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7 Conejo school board hopefuls answer questions
Candidates address such topics as campus closures, fiscal responsibility
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More from EducationSchool closures, fiscal responsibility, the achievement gap and intelligent design versus evolution are just some of the issues that seven candidates for the Conejo Valley Unified School District board discussed as they faced prospective constituents during a forum Sunday.
About 100 people attended the afternoon forum at the Thousand Oaks High School Performing Arts Center, where candidates John Andersen, Peggy Buckles, Betsy Connolly, Dennis Hatland, Douglas Nickles, Julie Svitenko and Marlon Williams answered pre-selected questions as well as questions from the audience.
Candidate Scott Lamp was not at the forum.
The eight candidates are vying for two open seats in the Nov. 4 election.
The event was organized by the Conejo Council Parent Teachers Association and moderated by Pepperdine University law professor Richard Cupp.
Four of the candidates said they opposed the school board's decision to close Meadows and University schools in fall 2009. The board voted in March to shutter the two schools because of declining enrollment.
Svitenko said the two schools should remain open and questioned the current board's decision to purchase new portable buildings.
"We could've thought outside of the box," said Svitenko, who has a child at University School.
Nickles, Williams and Andersen also agreed that the schools should not be closed.
Andersen said the district would only save a fraction of 1 percent of the district's total budget by closing campuses.
However, Connolly, Buckles and Hatland said closing the two schools was the fiscally responsible decision.
"It's an unfortunate fact of life," Buckles said as she talked about declining enrollment and shrinking coffers because of the state and national budget crisis. "We will all be disappointed if we keep the schools open."
Connolly said she would rather see the money to go to support various programs in the district such as the arts and sports and keeping class sizes down.
"We can't help kids if we don't run a fiscally safe ship," Connolly said.
Rather than closing the schools, Svitenko said she would hold off on purchasing more portables and delay the construction of the district's planned $12 million to $14 million Conejo Community Learning Center.
Plans for the center, which will house Conejo Valley High School and other alternative and independent education programs, are on hold and will be discussed during a future school board meeting, Deputy Superintendent Jeffrey Baarstad said.
Williams said he would also vote against purchasing more portables, while Andersen said he would cut the $600,000 spent on district travel expenses.
In addressing the achievement gap, Hatland said the district should look at the successes of dual immersion programs in other school districts and provide more programs for English learners.
Nickles, however, said he supports single language immersion and focusing on teaching cultural differences.
"We need to reach out to the families, as well," Nickles said.
Cupp also asked the candidates about their views on teaching intelligent design or evolution in the classroom.
Connolly, Hatland, Buckles, Svitenko and Andersen said they support the state Board of Education's decision to require teaching evolution in the classroom.
Andersen, however, said he supports teaching intelligent design at high schools. Hatland said high schools should also have the flexibility to include intelligent design discussions, while Nickles said he supports teaching intelligent design.
Toward the end of the three-hour forum, each candidate was asked what issues he or she would bring to the forefront that have not been already addressed by the current board.
Williams said more needs to be done "to take care of the financial situation" in the district, while Andersen said the district needs to do a better job of figuring out why families continue to leave the district.
Buckles said the district should track students as they move on to college and see how many actually graduate or take a different path to trade schools, also known as career tech.
Connolly said she would like to see better communication among teachers, students and parents, while Hatland would like to see formation of apprenticeship academies in career tech.
Svitenko said district business should be more "transparent," while Nickles said the district should "fully address" and help rebuild parents' confidence in the district.
Posted by live_for_purpose on October 6, 2008 at 1:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We cram up to 42 kids per classroom, do not teach basic values to kids, raise kids on video games and other attention-destroying devices and practices, indulge them, fail to discipline them, let people who don't know English pour into our country illegally and then we wonder why achievement isn't where we'd like it to be. Look in the mirror to find out why.
Posted by koolwhazzup on October 6, 2008 at 10:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Connolly and Buckles sound like clones of Beaubion
and Didio.
Their uninformed comments about school closures
and saving money is nothing more than "happy talk"!!!
Posted by cleareyes on October 6, 2008 at 11:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
koolwhazzup
you could not be more right -
buckles stammered around answering a question she lost her train of thought on
can anyone else say Didio??
and Connelly - said that she was glad to be 'endorsed' by both unions - but didn't give the
dollar amount that she was 'endorsed' with -
or should we say PAID off with
can anyone else say Beaubain?? - whose pockets were not deep enough
A vote for these two is a vote to bring back Beaubian and Didio
Posted by Equitable_Enforcer on October 6, 2008 at 12:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
live_for_purpose, well spoken!!!
My wife, an Asian immigrant who speaks four languages and whose primary language WAS other than English, taught school in Ventura County for over 25 years. Her belief is that English only is the wasy to go and that bi-lingual ballots for people who are supposed to speak English to become citizens is idiotic. In her words, any group who says it has to go bi-lingual is somehow inferior --- or simply trying to get more money from the primary tax payers. Language is a binding force and that language must be English. No crutches.
Posted by VikingPrincess on October 6, 2008 at 12:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I was at the forum and as previously mentioned, Buckles and Connelly were a complete double for Didio and Beaubien. Almost each and everytime they finished an answer, they would look at eachother (especially Connolly) and smile at the other as if "didn't I do a good job with that one?!??!". Pleeeeeease let us not have a repeat and elect these 2.
After attending the forum yesterday I really felt a sincere and qualified candidate to consider was Julie Svitenko. I think she brings good fiscal qualifications, good managment qualifications, a really good history in the marketing industry that could ONLY be an asset to the struggling enrollment...as kids are leaving left and right, a passion for the children and an ability to work well with the board.
I really look forward to a new generation of partnerhips on our board and I think Julie Svitenko will be a great addition.
Posted by cleareyes on October 6, 2008 at 7:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Viking Princess,
I could not agree more -
the forum was more proof that buckles and connolly are didio/beubian clones - I only hope that a lot of people that couldn't make it yesterday watch it on TV
Julie Svietko did a great job! she seems to have a great current knowledge of what CVUSD has been up to - and wants to know what they are hiding -
fiscal transparency should be mandatory
but with the current administration, it's on the back burners, Julie was on track when she said that financial information that they leave for the end of meeting SHOULD be upfront in the beginning
what they count it is everyone getting tired of all dog and pony stuff and going home and then they sneak thru the
taxpayer dollar info
Posted by elephantpower on October 7, 2008 at 8:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The best candidates for "trustees" to be entrusted with $232M are those who have dealt with big dollars. Do NOT trust your tax money to Buckles and Connelly who are only interested in a liberal agenda of social engineering. Both are pro SB 777, which requires teachers to teach the social contributions of LGBT, Lesbian Gay Bisexual and transgender people. In other words, tell children historical theories/myths such as that Lincoln shared a bed with his attorney business partner for 5 years, (yes, it was VERY cold in those days, and that doesn't prove that Lincoln was gay).
Also, Buckles and Connelly are both very big in the County PTA, which is a registered politically lobbying group. Why haven't they told the community about the current bill SB 1322, which will allow members of the communist party to teach in public schools? Why do they support changing current California law? Let's hope the Governor vetoes SB 1322.
Connelly also supports counselors taking pregnant girls out of school for abortions, during class time. This is against CVUSD standing policy that requires parental notification about seeking medical care for students. That is social engineering. School personnel should stay OUT of this. Girls who decide on abortions can go on the weekends or evenings, if they want. Taxpayers should NOT be paying counselors, nurses, or teachers to drive them to abortion clinics during class time. And those girls who choose to keep their illegitimate babies, should NOT expect CVUSD taxpayers to provide babysitting and special classrooms for the babies and their mothers. This is done in Oxnard. What a stupid message to send to the young generation. Now there is NO shame in bringing ba____rd fatherless babies into this world. I say, bring back shame. Bring back social pressure to have personal responsibility for your actions. Bring back a sense of duty to country. Stop all this entitlement mentality. Stop the social programs of the PTA by boycotting the PTA, and switching to non-political parent groups such as PFAs, PTOs, PCOs, etc.
Posted by elephantpower on October 7, 2008 at 8:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The California PTA is NOT your mother's PTA of the 50's and 60's. Most of America has gotten rid of this radical leftist organization. The California PTA supports leftist socialist legislation. Go to the PTA state website, and read for yourself their mission to control the subjects taught in public schools, and to control legislation that is OUTSIDE education, such as pollution and oil drilling, and whatever else their summer convention comes up with.
Alert: The Ventura County Office of Education has given control of a publicly owned building at the Camarillo Airport to this private political group, RENT FREE!!!. Here is what the PTA Council wrote in The Poinsetta, their July/Aug newsletter, about former Supt Chuck Weis. Nice move, Chuck. He is feathering his nest, in expectation of having the California PTA deliver him 5 million votes in 2010 when he runs for State Supt of Instruction.
"His support of our organization was evident in so many ways...His assurance that 12th District would continue to have office and meeting space following the opening of the new county education building on Adolfo Road in Camarillo. A quaint cottage near the original county education buildings and Camarillo airport was painted, carpeted, and furnished as our new home."
Tell your County Supervisor that you object to this use of taxpayer money for a political lobbying group.
Nice that Peggy Buckles helped arrange for taxpayers to give her rent-free office space. She is the District Legislative Chair of the District 12 PTA. It is her duty to inform parents of dangerous bills. Why didn't she tell us about SB 1322 or SB 777? Was she too busy going to parties and conventions?
Posted by Poppa on October 10, 2008 at 2:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
John Andersen is a dangerous extremist like Mike Dunn, don't vote for him!
Posted by jz_4_JC on October 12, 2008 at 9:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
John Andersen is the type of board member our children need. Please consider voting for John.
Posted by openyoureyes on October 12, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks Poppa!
You confirmed my VOTE FOR JOHN ANDERSEN! I've been following your posts for quite some time and it is obvious that anyone with an education and anyone who cares about education and the CHILDREN and families of cvusd would do exactly the opposite of your recommendations and/or comments. You are extremely "D"eceptive and "D"estructive. Huh, might you be "D"idio?
koolwhazzup...you are right on...
buckles and connelly are just copies of the useless board members leaving (thank God)! They would only continue the disaster in cvusd created by the two old women. They do not offer anything positive for the district.
Posted by nugget11 on October 13, 2008 at 9:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I suggest you check out the claims John Anderson makes in his ads. His business, The Conejo Grind, is for sale. Is this due to operating in the red? He claims to be a financial adviser. Who are his clients exactly and what is the name of his business? Is he really just unemployed?
He wants Intelligent Design taught in the high schools. Has he read the First Amendment?
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