I wanted to take a moment and thank all of you who supported my campaign for school board. Unfortunately, when all of the votes were tallied around 2:30 in the morning of November 5, I did not garner enough votes to secure a win. While I am disappointed in the final results, I am rather pleased with the tremendous outpouring of support that I received from each one of you as I spent time talking to the San Juan Unified community about student achievement, parental involvement and fiscal prudence. Tens of thousands of you voted in my behalf and I couldn't be more pleased to see how many people were interested in more than continuity with our district's current direction.
I hope that my being in the race was enough to drive some of the more critical issues to discussion in the district. I met so many great people who care a lot about the state of education and are willing to do just about anything to make sure that our children have a positive experience in school and become productive and educated citizens. I plan on continuing to be involved in the district, especially as my two sons begin kindergarten over the next few years.
If there are issues that you believe I can be of assistance with, I welcome any of your suggestion and comments to my website (which I'll continue to maintain) or to my private email (you can get that by going to my website). You are free to contact me at any time. I will continue to comment on public policy and politics on this blog.
One piece of house keeping--if you have a sign in your yard, or placed any in the community, would you please remove the sign and contact me so that I may pick it up? I'll be out and about in the district removing the signs so that we can return to some visual normalcy. It might be helpful to have these signs if I'm crazy enough to throw my hat into the ring again years down the road. You can also dropped them off at my front porch or carport if you are in the area.
I hope that our paths continue to cross over the coming years. And until we meet again, please accept my deepest and most sincere appreciation for all of the help you were to my campaign. Your contributions of time, talent and money will never be forgotten. Again, thank you for all that you have done for me and for what you continue to provide for my children's future.
Onward and upward!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Watching for the Results...
If you are interested in watching for the results, here are a few places you can go:
- California Secretary of State's Website (after 6 p.m.)
- Sacramento County Registrar's Office or here (after 8 p.m.)
- KCRA News (under "Hot Races to Watch" go to "Sacramento Co. North School Districts" link and look for "San Juan Unified School District")
If you are looking for other election results in Northern California/Sacramento Region, you can find them here:
Governing Board Member SAN JUAN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Vote for 3
(WITH 0 OF 334 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
JOAN D. MILLER. . . . . . . . . 0
LARRY MILES. . . . . . . . . . 0
RICHARD LAUNEY. . . . . . . . . 0
LUCINDA E. LUTTGEN . . . . . . . 0
LANCE CHRISTENSEN. . . . . . . . 0 (Hopefully this will be a big number!)
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 0
Over Votes . . . . . . . . . 0
Under Votes . . . . . . . . . 0
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Victory Party Invitation
You are cordially invited to a…
Victory Party!
Election Day, November 4
8:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
After you’ve voted for me, join us at our home to watch the election results.
Christensen HQ & Residence
(just one block north of El Camino High School—look for all the signs)
So that we can have enough yummy food for all of our guests,
please RSVP to Kelsey at (916) 489-1038 or kelseyofcali@gmail.com
We wanted to thank you for the tremendous support you have given us over the last several months as we have toured the incredible
We hope to see you and your family and friends at the party,
even if just for a few moments.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The Power of One (Vote)
I wanted to thank all those who said so many gracious things about me in the Sacramento Bee this last week. So far, the comments are 19 to 1 in my favor—they seem to outweigh the opinions expressed by the board. I hope that your opinions are representative of what we will see on Election Day.
I can now count the number of days until the election on one hand and I am very excited. All the right things are coming together at the right time. Many of those with absentee ballots have already cast them and I have had a lot of people indicate that they voted for me. If you are one of those people—thank you! There are still a large portion of people who have not made their decision on whom to vote. That leaves room for you to call 10 of your not-voted-yet friends and encourage them to cast a vote for me.
In fact, if you are eager for a new direction on the school board, I would encourage you to vote only for me. Why, you ask, would I ask you to only vote once when you have three votes in that race? It’s simple—if you have one candidate that you are particularly interested in, to cast votes for two other people simply because you can effectively dilutes or cancels out a vote for your favorite in the race. By voting only for one, in this case, you ensure that your candidate (Lance Christensen) gets 100% of your vote and not only 33.3%. And I would appreciate 100% of your support.
Please tell your family, friends and neighbors…
Additionally, if you would like to get one of the last signs that I have left, or canvas your neighborhood with some of my fliers, please drop me an email at votelanceforschoolboard@gmail.com and we’ll get the material to you right away. What’s more, I have a handful of 3’x6’ signs that would be very useful for holding up at busy intersections or near polling places (at the legal distance, I might add). I hope to see you getting out the vote!
I can now count the number of days until the election on one hand and I am very excited. All the right things are coming together at the right time. Many of those with absentee ballots have already cast them and I have had a lot of people indicate that they voted for me. If you are one of those people—thank you! There are still a large portion of people who have not made their decision on whom to vote. That leaves room for you to call 10 of your not-voted-yet friends and encourage them to cast a vote for me.
In fact, if you are eager for a new direction on the school board, I would encourage you to vote only for me. Why, you ask, would I ask you to only vote once when you have three votes in that race? It’s simple—if you have one candidate that you are particularly interested in, to cast votes for two other people simply because you can effectively dilutes or cancels out a vote for your favorite in the race. By voting only for one, in this case, you ensure that your candidate (Lance Christensen) gets 100% of your vote and not only 33.3%. And I would appreciate 100% of your support.
Please tell your family, friends and neighbors…
Additionally, if you would like to get one of the last signs that I have left, or canvas your neighborhood with some of my fliers, please drop me an email at votelanceforschoolboard@gmail.com and we’ll get the material to you right away. What’s more, I have a handful of 3’x6’ signs that would be very useful for holding up at busy intersections or near polling places (at the legal distance, I might add). I hope to see you getting out the vote!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Parental Imperative
Parents have a unique sense about their children’s needs and, more often than not, have more context and experience about the continual conflict bubbling under the surface of their children's lives than anyone else may have. It is imperative to have parents involved in our schools—it’s their children’s futures at stake. I've spoken with thousands of parents over the last year or so, and many have expressed the frustration at how distant the school board is to them. What this district needs is a sounding board for the community, especially for parents, and that is why I am running for the school board.
Some have misinterpreted my desire to have more active parental involvement with the school board as potentially inviting interference in the classroom by overzealous or hovering parents. While their concern is legitimate, nothing could be further from the truth. To better understand what I mean by having parents more involved in the school board, let me explain my philosophy of public education as succinctly as possible.
Teaching students to be productive and virtuous citizens is the fundamental reason for public education. I believe that teachers’ primary responsibility should be to teach. If they are teaching according to the standards developed by the state and the district, they should be free to exercise some judgment and not have to deal with uninvited interference in their classroom, except for a regular assessment by their administrator. Principals should have control of their schools and make sure that their students are satisfying state standards and educational requirements. The school board is there to mediate between the several schools and the community, including parents, business people and taxpayers. The board then makes the big and controversial decisions about bonds, curriculum, school closures, salary negotiations, etc. while interfacing with the public. As an elected body, the school board is controlled by the will of the voters and may be kept or replaced every few years. It behooves them to continually interface with the community and not relegate opposition to their decisions to the sidelines as they do now. By being amenable to the voices of parents and interfacing with them according to their concerns, does not necessarily mean that they are going to have any unreasonable control over the critical decisions schools have to regularly make.
Many active parents sought me out to run for the board—I did not do this on my own volition. Once I realized the problems we faced (which are many-fold and have been unnecessarily complicated over the years) were real and significant, I decided to take this responsibility on head first, just as a concerned parent would do whether it be as a member of the site council, PTA or booster club. I couldn't stand by and watch my son's education be taken for granted. It is shortsighted to think that I have all the answers to providing the perfect educational experience--I don't. Neither do the teachers. Neither do the principals. Neither do the education specialist. However, we are successful in molding achieving and responsible students by demonstrating leadership at the top. I doubt there will be complaints that I am not accessible enough. I am open to any and all suggestions to make this district the best in the state, as it once was not that long ago.
One more note on teachers: My hat is off to them. They do yeoman's work in the trenches at times with little reward or recognition. However, a credential does not give teachers psychic abilities. Ask most parents what Little Johnny and Little Susie need and 95 times out of 100, they’ll know what is best for them. Parents should be allowed to communicate that information to the school, provided it is in an appropriate manner. We have back to school nights, open houses and parent-teacher conferences for that reason. Good teachers will listen to parents and teach accordingly. It is possible for a good parent to make a good teacher's job a little easier with that information.
Some have misinterpreted my desire to have more active parental involvement with the school board as potentially inviting interference in the classroom by overzealous or hovering parents. While their concern is legitimate, nothing could be further from the truth. To better understand what I mean by having parents more involved in the school board, let me explain my philosophy of public education as succinctly as possible.
Teaching students to be productive and virtuous citizens is the fundamental reason for public education. I believe that teachers’ primary responsibility should be to teach. If they are teaching according to the standards developed by the state and the district, they should be free to exercise some judgment and not have to deal with uninvited interference in their classroom, except for a regular assessment by their administrator. Principals should have control of their schools and make sure that their students are satisfying state standards and educational requirements. The school board is there to mediate between the several schools and the community, including parents, business people and taxpayers. The board then makes the big and controversial decisions about bonds, curriculum, school closures, salary negotiations, etc. while interfacing with the public. As an elected body, the school board is controlled by the will of the voters and may be kept or replaced every few years. It behooves them to continually interface with the community and not relegate opposition to their decisions to the sidelines as they do now. By being amenable to the voices of parents and interfacing with them according to their concerns, does not necessarily mean that they are going to have any unreasonable control over the critical decisions schools have to regularly make.
Many active parents sought me out to run for the board—I did not do this on my own volition. Once I realized the problems we faced (which are many-fold and have been unnecessarily complicated over the years) were real and significant, I decided to take this responsibility on head first, just as a concerned parent would do whether it be as a member of the site council, PTA or booster club. I couldn't stand by and watch my son's education be taken for granted. It is shortsighted to think that I have all the answers to providing the perfect educational experience--I don't. Neither do the teachers. Neither do the principals. Neither do the education specialist. However, we are successful in molding achieving and responsible students by demonstrating leadership at the top. I doubt there will be complaints that I am not accessible enough. I am open to any and all suggestions to make this district the best in the state, as it once was not that long ago.
One more note on teachers: My hat is off to them. They do yeoman's work in the trenches at times with little reward or recognition. However, a credential does not give teachers psychic abilities. Ask most parents what Little Johnny and Little Susie need and 95 times out of 100, they’ll know what is best for them. Parents should be allowed to communicate that information to the school, provided it is in an appropriate manner. We have back to school nights, open houses and parent-teacher conferences for that reason. Good teachers will listen to parents and teach accordingly. It is possible for a good parent to make a good teacher's job a little easier with that information.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Less Than Three Weeks Left Until Election Day
As you can tell by the leaves changing, the surge of mail you’re receiving and the constant campaign commercials on television, we are close to Election Day. In fact, it is only 20 days away!
Many of the absentee voters should be receiving their ballot today, if it did not already arrive in the mail yesterday. Within that ballot, there are a lot of important decisions to make in an historic election and I am honored to be scored among so many worthy men and women as I run for one of three at-large seats on the San Juan Unified School Board. As you know, the school district runs from Sacramento to Folsom between Roseville Road and the American River, including the enclave of Gold River. With its annual $575 million budget, its 42,000 students and 175,000 registered voters, it doesn’t seem like a local election. But the stakes for our schools and communities are high and I'm in it to win it. To understand the magnitude of this particular local election, I would also like to give you three reasons why you should help your family, friends and neighbors be as familiar with their local candidates, such as those for San Juan Unified School Board, as they are with the national candidates.
First, as I have had a chance to meet the good people of this district, I have seen the care and concern they have for our children, even if they do not have students in the district. Most people understand that the condition of our schools is directly correlated to the condition of our communities, on our property values and on our prosperity. I believe I am the kind of leader that can work well with many personalities and interests. I expect excellence in education and will have an agenda to prepare our students adequately in school so that our community flourishes.
Second, many people are frustrated when trying to interact with the district and school board on a variety of important issues. While we have a new superintendent who is dedicated to the collaborative process, there is more that can be done to improve communication at the school board level. School boards exist to facilitate difficult and weighty decisions that impact the schools and community. If participation by any party is unnecessarily hampered or curtailed, then the district loses out on important information and cannot fulfill its mission of preparing our students to be valued citizens. I commit to total transparency and will be accessible to anyone who has an issue that needs to come before the board or district.
Third, as our market moves through some very volatile times, we can expect that economic hardship will impact everyone in the district. Further, our state budget cannot be counted on to deliver constant revenue for Proposition 98 funding and instead will put a higher premium on local property taxes in a struggling housing market. We must be wise and prudent about our finances and make sure that every dollar spent will improve the achievements of our students. I know that my experience with budgeting and finances will benefit the district as we plan through the annual budget and expend voter approved bond money.
If our young people cannot succeed within the controlled conditions of the classroom set forth upon sound academic standards, it will matter little what happens outside the classroom. As a trustee in the school district, I will not marginalize or write off any student as a failure. I want to see every one of our students graduate and lead a productive life after graduation, whether they take the road to higher education or they seek a vocation instead. These are grand goals, but not unrealistic when we are properly motivated and require that everyone is held accountable for their actions.
To make sure that I am elected so that I may accomplish these goals, I ask that you help me in three areas.
1. If you think that I am a candidate worthy of your vote, then please make an effort to forward this letter onto those voters in your address book and ask that they consider voting for me, as well. Refer them to my website for more information.
2. If you think that it is imperative to get past the status quo and get a fresh perspective in the board’s deliberations, then please volunteer to put up a yard sign, walk your neighborhood passing out literature or spend a couple hours making phone calls to undecided voters. This will be especially critical for the days just before the election. I would also like to add your name to my endorsement list on my website.
3. If you want my message to permeate the district more, then consider making a modest contribution to my campaign. Even $10 will help print several hundred flyers. There are no contribution limits to this race. Donations can be made online by credit card or by mail with a downloadable form from my website.
I am energized by the people I have had the privilege to meet at Back to School Nights, knocking on doors, attending community events and at board meetings. It will only get better as I have your help.
Many of the absentee voters should be receiving their ballot today, if it did not already arrive in the mail yesterday. Within that ballot, there are a lot of important decisions to make in an historic election and I am honored to be scored among so many worthy men and women as I run for one of three at-large seats on the San Juan Unified School Board. As you know, the school district runs from Sacramento to Folsom between Roseville Road and the American River, including the enclave of Gold River. With its annual $575 million budget, its 42,000 students and 175,000 registered voters, it doesn’t seem like a local election. But the stakes for our schools and communities are high and I'm in it to win it. To understand the magnitude of this particular local election, I would also like to give you three reasons why you should help your family, friends and neighbors be as familiar with their local candidates, such as those for San Juan Unified School Board, as they are with the national candidates.
First, as I have had a chance to meet the good people of this district, I have seen the care and concern they have for our children, even if they do not have students in the district. Most people understand that the condition of our schools is directly correlated to the condition of our communities, on our property values and on our prosperity. I believe I am the kind of leader that can work well with many personalities and interests. I expect excellence in education and will have an agenda to prepare our students adequately in school so that our community flourishes.
Second, many people are frustrated when trying to interact with the district and school board on a variety of important issues. While we have a new superintendent who is dedicated to the collaborative process, there is more that can be done to improve communication at the school board level. School boards exist to facilitate difficult and weighty decisions that impact the schools and community. If participation by any party is unnecessarily hampered or curtailed, then the district loses out on important information and cannot fulfill its mission of preparing our students to be valued citizens. I commit to total transparency and will be accessible to anyone who has an issue that needs to come before the board or district.
Third, as our market moves through some very volatile times, we can expect that economic hardship will impact everyone in the district. Further, our state budget cannot be counted on to deliver constant revenue for Proposition 98 funding and instead will put a higher premium on local property taxes in a struggling housing market. We must be wise and prudent about our finances and make sure that every dollar spent will improve the achievements of our students. I know that my experience with budgeting and finances will benefit the district as we plan through the annual budget and expend voter approved bond money.
If our young people cannot succeed within the controlled conditions of the classroom set forth upon sound academic standards, it will matter little what happens outside the classroom. As a trustee in the school district, I will not marginalize or write off any student as a failure. I want to see every one of our students graduate and lead a productive life after graduation, whether they take the road to higher education or they seek a vocation instead. These are grand goals, but not unrealistic when we are properly motivated and require that everyone is held accountable for their actions.
To make sure that I am elected so that I may accomplish these goals, I ask that you help me in three areas.
1. If you think that I am a candidate worthy of your vote, then please make an effort to forward this letter onto those voters in your address book and ask that they consider voting for me, as well. Refer them to my website for more information.
2. If you think that it is imperative to get past the status quo and get a fresh perspective in the board’s deliberations, then please volunteer to put up a yard sign, walk your neighborhood passing out literature or spend a couple hours making phone calls to undecided voters. This will be especially critical for the days just before the election. I would also like to add your name to my endorsement list on my website.
3. If you want my message to permeate the district more, then consider making a modest contribution to my campaign. Even $10 will help print several hundred flyers. There are no contribution limits to this race. Donations can be made online by credit card or by mail with a downloadable form from my website.
I am energized by the people I have had the privilege to meet at Back to School Nights, knocking on doors, attending community events and at board meetings. It will only get better as I have your help.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
A Hearty Thanks
"A big thank you to all those that attended our Gold River meet and greet on Sunday evening featuring Lance Christensen, candidate for the San Juan Unified School Board at the Roger's Residence. Parents, grandparents, educators, community leaders and concerned citizens all stopped by to meet Lance Christensen and discuss his race and positions on the San Juan Unified School District.
"Lance discussed the size and scope of the district, performance standards and the fiscal condition of the schools in light of both the precarious state budget situation and the failure of so many financial institutions nationwide. With a district that covers so much of the county and enrolls around 46,000 students, there are many issues that need his scrupulous attention. It is imperative that citizens of the district demand accountability for not only student performance, but also for school performance. Concerned administrators, teachers and parents need to communicate the best methods of improving test scores so the district can avoid any impending sanctions by the state due to its status on the "Program Improvement" list currently released by the California Department of Education. We must also find a way to reduce the number of dropouts we have so that so we won't continue to have 1 in 4 students leave without a diploma. We need to and productive future in our community.
"With the help of district voters, Lance is confident that he brings the right kind of leadership to unite parents, teachers and administrators so they can make sure that our children’s education comes first. With his attention to detail, concern for his children and your vote, San Juan Unified can return to its status as a preeminent district in the state as it was for so many years."
"Lance discussed the size and scope of the district, performance standards and the fiscal condition of the schools in light of both the precarious state budget situation and the failure of so many financial institutions nationwide. With a district that covers so much of the county and enrolls around 46,000 students, there are many issues that need his scrupulous attention. It is imperative that citizens of the district demand accountability for not only student performance, but also for school performance. Concerned administrators, teachers and parents need to communicate the best methods of improving test scores so the district can avoid any impending sanctions by the state due to its status on the "Program Improvement" list currently released by the California Department of Education. We must also find a way to reduce the number of dropouts we have so that so we won't continue to have 1 in 4 students leave without a diploma. We need to and productive future in our community.
"With the help of district voters, Lance is confident that he brings the right kind of leadership to unite parents, teachers and administrators so they can make sure that our children’s education comes first. With his attention to detail, concern for his children and your vote, San Juan Unified can return to its status as a preeminent district in the state as it was for so many years."
Monday, October 6, 2008
"Is It Worth Being There?"
There is one question that keeps coming to my mind as I talk to people across the San Juan Unified School District. “Is it worth being there?” That is, what value are our schools to our students in preparing them for life? This will continue to be a central question in my mind as I develop strategies for improving student achievement, fostering parental involvement and being fiscally prudent on the school board.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Lift Where You Stand
I attended a conference on Saturday night and one of the headlining speakers related a prescient anecdote in his earlier life that had a profound impact on me. As the story goes, he was in a church where they were preparing to have a piano concert one evening. However, the piano needed to be moved from a stage to another part of the building which would require them to negotiate a set of stairs. With none of them being professional piano movers, they tried several times unsuccessfully to hoist the instrument in a manner conducive to getting it down the stairs in one piece. For some time, they rotated men around the piano in differing formations to accomplish the feat. To no avail, they could not move the piano. Finally, as they stood tentatively gripping the piano and exasperation set in, an older gentleman made a simple and profound statement: “Lift where you stand.” Heeding his suggestion, they each summoned the strength to move the instrument down the stairs and move it to the proper room.
Often, it’s easier for us to give half measures in life when we don’t feel like we’re being utilized to our fullest potential. “Going through the motions,” is what my dad used to call it. We may feel as though we could give more, but since others don’t recognize our strengths, we may complain or retreat from the situation. Understandably, if we were all able to comprehend everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, we could go about organizing and maximizing everyone’s efforts and no one would be left out; any obstacle could be overcome. But we are human and often fail at utilizing people to the best of their ability.
As we continue to discuss the future of our district and what kind of educated citizens we want to produce, I suggest we take a look at our situations, realize that there is much we can do right here and now and simply lift where we stand. If we can handle our part well, there is no telling what successes we will have as a community in fortifying our school district.
Often, it’s easier for us to give half measures in life when we don’t feel like we’re being utilized to our fullest potential. “Going through the motions,” is what my dad used to call it. We may feel as though we could give more, but since others don’t recognize our strengths, we may complain or retreat from the situation. Understandably, if we were all able to comprehend everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, we could go about organizing and maximizing everyone’s efforts and no one would be left out; any obstacle could be overcome. But we are human and often fail at utilizing people to the best of their ability.
As we continue to discuss the future of our district and what kind of educated citizens we want to produce, I suggest we take a look at our situations, realize that there is much we can do right here and now and simply lift where we stand. If we can handle our part well, there is no telling what successes we will have as a community in fortifying our school district.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
A Knock on Your Door
Between the many meetings I take with large and small groups across the district, I enjoy the time I get to walk precincts and introduce myself to the neighborhood, door by door. I find out a lot about the history of the district and learn about its successes and struggles over the years. I run into people who have young children and are concerned with the selection of schools in the area. I meet parents of student-athletes and musicians who wonder about the funding of their games, meets and concerts. I talk to parents who have adult children but remember and relate much about the district.
One such conversation I had was with a leader in the Healthy Marriage Project. I look forward to learning more about the studies on students as it relates to their home life and success in school and life. I had a vigorous discussion with another neighbor who was not pleased (to say the least) about the bureaucratic hurdles she had to just through as a parent to discuss her concerns with someone in the district. Most of the time, I introduce myself to people who have never had a board candidate or member come to their door. This is understandable, as there are so many people to meet. However, I make it a goal to take every opportunity to meet anyone, anywhere and discuss the needs of our students. Don’t be shy about commenting on the blog, emailing me or even making a phone call to my cell.
One such conversation I had was with a leader in the Healthy Marriage Project. I look forward to learning more about the studies on students as it relates to their home life and success in school and life. I had a vigorous discussion with another neighbor who was not pleased (to say the least) about the bureaucratic hurdles she had to just through as a parent to discuss her concerns with someone in the district. Most of the time, I introduce myself to people who have never had a board candidate or member come to their door. This is understandable, as there are so many people to meet. However, I make it a goal to take every opportunity to meet anyone, anywhere and discuss the needs of our students. Don’t be shy about commenting on the blog, emailing me or even making a phone call to my cell.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Publicly Educating
If “public education,” per se, exists to teach citizenry of the republic, civic virtue and skills required in being a contributing member of society, then it doesn’t have to be isolated to the hard and fast public school system we have now, though that is what we’ve traditionally used as a model. Accepting this premise opens the discussion to a wide range of alternatives when addressing the youth of our community, writ large.
While taking the opportunity to visit with all of the traditional public schools in the area, I have tried to meet with other “public school” constituencies such as charter schools, vocational schools and alternative schools. I find this to be a very enlightening experience about some of the other methods that are out there. I’ve written previously about my trip to Options for Youth in Carmichael and the venue it is for at-risk youth. Over the last week, I’ve made it to Golden Valley Charter School in Orangevale (where they practice the Waldorf method) and the California Montessori Project in Carmichael. Each school demonstrates a passion for teaching children and they exude a certain confidence about their methods, results and community. It’s not just the teachers and the administration who are proud of their school—their parents are enthusiastic in their support and even hold board positions to make the school a success. I find that these parents have found what works best for their children and their needs and are anxiously engaged in any area they can be useful.
This is a marked progression in California educational policy, on a state level, and an improvement on a district level. As parents are tendered more options, they have a greater opportunity to find success. And it just doesn’t apply to those parents who utilize these charters as an alternative. The parents and teachers and administrators are incentivised to make sure that the traditional model works well for the students who choose to stay in their classrooms. In other words, parents—not arbitrary boundaries or bureaucrats—choose where students are to learn. They have ultimate control. And having the power doesn’t mean destruction of a good system; it means the improvement of a good system.
This is inline with something my grandfather used to always say, “The best thing that happened to Chevy was Ford.”
While taking the opportunity to visit with all of the traditional public schools in the area, I have tried to meet with other “public school” constituencies such as charter schools, vocational schools and alternative schools. I find this to be a very enlightening experience about some of the other methods that are out there. I’ve written previously about my trip to Options for Youth in Carmichael and the venue it is for at-risk youth. Over the last week, I’ve made it to Golden Valley Charter School in Orangevale (where they practice the Waldorf method) and the California Montessori Project in Carmichael. Each school demonstrates a passion for teaching children and they exude a certain confidence about their methods, results and community. It’s not just the teachers and the administration who are proud of their school—their parents are enthusiastic in their support and even hold board positions to make the school a success. I find that these parents have found what works best for their children and their needs and are anxiously engaged in any area they can be useful.
This is a marked progression in California educational policy, on a state level, and an improvement on a district level. As parents are tendered more options, they have a greater opportunity to find success. And it just doesn’t apply to those parents who utilize these charters as an alternative. The parents and teachers and administrators are incentivised to make sure that the traditional model works well for the students who choose to stay in their classrooms. In other words, parents—not arbitrary boundaries or bureaucrats—choose where students are to learn. They have ultimate control. And having the power doesn’t mean destruction of a good system; it means the improvement of a good system.
This is inline with something my grandfather used to always say, “The best thing that happened to Chevy was Ford.”
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Vote Absentee, not Abstentia
When you fill out your absentee ballots next week or go to the polls on November 4, you may or may not have a child in the school district and think this as a trivial vote. As a matter of fact, a majority of the 175,000 registered voters either have had their children in the school, have young children not old enough to be in school, have chosen to educate their children in a private or home school, or may not have children at all. You most-likely fall into one of those categories, but instead of randomly picking names at the bottom of the ballot or abstaining in this race entirely, you know that your choice for school board could be just as important as your historic choice for president. And it’s not because I am a special candidate; it’s because all politics is local. I’ll explain.
When you fill in that oval or punch the card, you are electing someone who will be making decisions on the future of 46,000 pupils’ futures. You will be deciding who is going to have a more open and transparent process in the district’s protocols and practices. You will be deciding on who wants to allow parents the best choice for their children’s education, whether that be public, private, parochial, charter, alternative, vocational, home school…whatever. You will choose someone who will have to ask very difficult and piercing financial questions, especially in an economy espoused in uncertainty. Your vote will go to the person you think can bridge the gap with the business community and the school district. You will decide who is going to impact housing prices and the make-up of your neighborhood. You will elect a candidate who is willing to press the flesh and meet new faces and go to places where board members have rarely tread in the past. I hope that choice is me and I hope that you and I can partner to make a positive change for our children.
Time is precious and our window of opportunity to impact an entire generation of students is short. We can’t let hundreds of children slip through the cracks and lose whatever hope they may have had when they excitedly entered the ranks of kindergarten. I am passionate about success and potential. Send your vote to me and I show you what we can collaborate on to correct course in our district, to bring kids back into a stable learning environment and keep them from becoming liabilities to society.
When you fill in that oval or punch the card, you are electing someone who will be making decisions on the future of 46,000 pupils’ futures. You will be deciding who is going to have a more open and transparent process in the district’s protocols and practices. You will be deciding on who wants to allow parents the best choice for their children’s education, whether that be public, private, parochial, charter, alternative, vocational, home school…whatever. You will choose someone who will have to ask very difficult and piercing financial questions, especially in an economy espoused in uncertainty. Your vote will go to the person you think can bridge the gap with the business community and the school district. You will decide who is going to impact housing prices and the make-up of your neighborhood. You will elect a candidate who is willing to press the flesh and meet new faces and go to places where board members have rarely tread in the past. I hope that choice is me and I hope that you and I can partner to make a positive change for our children.
Time is precious and our window of opportunity to impact an entire generation of students is short. We can’t let hundreds of children slip through the cracks and lose whatever hope they may have had when they excitedly entered the ranks of kindergarten. I am passionate about success and potential. Send your vote to me and I show you what we can collaborate on to correct course in our district, to bring kids back into a stable learning environment and keep them from becoming liabilities to society.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Megatron and Brockitron--My Voter Guides
Campaigns have a funny way of focusing people on what’s important to them. These last few weeks of criss-crossing the district have really been demanding on my time and my family. I have two little boys that awake every morning with one thing on their mind—wrestling. In the afternoon, they want to wrestle. Before bedtime, you guessed it, they want to wrestle. So I spend a lot of time in a shirt and tie on the carpet with Megatron (Erik) and Brockitron (Brock) giving me everything they’ve got. They enjoy the time together and I get a chance to keep my eye on the real reason that I am running for this seat.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sampling the Ballot
We’ll, the sample ballots have been mailed and it’s time for everyone to make sure they have all the information necessary to cast their ballots. Go to page 6, and you’ll see my name just two columns away from our historic presidential candidates. We’re about 6 weeks out from Election Day and only a two weeks until absentee ballots will be mailed on October 11th in Sacramento County. Make sure that your ballot will be delivered in a timely fashion. Linked here is an update on where the elections process is. Please make sure that you are registered to vote and that your students abroad are both registered to vote and have their absentee ballot in order. Go to the registrar’s website for more information. And if you want to see what the League of Women’s Voters has for their site, visit them here.
I look forward to securing your vote and hope that you continue to tell your friends about the parent who is in the race to improve their children’s test scores, foster more parental in school board decisions and keep our fiscal house in order—especially in these uncertain economic times.
I look forward to securing your vote and hope that you continue to tell your friends about the parent who is in the race to improve their children’s test scores, foster more parental in school board decisions and keep our fiscal house in order—especially in these uncertain economic times.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Meeting and Greeting
For 2 hours this morning, I had about 25 of my most dedicated supporters our walking all the villages in Gold River for me. We dropped off 1,500 invitations to a casual meet and greet with me at the Roger’s Residence. The invitation is below:
You’re invited to a casual gathering
to meet and greet the candidate for
San Juan Unified School Board
Lance Christensen
Hosted by:
Ron & Diann Rogers
Roberta & Craig MacGlashan, Ted Costa & Jayna Karpinski-Costa, Dr. Larry & Sharon Masuoka, Owen & Renee Taylor and Damon & Tiffany Conklin
Sunday, October 5, 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Ron & Diann Rogers’ Residence
2035 Rough Gold Court, Gold River, CA
(Mother Lode Village)
RSVP appreciated: Kelsey 916.489.1038 or votelanceforschoolboard@gmail.com
We would love to see you and your family there. Again, please RSVP my wife, Kelsey at the email or phone number above so that we can have all enough refreshments.
You’re invited to a casual gathering
to meet and greet the candidate for
San Juan Unified School Board
Lance Christensen
Hosted by:
Ron & Diann Rogers
Roberta & Craig MacGlashan, Ted Costa & Jayna Karpinski-Costa, Dr. Larry & Sharon Masuoka, Owen & Renee Taylor and Damon & Tiffany Conklin
Sunday, October 5, 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Ron & Diann Rogers’ Residence
2035 Rough Gold Court, Gold River, CA
(Mother Lode Village)
RSVP appreciated: Kelsey 916.489.1038 or votelanceforschoolboard@gmail.com
We would love to see you and your family there. Again, please RSVP my wife, Kelsey at the email or phone number above so that we can have all enough refreshments.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Commerce: Society's Lifeblood
UPDATE—One of the goals I have is to be more responsive to the district’s needs outside of the classroom, in general. One ubiquitous and genuinely American civic group is the local chambers of commerce. These chambers partner with local governments and businesses to insure that their economy that is ripe for investment and growth. People make decisions about where to live based upon many factors, specifically, schools, jobs, the housing market, accessible transportation, commerce, etc. Since these chambers are comprised of hard working business owners who employ many of our schools’ graduates, they have a vested interest in making education a top priority. It has been my honor to interview with several chambers, and as of today, both the Citrus Heights and Folsom Chambers of Commerce Political Action Committees have endorsed my candidacy. I hope that we can work together to figure out the best way to increase student achievement and keep these kids from dropping out so they can be not only a productive citizen, but also an economic asset.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
A Gold River Runs through It
Friends and Volunteers to the Lance Christensen for School Board campaign,
On Saturday, September 27, we are organizing a walk to drop-off fliers in Gold River to spread the news about Lance's campaign and invite the community to a meet and greet that will be held in their area in a few weeks.
We hope you can help in this endeavor by coming and finding as many friends, neighbors, high school and middle school students to help us, EVERYONE is invited to attend.
No one will have to knock on doors or talk to anyone, only drop off fliers at the doors.
Please confirm your attendance, and if you will be bringing anyone else, so I can prepare routes to ensure efficiency.
We will meet Saturday at 10am at the parking lot at El Camino High School.
If you have any questions you can reach Kelsey at 489-1038 or email me at kelseyofcali@gmail.com
If you are not able to help this Saturday but still want to help another day we would appreciate it.
Thank you for your continued support to Lance's campaign, it means the world to us that so many of you have offered your time and talents.
On Saturday, September 27, we are organizing a walk to drop-off fliers in Gold River to spread the news about Lance's campaign and invite the community to a meet and greet that will be held in their area in a few weeks.
We hope you can help in this endeavor by coming and finding as many friends, neighbors, high school and middle school students to help us, EVERYONE is invited to attend.
No one will have to knock on doors or talk to anyone, only drop off fliers at the doors.
Please confirm your attendance, and if you will be bringing anyone else, so I can prepare routes to ensure efficiency.
We will meet Saturday at 10am at the parking lot at El Camino High School.
If you have any questions you can reach Kelsey at 489-1038 or email me at kelseyofcali@gmail.com
If you are not able to help this Saturday but still want to help another day we would appreciate it.
Thank you for your continued support to Lance's campaign, it means the world to us that so many of you have offered your time and talents.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
For Whom the Bells Didn't Toll
UPDATE—I took the day off from work and decided to concentrate my efforts in getting to know the Citrus Heights area of my district. I spent some time with Principal Ward Andrus at the New San Juan Unified High School. We talked about the school’s reconstitution and the dedication he and his staff have to providing a state-of-the-art education to his students, especially to those that want to immerse themselves into a possible career path.
The school and its staff are taking a big step into defining what career technical education could be for students who still desire to get a high school diploma while gaining experience toward credentialing themselves in one of several fields of endeavor. Over the next few years they’ll revamp the campus to give it a community feel and so they can direct these young and impressionable minds to a future beyond this weekend.
While we talked, I noticed that something was lacking about the school, but I couldn’t put my finger on just exactly what that was. Then Principal Andrus let me in to their little secret—they no longer ring any class bells. That’s right, students are now responsible to get to school and class on time and all they have to remind them are their watches and the other students busily rushing to wait in line for English or Math or Science class. Apparently, the students have taken the goal of being self-directed learners to heart and are not only more accountable with their attendance, but they also take their school work and other duties more seriously. I think that this is an innovation that will continue to drive this school towards academic excellence.
The school and its staff are taking a big step into defining what career technical education could be for students who still desire to get a high school diploma while gaining experience toward credentialing themselves in one of several fields of endeavor. Over the next few years they’ll revamp the campus to give it a community feel and so they can direct these young and impressionable minds to a future beyond this weekend.
While we talked, I noticed that something was lacking about the school, but I couldn’t put my finger on just exactly what that was. Then Principal Andrus let me in to their little secret—they no longer ring any class bells. That’s right, students are now responsible to get to school and class on time and all they have to remind them are their watches and the other students busily rushing to wait in line for English or Math or Science class. Apparently, the students have taken the goal of being self-directed learners to heart and are not only more accountable with their attendance, but they also take their school work and other duties more seriously. I think that this is an innovation that will continue to drive this school towards academic excellence.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Sacramento Congress of African Peoples
I want to thank the Sacramento Congress of African Peoples for allowing me the privilege of being with them on their 2nd annual forum. Faye Kennedy and all of her able counterparts were great hosts and I had a chance to speak, answer questions and meet with several prominent leaders in the black community.
I witnessed first hand the desire that this group had to be a political force to be reckoned with. Most of their conversation was centered on the plight of their constituencies and their young people and the family values that they share with other Americans. We discussed a more cooperative future with parents and board members being more responsive to the community’s concerns.
They allowed presentations from the Democratic, Republican and Peace and Freedom candidates or their surrogates for office. Since I am running in a non-partisan race, they saved my speech near the end and I stuck around for a few questions before lunch. I hope to continue to attend more of these events in the near future.
I witnessed first hand the desire that this group had to be a political force to be reckoned with. Most of their conversation was centered on the plight of their constituencies and their young people and the family values that they share with other Americans. We discussed a more cooperative future with parents and board members being more responsive to the community’s concerns.
They allowed presentations from the Democratic, Republican and Peace and Freedom candidates or their surrogates for office. Since I am running in a non-partisan race, they saved my speech near the end and I stuck around for a few questions before lunch. I hope to continue to attend more of these events in the near future.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Options for Youth
This morning I had the opportunity to meet with the principal and some teachers of Options for Youth, an alternative school that caters to at-risk youth who are making a decision to finish up their graduation requirements and get their diploma. I found that there are a lot of reasons that students come to the school. Some found little success in the regular high school setting and needed a different rhythm, for lack of a better metaphor, for their education. Some came from problem situations and needed to be outside the traditional school so they could focus on their school work without the needless distractions. Others finally realized that if they were to lead a successful and productive life, they needed their diploma and the only thing stopping them from achieving this possibility was themselves. So, no matter the situation, there was a marked attitude of determination with these students that was probably a new trademark in their life.
I arrived at the school around 7 a.m. and found several of the teachers already there and preparing their lessons for the day. As we talked about the school, its successes and its challenges, I was also struck by how dedicated these educators were about their students. They practice a regimen of training, mentoring and evaluation on a regular basis. They teach school year round and do not enjoy the traditional summer recess or longer vacations. Even the regular holidays afforded them are fraught with concern over whether they’ll see some of their struggling students on the other side of the break. They may even keep contact with a youth who has not quit committed completely to the mission of the school by calling them over Christmas break. They find fulfillment even when only a small percentage of students walk during graduation because they know they made a impact in someone’s life. These students who don a cap and gown and cross the stage either in the winter or at the end of spring, know that they overcame some substantial odds and the decisions they made will prepare them for a productive life. The reward is not immediate, but it almost reflects that whole idea of counting the apples in a seed. One student finishing high school, with whatever marks, dings or scars associated with it, is a student prepared a little better for life. And it is more likely that these young people will have families in the future that will be all the better off because of those few indelible years they spent getting a diploma.
The program works because there is something expected of these students. Booker T. Washington said it well, “Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and let him know that you trust him.” I think we need to give our students more and higher hurdles to overcome and give them the tools and exercises to achieve their goals. And when they fall short, we do what we can to help them bridge the gap. Because if we don’t close the gap now, and do so with their strengths, any weakness they capitulate to will only create a chasm of failure for years to come that our strongest muscles will be useless to contain.
This is a little heavy with metaphor, but the point is—let’s care enough about our kids and community to get them across the finish line.
I arrived at the school around 7 a.m. and found several of the teachers already there and preparing their lessons for the day. As we talked about the school, its successes and its challenges, I was also struck by how dedicated these educators were about their students. They practice a regimen of training, mentoring and evaluation on a regular basis. They teach school year round and do not enjoy the traditional summer recess or longer vacations. Even the regular holidays afforded them are fraught with concern over whether they’ll see some of their struggling students on the other side of the break. They may even keep contact with a youth who has not quit committed completely to the mission of the school by calling them over Christmas break. They find fulfillment even when only a small percentage of students walk during graduation because they know they made a impact in someone’s life. These students who don a cap and gown and cross the stage either in the winter or at the end of spring, know that they overcame some substantial odds and the decisions they made will prepare them for a productive life. The reward is not immediate, but it almost reflects that whole idea of counting the apples in a seed. One student finishing high school, with whatever marks, dings or scars associated with it, is a student prepared a little better for life. And it is more likely that these young people will have families in the future that will be all the better off because of those few indelible years they spent getting a diploma.
The program works because there is something expected of these students. Booker T. Washington said it well, “Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and let him know that you trust him.” I think we need to give our students more and higher hurdles to overcome and give them the tools and exercises to achieve their goals. And when they fall short, we do what we can to help them bridge the gap. Because if we don’t close the gap now, and do so with their strengths, any weakness they capitulate to will only create a chasm of failure for years to come that our strongest muscles will be useless to contain.
This is a little heavy with metaphor, but the point is—let’s care enough about our kids and community to get them across the finish line.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Devastating News
On Monday, I rode the light rail home from work sitting next to a friend and colleague of mine. It was a particularly exasperating day in the office, but as it was my anniversary (8 years!), I looked forward to the nice, relaxing night at Leatherby’s with my wife for dinner and ice cream while we left our kids at their friends’ house. Before the doors even shut to the light rail car, I could tell that something was wrong with my friend. She had heard the devastating news of one of her son’s cohorts shooting himself in the head at Mira Loma High School. He did it in the morning during class, in the restroom. It was the vice-principal who found him on the ground, still alive, though mortally injured. He lived for a short time longer and was confirmed dead at the hospital just yesterday.
It’s a sobering thought to have someone so young think that their life is of little value to take it from those that love and care for them. I don’t know him nor do I know his family, but I want to give them my heartfelt sympathy and offer our family prayers for them today. I can only imagine their grief and loss.
I hope we can pay a more attention to those kids who may need a little extra care and give it to them before they feel that they have to get it the wrong way. There’s always a little extra room for kindness and a thoughtful word for our family and friends, and even for those who don’t often feel that they are cared about, justified or not.
There’s little to say in this situation except that my thoughts and prayers go to his family.
It’s a sobering thought to have someone so young think that their life is of little value to take it from those that love and care for them. I don’t know him nor do I know his family, but I want to give them my heartfelt sympathy and offer our family prayers for them today. I can only imagine their grief and loss.
I hope we can pay a more attention to those kids who may need a little extra care and give it to them before they feel that they have to get it the wrong way. There’s always a little extra room for kindness and a thoughtful word for our family and friends, and even for those who don’t often feel that they are cared about, justified or not.
There’s little to say in this situation except that my thoughts and prayers go to his family.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Go Cougars!!!
It’s my favorite time of the year again. Last weekend, I had the great opportunity to attend the Del Campo Cougars football game for their first time under the Friday Night Lights! What an amazing experience and festive atmosphere. This project has been a long time in the making and everyone had something to be proud of. Cristina Mendonsa, a proud DC alum, made it to the opening ceremonies and had a few rallying remarks from the crowd. Everyone who had a hand in this project, especially the athletic department, booster club and construction crew, are to be commended for a job well done. The varsity team showed their appreciation by handing a devastating loss to their opponent, Stockton’s Franklin High School, 44-6. My 4 year old son, Erik, and I were delighted to attend and wish the Cougars well the rest of their season.
Monday, September 15, 2008
A Stroll Down Memory Lane
It is the 8th anniversary of the best decision of my life and marrying Kelsey. I think I got the better end of the deal, but she seems to think I’m worth keeping around. So, humor me a bit while I am a little sentimental about the reasons I love public education so much. At the risk of missing a few names, I thought that I would take a moment and list all the great public school teachers and educational professionals who had a tremendous impact in my life growing up in Colorado. While I don’t know if their experience with me was as impressive, if you would ever like to follow-up with them, I encourage you to carbon copy me on their response to your inquiries. I don’t know that any of them are still teaching, but you can still find my old stomping grounds in Aurora Public Schools (CO)—Vassar Elementary School, Arkansas Elementary School, Mrachek Middle School and Rangeview High School. From my days in AGATE to my senior pranks on the librarians, I still remember all of their names, and hope that I spell them correctly, though in no particular order.
Thank you to Mrs. VanDoornick (great insight into another culture different than mine), Mrs. Isler (how could I forget the hot-air balloon races), Mrs. Jones (a steady and caring hand), Mrs. Moore (from you I wanted to be a good speaker), Mrs. Able (a lady who knew how to make her students feel special), Mrs. Potashnik & Mr. Steele (I began and ended with this great couple), Mrs. Quam (repetition builds knowledge), Mr. Lynch (my mentor), Mr. Keyser (diligent and kind), Mr. Bergles (taught me to stand for something), Mr. Stine (a man open to the best ways of educating children, even when unpopular), Mr. Lemons (the benevolent and beloved king of his castle), Ms. Briscoe (earth science was never the same), Mrs. Hollis (I still have and use my vocabulary for college bounds students), Mr. Henderson (a caffinated Archimedes), Mrs. Curtis (I could have done more in Calculus), Mrs. Baker (an impeccable library), Mrs. Vickery (always a correlation of math and sport scores, Go Broncos!), Mrs. Clark (yes, “of” sounds like it needs a “v” but it doesn’t), Mrs. Wehner (I’ll have to send you a pumpkin in heavan), Ms. Frese (I never abbreviated on term papers, again), Mr. Klassen (Pythagoras and volleyball courts do mix and I used that knowledge to pay my way through college), Mrs. Kershner (best note taking advice ever), Mr. Hughes (I try and stand up for that one who can’t stand up for themselves), Mr. Burton (there is something about speaking in public often and early), Mrs. Cutshall (Boy’s State brought me here in life), Mrs. Allen (thanks for your understanding with the books stunt in the library), Mr. Salvano (you almost made me want to be MacGyver…almost), Mr. Antolini (great coaches can do and teach), Mr. DeConna (my AP scores didn’t matter much in college, but your classes did), Frau Dovas-Hudson (Veilleicht?), Mrs. Eskridge (I still recite poetry to my kids learned in your class—“Whan that aprill with his shoures soote…”), Mr. Loverde (a counselor in the truest sense), Mrs. Noone (had an eye and patience for comic relief who could never memorize his lines), Herr Thompson (Veilen Dank!).
I have fond memories of our time together and I know that you created a legacy of educational excellence that has been passed down to many of my friends who went back and are teaching in the district now. Please drop me a line if you would like to reminisce.
Thank you to Mrs. VanDoornick (great insight into another culture different than mine), Mrs. Isler (how could I forget the hot-air balloon races), Mrs. Jones (a steady and caring hand), Mrs. Moore (from you I wanted to be a good speaker), Mrs. Able (a lady who knew how to make her students feel special), Mrs. Potashnik & Mr. Steele (I began and ended with this great couple), Mrs. Quam (repetition builds knowledge), Mr. Lynch (my mentor), Mr. Keyser (diligent and kind), Mr. Bergles (taught me to stand for something), Mr. Stine (a man open to the best ways of educating children, even when unpopular), Mr. Lemons (the benevolent and beloved king of his castle), Ms. Briscoe (earth science was never the same), Mrs. Hollis (I still have and use my vocabulary for college bounds students), Mr. Henderson (a caffinated Archimedes), Mrs. Curtis (I could have done more in Calculus), Mrs. Baker (an impeccable library), Mrs. Vickery (always a correlation of math and sport scores, Go Broncos!), Mrs. Clark (yes, “of” sounds like it needs a “v” but it doesn’t), Mrs. Wehner (I’ll have to send you a pumpkin in heavan), Ms. Frese (I never abbreviated on term papers, again), Mr. Klassen (Pythagoras and volleyball courts do mix and I used that knowledge to pay my way through college), Mrs. Kershner (best note taking advice ever), Mr. Hughes (I try and stand up for that one who can’t stand up for themselves), Mr. Burton (there is something about speaking in public often and early), Mrs. Cutshall (Boy’s State brought me here in life), Mrs. Allen (thanks for your understanding with the books stunt in the library), Mr. Salvano (you almost made me want to be MacGyver…almost), Mr. Antolini (great coaches can do and teach), Mr. DeConna (my AP scores didn’t matter much in college, but your classes did), Frau Dovas-Hudson (Veilleicht?), Mrs. Eskridge (I still recite poetry to my kids learned in your class—“Whan that aprill with his shoures soote…”), Mr. Loverde (a counselor in the truest sense), Mrs. Noone (had an eye and patience for comic relief who could never memorize his lines), Herr Thompson (Veilen Dank!).
I have fond memories of our time together and I know that you created a legacy of educational excellence that has been passed down to many of my friends who went back and are teaching in the district now. Please drop me a line if you would like to reminisce.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Back to School Nights
Another week of campaigning has passed and I have enjoyed the opportunity to meet so many great people who care about the district and its success. I spent a couple of evenings with the parents, teachers, staff, administration and others at both Bella Vista High School’s and Starr King K-8’s Back to School Nights. I met a lot of people who are very passionate about their kids in the district whether it be a veteran Calculus teacher who has an impeccable track record for preparing her students for the AP tests and/or college, or the secretary who makes sure all the students are in the right place at the right time everyday, or the administrator who is concerned about test scores and its attendant funding or the parents who were sheparding through a newly minted and sanctioned athletic program. We have a strong supporting cast of characters in this district who will stop at no end in making sure that our students have a first rate education while they are in and even when they are outside of the classroom.
With the elections in November, you may be, as many people are, consumed by the large events in life and are not aware at the impact a school board can have on the community, especially in these tough economic times. Understandably, with the unrest in the world, there is some cognitive dissonance between importance of both an historic presidential election (no matter what side of the isle one sits, politically) and the results of a down-ticket school board election. When we are not personally engaged with those running for office, there is little motivation to vote for the people who are not campaigning on television every day. I know that I’ve abstained from voting for certain offices previously because I wasn’t sufficiently familiar or in agreement with a person’s stances on the issues.
I am optimistic that as you, with the rest of the public, see the enormity of the school district and the effect that a small board of 5 trustees will have on not only their children’s future, but on the future of the community, that you’ll be fully engaged in the process. One need not have a child in the district to know that responsible leadership at all levels, even to the most elemental slice of democracy—the school district—is essential to a functioning society. We should be concerned with the students we send from our schools, with and without diplomas. We cannot be worried about a global economy unless we have a thriving local community, and that starts with an educated populace who is willing to serve their neighbors for the entirety of their lives.
So, because I am the product of a good public education, and because I saw the miracles my mother worked in the schools where she volunteered my entire school life, and because I remember the profound impact that my teachers had on me, not only while I went to school with them, but even after I graduated college and spent some time teaching with them as an non-credentialed educational assistant, I am running for school board. It doesn’t get too much more complicated than that. I am a concerned and involved parent of two boys who would like to see a prosperous and vigorous school district and is willing to put his integrity on the line.
I hope this reason for running is acceptable. I hope you can see the passion I have for our kids in my eyes and believe that I have what it takes to be a good trustee. No matter what you choose, I hope that I can maintain your confidence and that it is articulated on your ballot as you go to the voting booth on November 4.
With the elections in November, you may be, as many people are, consumed by the large events in life and are not aware at the impact a school board can have on the community, especially in these tough economic times. Understandably, with the unrest in the world, there is some cognitive dissonance between importance of both an historic presidential election (no matter what side of the isle one sits, politically) and the results of a down-ticket school board election. When we are not personally engaged with those running for office, there is little motivation to vote for the people who are not campaigning on television every day. I know that I’ve abstained from voting for certain offices previously because I wasn’t sufficiently familiar or in agreement with a person’s stances on the issues.
I am optimistic that as you, with the rest of the public, see the enormity of the school district and the effect that a small board of 5 trustees will have on not only their children’s future, but on the future of the community, that you’ll be fully engaged in the process. One need not have a child in the district to know that responsible leadership at all levels, even to the most elemental slice of democracy—the school district—is essential to a functioning society. We should be concerned with the students we send from our schools, with and without diplomas. We cannot be worried about a global economy unless we have a thriving local community, and that starts with an educated populace who is willing to serve their neighbors for the entirety of their lives.
So, because I am the product of a good public education, and because I saw the miracles my mother worked in the schools where she volunteered my entire school life, and because I remember the profound impact that my teachers had on me, not only while I went to school with them, but even after I graduated college and spent some time teaching with them as an non-credentialed educational assistant, I am running for school board. It doesn’t get too much more complicated than that. I am a concerned and involved parent of two boys who would like to see a prosperous and vigorous school district and is willing to put his integrity on the line.
I hope this reason for running is acceptable. I hope you can see the passion I have for our kids in my eyes and believe that I have what it takes to be a good trustee. No matter what you choose, I hope that I can maintain your confidence and that it is articulated on your ballot as you go to the voting booth on November 4.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
A Day to Remember
I can still remember the day that I walked onto my college campus for an early morning English class and my Hebrew teacher ran up to me and cried, “A plane has flown into the World Trade Center. We’re being attacked.” I rushed into my class as a small and concerted stir began about the morning’s events. We had a television in the classroom, but the professor didn’t want us to lose focus on why we were there, so we chatted a little bit about the first plane crash hashing out the sketchy details before us when his cell phone rang. It was his wife. She only called in emergencies. He asked us for our permission and then took the call to learn that the second tower had been hit. We promptly turned on the news and were glued to one set or another all day long trying to piece together the madness that was this terrorist attack.
That is, except for one hour when the entire campus gathered for its regular devotional at the basketball arena. I don’t know who many people were there, but it seats over 22,000 people and the place was packed. It began with a song and a prayer and our university president lead us in prayer. We then sang, God Bless America with all the reverence and fervor we could render and we waded through the confused emotions of a nation under attack. It had to be the largest gathering of people under one roof that day, bowed in humble thought and prayer.
That day changed everything. We were united in purpose and solidarity. We were one nation under God, if there had ever been any doubt about our status with the heavens. We knew that freedom and liberty were besieged that day by those who hate our democracy. We have shown our foes that we are not easily overcome. I’ll never forget that day or those who made the ultimate sacrifice. So to those of our brave loved and lost, Kelsey, Erik, Brock and I say a prayer for you and for your families—especially those who left their little ones behind—and wish you God’s speed.
That is, except for one hour when the entire campus gathered for its regular devotional at the basketball arena. I don’t know who many people were there, but it seats over 22,000 people and the place was packed. It began with a song and a prayer and our university president lead us in prayer. We then sang, God Bless America with all the reverence and fervor we could render and we waded through the confused emotions of a nation under attack. It had to be the largest gathering of people under one roof that day, bowed in humble thought and prayer.
That day changed everything. We were united in purpose and solidarity. We were one nation under God, if there had ever been any doubt about our status with the heavens. We knew that freedom and liberty were besieged that day by those who hate our democracy. We have shown our foes that we are not easily overcome. I’ll never forget that day or those who made the ultimate sacrifice. So to those of our brave loved and lost, Kelsey, Erik, Brock and I say a prayer for you and for your families—especially those who left their little ones behind—and wish you God’s speed.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Lance on the Radio
I’ll have a chance to call into The Capitol Hour on KTKZ 1380AM on Wednesday, September 10th between the hours of Noon and 1 pm to talk about my campaign for the San Juan Unified School Board on November 4 in addition to other local candidates for office.
Special invited guests include: Sen. Tom McClintock, GOP nominee for CD 4 & Mayor Abram Wilson, Republican nominee for AD 15 and others.
You can find the live audio streaming at http://www.ktkz.com/ for those of you without your AM radio close by or if you are out of the Sacramento Region. I hope you can listen to the show!
Special invited guests include: Sen. Tom McClintock, GOP nominee for CD 4 & Mayor Abram Wilson, Republican nominee for AD 15 and others.
You can find the live audio streaming at http://www.ktkz.com/ for those of you without your AM radio close by or if you are out of the Sacramento Region. I hope you can listen to the show!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Absentee Ballots
We’re soon approaching the time that absentee ballots will be distributed to the public. That usually occurs about 30 days out from the election in November meaning that if you are a permanent absentee voter or wish to be, you may receive your ballot the first week in October. For instructions on how to do this, go to the Sacramento County Registrar’s Office and they can walk you through the steps. They have also added a new feature to verify that you are registered to vote. Simply go to this website and enter in the required information and they’ll give you an indication that you are or are not registered to vote.
It is important that your 18 year old students are registered to vote and that your students attending college out of the area are also registered to receive their absentee ballot by mail.
Many men and women have fought, bled and died for the voting franchise, and if we don’t choose to exercise our right to vote, we’re allowing others to make critical and important decisions in our behalf.
It is important that your 18 year old students are registered to vote and that your students attending college out of the area are also registered to receive their absentee ballot by mail.
Many men and women have fought, bled and died for the voting franchise, and if we don’t choose to exercise our right to vote, we’re allowing others to make critical and important decisions in our behalf.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Accountability Progress Reporting (APR)
On Thursday, the California Department of Education issued the much anticipated results of the Accountability Progress Reporting (APR) for every school and district in the state. The report generally demonstrates the status of improvement in educational thresholds developed over the last 6 years since the federal No Child Left Behind legislation was adopted. It involves both the state Academic Performance Index (API), and the federal Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and Program Improvement categories. In order for schools to receive Title I funds, schools need to achieve a progressive standard from year to year based upon a number of factors. There are a lot of nuances with the reporting requirements so without getting mired in all the details, the standards for our students were raised and while several schools did very well. While a few schools came off the PI list and are to be commended, the district, as a whole, didn’t meet the challenge as we should have for the second year in a row. Thus, the entire San Juan Unified School District is on the Program Improvement list which means that there are a series of corrective actions to be taken by the district to rectify the problem.
There is a lot to figure out right now, and it’s not appropriate to point any fingers of blame until we have a handle on the situation. I urge our school leaders to make the necessary inquiries and decisions to get on back on track to student achievement and excellence and off the PI list.
That being said, this is the time where all parents and voters in the district should stand and be counted with those who want accountability from their schools. This is the time when we should be looking for a better way to teach our children rather than pushing reforms off until later. This is a time where we insist on more flexibility in our categorical spending from state lawmakers so that our teachers can get a larger percentage of the resources they need out of hundreds of thousands of dollars allocated in each classroom each year actually spent in the classroom. If we do not take these steps now, and our district does not improve its situation, there is a potential that the sanctions could dramatically affect our school funding and impact our discretion over allocating resources and developing curriculum for years to come, abdicating that responsibility to the bureaucrats in the California Department of Education. With the fiscal condition of the state, our schools cannot stand to lose any more resources or control of the educational process.
Parents should be notified of the situation in the next week (if you haven’t heard already) most likely after the school board addresses this at their next meeting on Tuesday, September 9. I would encourage you to attend the board meeting, put your name on the list for a 2 minute public comment and ask any questions you have about how this is going to affect your children’s education.
Ask the hard questions, but don’t expect that someone else is going to solve this. Be ready to get involved. This is no time to rest on our laurels. Let’s work together to fix this. If our students continue to fail, we will then have no one to blame but ourselves. Again, it is time to stand and be counted.
There is a lot to figure out right now, and it’s not appropriate to point any fingers of blame until we have a handle on the situation. I urge our school leaders to make the necessary inquiries and decisions to get on back on track to student achievement and excellence and off the PI list.
That being said, this is the time where all parents and voters in the district should stand and be counted with those who want accountability from their schools. This is the time when we should be looking for a better way to teach our children rather than pushing reforms off until later. This is a time where we insist on more flexibility in our categorical spending from state lawmakers so that our teachers can get a larger percentage of the resources they need out of hundreds of thousands of dollars allocated in each classroom each year actually spent in the classroom. If we do not take these steps now, and our district does not improve its situation, there is a potential that the sanctions could dramatically affect our school funding and impact our discretion over allocating resources and developing curriculum for years to come, abdicating that responsibility to the bureaucrats in the California Department of Education. With the fiscal condition of the state, our schools cannot stand to lose any more resources or control of the educational process.
Parents should be notified of the situation in the next week (if you haven’t heard already) most likely after the school board addresses this at their next meeting on Tuesday, September 9. I would encourage you to attend the board meeting, put your name on the list for a 2 minute public comment and ask any questions you have about how this is going to affect your children’s education.
Ask the hard questions, but don’t expect that someone else is going to solve this. Be ready to get involved. This is no time to rest on our laurels. Let’s work together to fix this. If our students continue to fail, we will then have no one to blame but ourselves. Again, it is time to stand and be counted.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Visiting Our Schools
One of the best parts of running for school board is the opportunity to meet the good people of this district. One strategy I have used to understand our schools better is visiting different schools for their various Back to School Nights. Over the last week, I’ve visited every school I can get to as allowed by my schedule. Whitney Avenue Elementary has a great group of education professionals and parents who are working hard to have their students excel. I can see their efforts in improving their achievement standards paying off. Coyle Avenue Elementary was very welcoming to me and I saw how impressive their staff is. They are very excited about some of the summer improvements they’ve made with the facility and it’s new curb appeal. Casa Roble High School had a large crowd of students, parents and teachers all excited to be back in classes. I attended with a friend of mine who is a Class of 1996 alumnus and we had a delightful time chatting with all of his favorite teachers and coaches. He couldn’t stop smiling as he remembered the great times he had there years ago. Arden Middle School was a beehive of activity and I fortunately knew a dozen or so parents and was able to meet several dynamic and impressive including teachers, parents, PTA members and the principal. I could feel the enthusiasm from everyone as I visited a number of classes. As we continue to engage both the school professionals and parents in discussing the needs of our students, we’ll see our children better prepared for life.
In visiting these schools, I was also encouraged by the use of technology to communicate grades, homework and other essential information between the school and parents. There is a tremendous amount of information that floats around our schools. When we can manage and deliver it more effectively, then everyone has a better chance to contribute and succeed. I’d like to make the use of technology a hallmark of my tenure as a trustee. Hopefully, we can soon implement a longitudinal data system to accurately track the progress of each student that comes through our classroom doors every year. The current method of analyzing aggregated test scores gives us only a broad idea of what is happening to our kids. If we really want to know how to focus in on students and their individual needs, we need to know how that specific individual is doing. Then we can know how we are really progressing as a district.
I’ll continue attending Back to School Nights and Open Houses as long as they are happening. I’ll be at Bella Vista High School on Wednesday, September 10 for anyone who is interested in meeting me. Please send me an email if you would like to introduce me to any of your friends there that night. I look forward to seeing you there.
In visiting these schools, I was also encouraged by the use of technology to communicate grades, homework and other essential information between the school and parents. There is a tremendous amount of information that floats around our schools. When we can manage and deliver it more effectively, then everyone has a better chance to contribute and succeed. I’d like to make the use of technology a hallmark of my tenure as a trustee. Hopefully, we can soon implement a longitudinal data system to accurately track the progress of each student that comes through our classroom doors every year. The current method of analyzing aggregated test scores gives us only a broad idea of what is happening to our kids. If we really want to know how to focus in on students and their individual needs, we need to know how that specific individual is doing. Then we can know how we are really progressing as a district.
I’ll continue attending Back to School Nights and Open Houses as long as they are happening. I’ll be at Bella Vista High School on Wednesday, September 10 for anyone who is interested in meeting me. Please send me an email if you would like to introduce me to any of your friends there that night. I look forward to seeing you there.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Welcome to My Blog
We're up and running! I finally have a site that the constituents of the San Juan Unified School District can use to discuss the issues that face them every day as I ask for their vote this November 4th. Would you take a moment and peruse the site and register as a volunteer. If you think I have what you are looking for in a candidate for school board member, please endorse me and consider making a donation so that I can continue to host this platform and promote my message in print.
I’ve been asked many times, “Lance, are you crazy? Why would you run for school board?” I will often respond with two reasons: my sons.
I didn't jump into this race without a lot of thought and discussion with my adorable wife, Kelsey. We knew that if we wanted good things for our children as they transition into the district over the next couple of years that we needed to get more involved in our public schools. Kelsey and I are both the products of the public education system. I received my diploma from Rangeview High School in Aurora and Kelsey is a graduate of North High School in Bakersfield. We know that great things can happen when parents are supportive of their children's education from an early age and engage with their teachers and principals to effectuate excellence and success.
After registering for the ballot on the last possible day to register (August 8, 2008, when Americans began their domination of the Olympic games in Beijing—perhaps it was a sign), I knew that if I were to be in a penny, I had to be in for a pound. And with all the support we've had from friends, this has been a good, though demanding, decision. I didn't expect any less and we hope for the best.
I've spent the last couple of weeks pounding the pavement to get a feel for the district and its needs. I've begun meeting with any and all interested groups and have been attending as many community meetings and events as I can squeeze into my calendar. I've sought endorsements from several locally elected officials and leaders in the community and they continue to roll in. That portends well for my campaign, and as nice as they are, I would cherish your endorsement even more.
I've had discussions on the successes of the district and some of its challenges. Many of you have not been shy in expressing your concerns about what affects you and your students. I welcome any and all ideas on how we can make this district serve our students better, for my primary goal is to have our children be educated and graduate from high school so that they may go on to be productive citizens in our community. Everything else is an appendage to that goal.
So, in that vein, I’ll try and convey my thoughts about where we can go from here and how we can realize our successes and contemplate our challenges so that we may recast our district, the San Juan Unified Schools, as the best district in the state.
I look forward to meeting you and working with you over the next 62 days.
I’ve been asked many times, “Lance, are you crazy? Why would you run for school board?” I will often respond with two reasons: my sons.
I didn't jump into this race without a lot of thought and discussion with my adorable wife, Kelsey. We knew that if we wanted good things for our children as they transition into the district over the next couple of years that we needed to get more involved in our public schools. Kelsey and I are both the products of the public education system. I received my diploma from Rangeview High School in Aurora and Kelsey is a graduate of North High School in Bakersfield. We know that great things can happen when parents are supportive of their children's education from an early age and engage with their teachers and principals to effectuate excellence and success.
After registering for the ballot on the last possible day to register (August 8, 2008, when Americans began their domination of the Olympic games in Beijing—perhaps it was a sign), I knew that if I were to be in a penny, I had to be in for a pound. And with all the support we've had from friends, this has been a good, though demanding, decision. I didn't expect any less and we hope for the best.
I've spent the last couple of weeks pounding the pavement to get a feel for the district and its needs. I've begun meeting with any and all interested groups and have been attending as many community meetings and events as I can squeeze into my calendar. I've sought endorsements from several locally elected officials and leaders in the community and they continue to roll in. That portends well for my campaign, and as nice as they are, I would cherish your endorsement even more.
I've had discussions on the successes of the district and some of its challenges. Many of you have not been shy in expressing your concerns about what affects you and your students. I welcome any and all ideas on how we can make this district serve our students better, for my primary goal is to have our children be educated and graduate from high school so that they may go on to be productive citizens in our community. Everything else is an appendage to that goal.
So, in that vein, I’ll try and convey my thoughts about where we can go from here and how we can realize our successes and contemplate our challenges so that we may recast our district, the San Juan Unified Schools, as the best district in the state.
I look forward to meeting you and working with you over the next 62 days.
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