(The candidates’ responses were not edited or corrected and are presented here exactly as received by The Mountain Enterprise)
Introductions:
Terry Brennan: Hello my name is Terry Brennan. I have lived in the hill communities for 18 years and have three girls, all of which have either gone through or are currently enrolled with this district. As a retired supervisor for the Los Angeles Times, I feel I have the skills to be an asset to the school board.
Ana Soares: I am Ana M. Soares, a local attorney, member of the Mountain Communities Town Council, and a parent with two children in the El Tejon School District who attend the middle school and high school.
Peter Kjenaas: Hello! I am the Mountain Shakespeare Festival’s Artistic Director while running a production company and non-profit family organization. I am a professional teacher, actor, director, producer and writer. I’ve taught in dozens of schools. Our nine-year-old twins are about to move to El Tejon and the word on the street is not good. As a manager with decades of experience and high-level connections in entertainment, education, politics and law enforcement I believe I can help.
John Fleming: My wife and I have six children. They attended Frazier Park, El Tejon, and FMHS. Our youngest currently attends FMHS. We have two grandchildren enrolled within the District. I have been with LAPD for 33 years. I worked homicide for ten years. My awards include LAPD’s Medal of Valor and Police Star. In 2008 I received The National Association of Police Organization’s Honorable Mention Award as California’s selection for the prestigious National Top Cop Award.
Paula Regan: I’m Paula Regan. My husband and I moved to Frazier Park in 1990, and we have three children ages 21, 17 and 11, who have all attended our local schools. As a board member for the past six years, we have done some great work and we still have many tasks to accomplish. I want to be a part of that process.
Kenneth Hurst: I am a 12 year resident of the Mountain and have been involved in the schools and community for all 12 years. I have served on the Board for the last 2 years. I work as a scientist and engineer at JPL in Pasadena. I am a mentor for the Robotics team. I am running for a second term because I think I can make a difference.
Bradford Oliver: A Degreed Engineer who grew up in the small Central Valley town of Lemoore, I was an Operations Executive in the Bay Area before moving to Frazier Park with my wife and two daughters. Working now as an Executive Recruiter and Engineering Consultant. I am running for office because of a servant’s heart developed as a Naval Officer for 7 years in the Submarine force and a strong desire to give back to the community.
Jennie Jenkins: My experience spans over twelve years and is based on relationships with over 1500+ students and their families. In addition to my primary role as a math teacher, I have served as: Math Chair, Curriculum Committee, School Site Council, Activities Director, and currently as a Mentor Teacher. Education has been a lifelong passion that has prepared me for the challenge of serving my community as an ETUSD Board of Trustee member.
Gary Sokolowski: I have resided in this community since 1991. My children who were enrolled in the school district were pulled out to be home school because of the inferior math program of the district and the lack of enthusiasm of the school board to improve it. Our home school program produced high achievements with two students graduating from Cal Berkeley with Honors. I was also a special education instructor for the Exceptional Children’s Foundation.
Question 1: As a trustee, what can you do to help improve the number of ETUSD students testing as proficient or above in academic performance?
Terry Brennan: To go above and beyond state and federal guidelines in order to achieve higher test scores for all students.
Ana Soares: Trustees do not have direct responsibility for teaching, but we can make raising test scores a priority, gather input from teachers and administrators on our students’ test weaknesses and request measures that can be implemented to improve test scores.
Peter Kjenaas: I am on Frazier Park School’s Site Council. I am gaining an understanding of these confusing statis-tics. There needs to be a deeper analysis of the causes of failure and, more importantly, success in the achieving of these standards. I submitted a proposal for a comprehensive tutorial program which would create satellite Tutoring Centers run by volunteers.
John Fleming: We need a uniform teaching method within ETUSD. We need to establish bench mark tests to identify when students are not achieving as expected. When this occurs, we will need to determine if the problem is student or teacher related. Students can be assigned to receive additional instructional assistance. When the system fails, we need to hold the administrators accountable.
Paula Regan: The Board must collaborate with the staff and the community to make a commitment to quality teachers and teacher training, outstanding student attendance, increased parental involvement, along with high expectations for all students.
Kenneth Hurst: An effective way is to ask questions and initiate conversations with teachers and staff in the district. Everyone wants better test scores. We need workable ideas for improvement. Getting for example the high and middle school math teachers talking with each other, or participating with the school site councils can yield results. Comparing to other schools can generate ideas.
Bradford Oliver: First work closely with the Trustees and Superintendant to research best practices at schools that have improved performance. Secondly, charter a committee of community volunteers to support the Superintendant to objectively evaluate existing programs for success or failure and to evaluate potential intervention programs that may identify early problems that can be addressed through mentor programs and teacher support.
Jennie Jenkins: We need everyone focused. Data is the key. Each grade level/subject should report on their analysis. Their reflections should include strengths, with current practices that work. Secondly identify areas of weakness. Goals should be established that are clear and measurable. Data pro-ven strategies should be implemented immediately. The board should be updated regularly. We need everyone focused to the task.
Gary Sokolowski: I have proposed to implement chess in the curriculum. I have volunteered to help implement this pro-gram as part of the curriculum and not as an after school program where many students would be denied this opportunity.
New York City has implemented chess in their curriculum and it has raised their math and reading scores.
Chess contributes to academic performance.
Question 2: What solutions do you have for ETUSD’s budget difficulties during this statewide crisis in funding for education?
Terry Brennan: It is difficult to answer this question when not only the state but the current national financial crisis may impact us in ways that we are not even aware of yet. But we must be open to all options such as transportation, utilities or any other area that we can become more efficient.
Ana Soares: It is difficult for all schools to make cuts, but we should have a list of discretionary expenditures, which can be reviewed and prioritized for cuts by the Board.
Peter Kjenaas: Give opinion leaders in Washington, Sacramento and Kern County a reason to be our champion. This comes about when the private sector rewards our students’ excellence. We forge alliances regionally to create programs that do not depend on State Funding. Grant writing, sure, but we make real alliances with entities that provide job opportunities, vocational advancement and higher education.
John Fleming: The solutions are not new, just difficult. We need a “FICMAT” team or efficiency experts to come in and review our District to reduce budget costs wherever possible. We should also consider an energy expert for advice on reducing building operating costs. We are a small District and even the smallest cuts are essential in reducing the overall budge.
Paula Regan: The Board and the administration must continue to explore all possible funding sources, including federal, state, local and private. We have received a variety of grants, and we have made serious cuts throughout the District, which may need to be maintained while we prioritize how we spend our funds.
Kenneth Hurst: One way to reduce expenses is to go to a 4 day week. This would reduce district transportation costs by 20%. Other schools have done it. I have asked for a committee to look into it. I am investigating installing a wind turbine to generate electricity at the High School. Grants and corporate partners can increase resources.
Bradford Oliver: First work with the Superintendant and District Supervisors to adjust the area zoning to bring in more students. The addition of even a small number of students given the enacted budget per-pupil spending $12,152 can mean the addition of another teacher. Secondly, support financial reviews, aggressively pursue grants or corporate advertising money and encourage community volunteers.
Jennie Jenkins: A clear objective criteria needs to be established first. After priorities have been declared, then funding should be appropriated accordingly. In order to continue to fund worthy projects, grants small and large should be pursued regularly. We should also look to our community for volunteers to help support our classrooms and programs.
Gary Sokolowski: Change does not mean it would be costly. Establishing on line classes similar to those used by home schoolers could be a start. This could benefit the students by providing them with opportunities to take classes that were not available before in this district. The programs used by home schoolers could be also used as a self help tutoring programs.
Question 3: Pine Mountain Learning Center, a charter school with 85 students, showed very strong scores on state proficiency testing. Are there elements of that program that would be useful in the other schools? Why?
Terry Brennan: We need to look at the success of the Pine Mountain Learning Center and look to the possibility of applying those processes to the rest of the school district.
Ana Soares: Pine Mountain Learning Center has high parent involvement. There are also frequent fundraisers. Parents could be encouraged through programs to become more involved in the other El Tejon schools.
Peter Kjenaas: We should find a way to duplicate their parental involvement policy through the district. We should duplicate how they support the arts and learn from their overall successes.
John Fleming: Elements of the Pine Mountain Learning Center’s program could benefit the other schools. But there are charter conditions that can not be applied to the other schools within the District.
Paula Regan: Yes – mandatory parent participation, capping class sizes, thematic teaching, and hiring non-credentialed teachers for enrichment classes are all important ideas.
Kenneth Hurst: I think the biggest single factor in the success at PMLC is parental involvement. Parents are more involved at PMLC.
Bradford Oliver: Parent and community involvement. I realize and understand the demands of working parents, and our schools need parents to participate in the school activities from fundraising to classroom activities.
Jennie Jenkins: Pine Mountain Learning Center’s greatest strength is their families. Parents and students take an active role in the learning process. Their school’s success is clearly a team effort.
Gary Sokolowski: Success is due to small class sizes and parental involvement. The Green Dot charter schools in LA county have also been highly successful due to these key factors.
Question 4: What is the most positive accomplishment of the ETUSD board over the past two years?
Terry Brennan: They have showed diversity and willingness to work with tight budgets especially when the state has cut money from the schools.
Ana Soares: Selecting Shelly Mason as superintendent was a positive. The school board recognized the need for a superintendent with longstanding experience in the district, and of high moral and professional character.
Peter Kjenaas: I don’t have enough data to answer this question. I have not seen, so far, a system of clearly determining what worked and didn’t and this is vital.
John Fleming: The successes of the past two years include the implementation of the School Attendance Review Board “SARB” at FMHS and the Emergency Plan developed and being implemented by Mr. Newman.
Paula Regan: Continuing to present a balanced budget in the most challenging financial times, while understanding the difficulties and respecting the burden this brings to the district.
Kenneth Hurst: The most positive accomplishment was hiring the Superintendent Shelly Mason. This is the only employee that the board hires. The board has been increasing the accountability throughout the district.
Bradford Oliver: Prudent financial management. The Trustees have been challenged with rising cost such as energy and reduced budgets. I understand the difficult decisions needed to manage and balance the budget.
Jennie Jenkins: They have made noticeable efforts to be transparent in their decisions. Additionally they have strived to be as above-board as possible in all their decisions and actions.
Gary Sokolowski: The only positive accomplishment of the this board has been their willingness to sit on the board.
Question 5: What has been the most problematic shortcoming of the board over the past two years?
Terry Brennan: The resistance to the local press on some serious matters and not allowing enough public input and/or criticism.
Ana Soares: As there was an error in the selection of a science teacher who lacked appropriate credentials, I believe the Board should review staff selection procedures and guidelines.
Peter Kjenaas: I don’t have enough data and I could only speculate which would not be productive. The biggest shortcomings, frankly, may not be apparent to someone not on the Board.
John Fleming: The Board has failed to address the negative publicity of the District within the community, failed in Adequate Yearly Progress scores at El Tejon while the District drop-out rate increases.
Paula Regan: I believe the board’s greatest challenge is the lack of resources necessary to properly address the needs of the district.
Kenneth Hurst: El Tejon and Frazier Park schools did not have a principal most of last year. Several people helped fill in. We hope it will be better this year.
Bradford Oliver: Hiring practices. The ETUSD must adjust their hiring processes and procedures to ensure quality talent and retention of quality educators. As an Executive Recruiter I understand this importance.
Jennie Jenkins: RESULTS. Board members need to motivate, support, and monitor progress towards achieving state test goals. They also need to greatly increase their level of communication with the community.
Gary Sokolowski: Their lack of progress to develop a program to improve the test scores of the district which has had over decade long history of dismal math scores.
Question 6: Is there a drug and alcohol problem at the middle school and the high school? If so, how can the problem be reduced or eliminated?
Terry Brennan: My first response would be the education of the harmful use of drugs and alcohol. However, should a situation arise strong disciplinary action should be taken up to expulsion.
Ana Soares: There are drug and alcohol problems in all schools. Our district does have drug and alcohol education programs for our students. Additional counseling would be advisable.
Peter Kjenaas: There is. Students and educators need to understand the consequences of drugs both legal and prescribed. There are ways to impart this data that have a high statistical success rate.
John Fleming: Having worked juvenile narcotics, I know a drug problems exist. The problems can be reduced through, intervention, counseling, parenting programs and working with outside entities. We need good youth programs.
Paula Regan: Drugs and alcohol are problems of society that definitely affect school children. We must educate students about the dangers of substance abuse, and create local resources to address these issues.
Kenneth Hurst: We have a smaller drug problem than many schools in the region. We are moving aggressively within the school and coordinating with community efforts to counter drug influences.
Bradford Oliver: Yes. The Trustees must hold the ETUSD accountable to utilize all resources to promote a zero tolerance for drugs. Drug usage may disqualify applicants from jobs like some civil Service.
Jennie Jenkins: Drugs and alcohol plague any communities. We should be proactive in providing and supporting anti-drug education, character building, self-esteem programs, in addition to supporting positive healthy activities for our kids.
Gary Sokolowski: No. LIFE INTERRUPTED a program sponsored by the Bakersfield Police and Kern County DA along with parental involvement has been recommended by law enforcement to combat drug and alcohol abuse.
Question 7: Research by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation shows our high school is an ideal size for quality learning. How do we recruit and retain teachers who can inspire and mentor our students to high quality work?
Terry Brennan: We have the ability of offering a beautiful mountain community to live in, but more importantly, we have the potential of a large increase of students, should housing developments actually be built. This would create challenges and growth not to mention more school taxes for future development of the district.
Ana Soares: In terms of population, we have a small high school, which has been found to be better for students. We can in recruitment emphasize this fact and highlight the advantage of living in the small towns which form our school community.
Peter Kjenaas: Our High school is a manageable size and I see both positives and negatives when I visit as a guest instructor. We need to reward educators who are getting the best results, support their methods and, at the same time, help those who are not doing as well. This creates the environment where inspiration can happen.
John Fleming: We can recruit quality teachers by selling the advantages of our community and enhancing the public image of the school district. To retain our quality teachers, we need to treat them as the valuable commodities they are. Whenever possible we need to reward the best teachers through an incentive program.
Paula Regan: Develop a marketing plan for the district and the community that invites and encourages highly qualified staff to become active participants in this unique community.
Kenneth Hurst: The district is forming a committee of teachers to address this. I think we have significant selling points: modest size means a teacher can have a larger effect on the school, relatively minor drug problems, no significant gang problem, rural environment, proximity to Southern California cultural sites, teamwork.
Bradford Oliver: The challenge is, young educators want a close proximity to city social activities and more seasoned educators are at times held in place due to seniority. The Union, Administration, Trustees and A Community must work together to draw the talent and leverage, “mountain based” subject matter experts.
Jennie Jenkins: For many families, teaching provides the sole or primary source of income. With high cost of living in the state of California, salary and benefits are the root of concern for most. Teachers have undergone years of specific education and credentialing requirements. They should be treated and paid as professionals.
Gary Sokolowski: We need to start teacher’s salary in accord to their qualifications. We need clearly defined standards in place to reward teachers with a performance base compensation. We also need a teacher mentoring program to assure all teachers are on the same page in teaching the district’s curriculum.
Question 8: In the past two years The Mountain Enterprise has reported about both a superintendent and a teacher who had severely troubled histories in prior districts before being hired here. As a trustee, what will you do to ensure adequate background checks of prospective school employees at all levels?
Terry Brennan: Safeguards are in place to prevent such cases. However, we must constantly be looking at improving these safeguards with the intention of covering all bases.
Ana Soares: More time has to be taken to check out all references and prior employers of prospective employees, and request further written information if there are discrepancies or lack of data.
Peter Kjenaas: Policy and procedure needs to ensure a full background check.
In our company, we conduct thorough, inexpensive background checks of new employees and business part-
ners. It is simply good business.
John Fleming: All reasonable efforts need to be expended in selecting new school employees. Having worked homicide for ten yeas, I know how to investigate an individual’s background and identify potential problems.
Paula Regan: I will continue to insist that appropriate policies and procedures are both developed and consistently implemented at every level.
Kenneth Hurst: The board is reviewing the district’s hiring policies.
Bradford Oliver: Support the Superintendant with my knowledge of background investigations based upon my years of building manufacturing work forces and Executive Recruiting.
Jennie Jenkins: Clearly hiring practices need to be reviewed. Those directly involved in hiring should practice due diligence and receive instruction regarding best hiring practices. ETUSD must hire the most qualified candidates.
Gary Sokolowski: This is a responsibility of the superintendent as well as the school board. We must be hiring teachers who are credentialed to teach their subject mater.
Question 9: El Tejon School sits beside Interstate-5. Current plans will invest about $3 million to replace temporary buildings with permanent ones at that site. But in 2005 the State Superintendent of Public Instruction warned that no further schools should be built near freeways. In 2007 state air board tests showed diesel emissions create worse air quality in the Lebec I-5 corridor near El Tejon than in Los Angeles, and in 2008 crashes adjacent to the school spilled hazardous and explosive chemicals. But moving the school was not considered in the District Master Plan draft. What are your thoughts about this issue?
Terry Brennan: For the heath and safety of the student body we may not have the option of keeping the school at its current location. Moving and/or build- ing a new school to a safer location would require more resources then the school district has available. Therefor a concerned effort of state and federal funding should be explored on all levels. This is one of the challenges, which we may be faced with, that will impact the mountain communities for years to come.
Ana Soares: In the area we are in there is limited land available for schools. However, there are alternatives such as working with the Air Quality Board and other State and County government bodies to find solutions.
Peter Kjenaas: The air along the free- way is bad. This is unaccept-able. Sadly, it’s an extraordinarily beautiful location and the school is historically important. But the overall air isn’t going to get better soon. While we should actively explore moving the school we should implement air improvement measures immediately. They exist. No matter the expense and difficulty, if we do nothing, we will be harming our children and we will cripple our ability to create an image of our district that is worthy of widespread support.
John Fleming: Current funds do not permit the school to be moved. Consideration should be giv-en to reducing the number of students by relocating students to other schools, such as moving the fourth grade to Frazier Park. Monies could be utilized to improve the ventilation and air filtration systems in current buildings to improve the quality of air. Additionally, a partnership should be sought between Tejon Ranch and the District to obtain a school site with the anticipation that the school will be replaced in the future.
Paula Regan: “Moving” El Tejon School means building a new school!
Appropriate and approved school sites have been difficult to secure in this community, and currently a site does not exist. I am very pleased at the depth of discussions with the architects, so that the plans developed in compliance with state mandates will mitigate as many hazards on this campus as possible.
Kenneth Hurst: Unless and until a major grant is awarded, I do not expect to attempt to move El Tejon School. The existing bond money can be used to improve classroom air. A cheaper and more feasible remediation is to plant several rows of trees between the freeway and the school. This will cut down on particulate, ozone, and noise pollution. I would encourage the PTA to spearhead a volunteer drive to plant trees. I also support efforts to install an air monitor at the school.
Bradford Oliver: There is no easy short term solution. The process to build another school, given the current financial times, is a long term option, but we must demand clean air for our students. Drawing on a Chemical Engineer Degree, I would say we need to demand a full time monitoring station to garner more data, aggressively push for grants to install better air purification in buildings where students spend most of their time and evaluate all future school projects to address air quality.
Jennie Jenkins: Our kid’s health and safety is of the upmost concern to me. A school board should revisit the District Master Plan regularly, particularly in light of new health and safety reports and data. In the meantime, eco solutions should be considered. Strategic placement of plants and trees has been proven to provide a pollution barrier. Emergency and Air Quality procedures should be reviewed and updated. School staff should receive clear guidelines and training in order to implement the board policies.
Gary Sokolowski: With the current budget it is not feasible to move the school. I believe there are measures in place to address situation that occur on the I-5. As for the air quality issue we should establish a calendar similar to the one this district uses for inclement weather due to snow.
As a board member we must focus on our main objective that is to develop and improve the learning opportunities of ALL students in the district.
Meet the Candidates for the El Tejon Unified School District Board
This is part of the October 24, 2008 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.
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