How to get involved in the current budget decisions

The Medford schools face an extraordinary fiscal challenge.  Your ideas are important.  What are your priorities?  Go to: http://www.medford.k12.or.us/News.asp?NewsID=1473     Please leave your comments on this site as well so I will be aware of your concerns.

Some of the grandchildren

Guess which child attends Lone Pine?

I did it. I'm officially a candidate for position #6

I went to the County office and filed my papers.  I will be on the ballot.  For the many who signed my petitions, a hearty thank you.  Now I wait to see who will be running against me.  The next project is to prepare my statement for the voters' handbook.  It's tricky limiting yourself to 325 words!

Introduction: Who is Ron Andersen

I was one of the eight applicants for the vacancy appointment that was recently announced.  The Board debated for a considerable period of time between Marlene Yesquen and myself.  They had several 3-3 votes, and finally decided 4-2 on Marlene.  I have no trouble with that decision.  She will be an excellent board member.  Since then, several Board members, including some who did not vote for me, have strongly encouraged me to run and I have decided to do so.

I want you to see  an abridged resume, along with my answers on the application for the vacancy appointment.  Later Blogs will comment on the current budget debate and more about what I will work for if I'm elected:

Education:

         California State University, Sacramento, BA Economics

            Claremont Graduate School, Economics Fellowship

            Indiana State University, NDEA Fellowship

            Stanford University Fellow: Stanford Schools Collaborative, serving as coordinator of Economics Fellowships between Bay Area Secondary Educators and the Stanford Economics Department

Professional Background:

         Teacher, Elk Grove Unified School District, Washington Unified, Palo Alto Unified School District (35 years, 29 years in Palo Alto)

                       

Taught Social Studies, including Economics, Government, U.S. History, Contemporary World History, and Family Life Education, Life Skills,  including Michael Josephson’s “Character Counts” materials

            Property Investor/developer

Community Service

         Myriad School Committees in Palo Alto, including Ad Hoc Committee for  District Reconfiguration; Drug Education Committee;  Adolescent/Parent Drug Education Program; personally prepared District Curriculum materials for high school Drug Education

            Troop Committee Chairman, Boy Scouts of America; Stanford Area Council and  Crater Lake Council

            Palo Alto City Councilmember—elected 1989 & 1993; two 4-year terms;

                        Vice-Mayor 1997

                        During tenure carried out various City assignments, including:

                                    Finance Committee, Chair and member

                                    Policy & Procedures Committee Economic Outlook Committee

                                    East Palo Alto Liaison Committee

                                    Liaison to the Palo Alto Utilities Advisory Commission

 Member of National League of Cities Steering Committee on  Energy, Environment & Nat. Resources

                                    Regional Representative for Palo Alto to

                                                Santa Clara County Cities Association

                                    Representative to the Public Arts Commission

                                    Representative to the Midtown Merchants’ Association

                                    Representative to the Palo Alto Community Child Care Corp.

                                    Representative to the Palo Alto Housing Corporation

           

            Sacramento County Grand Jury 1967-68

            Napa County Grand Jury, 2001-2002, Foreperson, pro tempore

           

            City of Medford Budget Committee 2004-06

           

            Various Community Service Assignments through Church, including

                        Volunteer “Chaplain” at Rogue Valley Medical Center visiting ill                                                 patients and their families 2002-2004

            “Food and Friends” deliveries in Jacksonville/South Medford area 2003-2005;                                     2008 to present

           

Recognitions

            Palo Alto-Menlo Park Optimist Club for Outstanding Service Rendered to

                        Youth and Community 1993

            Palo Alto Stanford Heritage:  Preservationist of the Year 1996

            Santa Clara County Supervisors Commendation, 1997

            Congressperson Anna Eshoo, U.S. House of Representatives, Service  Commendation, 1998

Why do you wish to serve on the School Board?

Let’s face it: having never served on any Medford school committee or local parent organization, I am an unknown to this Board.  But as my resumé suggests, I’ve had a great deal of experience providing various forms of public service.  Might I add, I don’t need this appointment to satisfy some ego need or to receive “good works” recognition.  Frankly, I felt elective office was part of my past.

But as I observe the District being forced to deal with the many economic, social and cultural challenges, I believe I will provide a unique perspective and support that will help district employees, parents, and students be better able to accomplish the Mission of the District.

In addition to raising our own four children, along with two foster daughters, my wife and I have “adopted” several families in Medford whose children we consider part of our own extended family.  We frequently discuss school related matters as the children progress through the system.  As we attend various school functions and see the success (and challenges) the children deal with, there is much that impresses us, given the limited resources the District has at its disposal.  We want these children to receive the best education possible, and are anxious to help in that effort.  In addition to my own private tutoring of high school age youth, my wife is a retired elementary school teacher and she also has tutored the young ones, both at Woodrow Wilson Elementary, as well as  in our home.   We do this without recompense because we love to see children succeed.

I know of the extraordinary time demands placed on public servants, and am keenly aware of the tendency of various stake-holders to fire complaints toward those who serve, when their particular ox is gored.  I know how to keep balance and perspective, at the same time provide an empathetic ear and an understanding heart. I’m used to large “packets” for proper preparation for meetings, (no local packet can be more challenging than Palo Alto packets!) and am also aware of the many other meetings and activities Board members are expected to attend.  If selected, I will make the District’s needs my highest time priority. (One other advantage of being retired.)

I know how to work in a collegial manner, both with community members, professional staff and elected colleagues and I take pride in being able to maintain positive long term perspective when immediate challenges demand response.

Might I add, that although I’m a retired teacher, one who can have empathy and appreciation for the many challenges Medford teachers face, I am not necessarily their advocate.  I know the economic facts of life and where the resources go in the budget.  If State estimates are more than the amounts actually received, little can be done in the short term, without adversely affecting the classroom.  However, I, like all of the Board, will do all I can to provide as much as possible, the resources needed where “the rubber meets the road.”  I’m keenly aware of the extraordinary responsibility of being a steward of this vital community resource.

Attachment 2

What interests or concerns do you have regarding 549C schools?

By far the greatest challenge Medford schools face is adequate funding at a time when various unavoidable expenditures are increasing significantly.  PERS no doubt provides the best example.  The District’s dependence on State revenues when the State revenues are being badly hit by the general economy, slow student enrollment increases, and the possibility of the District’s Total Assessed Valuation diminishing to the point where there is an actual reduction in property tax revenue, all suggest there will likely be some extremely challenging future budget sessions.  [I have since reconsidered the likelihood of property tax revenue actually falling.  This is unlikely.  But the rate of increase is in doubt, and it may be flat in the future.]

Such economic challenges make it extremely difficult for the District to make major innovations or curricular improvements if there is any significant price tag.  Policy makers are likely to continue to face a zero sum game.  If we should add X, what do we eliminate?  If we wish to see more attention given to Civics/Government curriculum, what has to go?  If we wish to improve the science scores and give more time and resources to science curriculum, what do we reduce or eliminate?  If we wish to give students additional class time to improve math comprehension, where do we reduce time/resources?

And yet, improve we must.  I am convinced this district can continue to make significant advances with creative use of existing resources, especially the talented and innovative staff in the schools as well as in the community, additional utilization of the benefits of new technology, greater parental encouragement and involvement, along with improved coordination of volunteer and business services.  The key to such improvement requires long range strategic planning, coupled with inspired leadership.  We need to continue to set forth policies that make the Medford School District a destination district for the high tech companies this community so desperately needs.  The progress that the District has made, in spite of significant economic challenges, must continue.

I am also interested in being a voice for additional volunteer and mentoring efforts. Because of the incredible number of retired talents in this community, I believe there’s a great deal of potential for more one-on-one involvement for young people who need individual attention.  To get more volunteer involvement, the District’s elected representatives, in cooperation with the District staff, need to assist recruiting this under-utilized reservoir of talent.  Instead of individuals having to seek out the District to offer their services, the District’s elected public servants, in cooperation with staff, can be a big influence encouraging greater involvement through various public forums. 

Another challenge facing the District is the remarkable range of socio-economic and cultural diversity the students bring to the District, presenting a myriad of challenges, but especially the challenge associated with poverty.  The District has addressed many of these challenges in remarkably creative ways, as the budget reflects, but the challenges will continue to demand creative and cost-effective efforts by all facets of the District community and the full cooperation of many community resources.