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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.