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."
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