that uses years of service as the most important determining factor or would you support changing the system to take into account teacher quality?

Once again, accountability is a vital aspect of education. Teachers, like all employees, need to be held accountable for their decisions and actions. There is a necessary, perhaps laborious, process in place to evaluate teacher conduct. This is a wonderful question and a dialogue I intend to pursue as a board member. While the procedures currently inplace can appear slow, they are designed with due process and fairness in mind. Test scores would be part of the quantitative measurement that I alluded to previously.

Letting go of young energetic teachers is a sad by-product of our current budget cuts. Once again, a system of both qualitative as well as quantitative (years served)assessments would be ideal in this situation. Realistically seniority plays a role in many aspects of life. I would, again, like to open a dialogue as to how teachers are evaluated on many levels.

Lesli,

I know the process is there to try to make it fair for teachers but many believe it has become too difficult too remove poor performing teachers.

Can I get a yes or no if you agree it has become too hard to remove poor performing teachers?

Go walk on any campus and the teachers, students, and parents know who the poorest performing teachers at their school.

Lesli,

I like your idea of moving away from the current system and using evaluations, instead of almost exclusively seniority, to choose which teachers to keep.

Thanks for coming on my blog and taking questions .

Keep us updated as your campaign continues.

Indeed, the process of evaluation of teachers and admninistrators needs to be addressed. Each school deserves the best and the brightest serving our children. It is a difficult process to remove a poor performing yet long standing teacher. The important element here is to revisit how we evaluate teachers. Once elected, I will continue to ask tough questions in order to maintain academic excellance.

Thank you, Brian, for the opportunity to share my thoughts on education with your readers.