13 replies to this topic

[SCA]

I'm a frequent reader and occasional poster on this forum and am excited to tell you that I will be joining the Folsom Cordova School Board in December. Zak Ford, Richard Shaw and Ed Short all have terms ending this year and only Zak and Ed sought re-election. I was the only other candidate to file papers so we will not appear on the November ballot. And, yes, I am very surprised and do think it's a bit sad that the race didn't attract more interest. Maybe everyone is focused on the city council races - both Folsom and Rancho Cordova have large fields. Nevertheless, I thought I would tell you a little bit about myself and let you know how to contact me.

My husband and I have lived in Folsom for ten years. We have a son in fifth grade at Russell Ranch and an 8th grade daughter who divides her time between the Folsom Cordova Community Charter School and FMS.

I currently serve as PTA President at Russell Ranch, on Folsom's Library Commission and on the board of the Folsom Chamber. I served five years on the board of the Folsom Cordova Education Foundation.

I was very fortunate to stay home with my kids full-time when they were younger and now work around their schedules. I am a licensed life and health insurance agent and serve as VP of my family's insurance business. My husband is a PE and adaptive PE teacher in the San Juan District.

I believe all students in the district should be offered a high-quality, well-rounded education at their neighborhood schools. I believe that good teachers are a good investment. I believe that good teachers, not standardized tests, provide the most accurate assessment of a student's progress. I believe that taxpayer dollars should be spent efficiently and effectively with individual schools having as much autonomy and flexibility as possible.

I plan to spend the next few months learning as much as I can about our district, its students and its finances. I welcome your questions, comments, concerns and feedback. The only promises I make are to be accessible, to listen, and to make common sense decisions based on what is best for our students. Feel free to email me at sarahaquino@sbcglobal.net or call my cell phone at (916)798-5380.

Sarah Aquino

[cw68]

Thank you for your willingness to take on what seems to be a thankless job.

[Steve Heard]

Congrats, Sarah! You have my vote, even though you don't need it!

[Rich_T]

This may seem like a naive question, but what do school board members actually do, that would distinguish one from another?  I always assume that the schools will keep chugging along either way, and will do well or poorly based on the commitment from the students, their parents, and their teachers.  How do board members fit into this?  Do they ever successfully intervene to keep certain programs going, like music?  In general, is it all about budgetary stuff?  Does it involve arguing/dealing with the State education bureaucracy?  Do teachers' unions figure into it?  Are there ever lawsuits to deal with?  What else might go on?

 

In any case, you seem like a lock to be elected, Sarah, since the number of candidates matches the number of vacancies.  I hope you enjoy the role, and are able to make the difference you would like to make.

[SCA]

Hi Rich_T,
Here's how I see it. The role of the school board is to set district policy, and determine its priorities in the form of a budget. For example, a few years ago the district closed down Riverview Elementary School in Rancho Cordova due to budget cuts. That school was reopened this year as Riverview STEM Academy. According to the school's website, anyone may APPLY to go to school there - there are no attendance boundaries. If I had been on the board when that idea was proposed, I would have voted against it. I would have supported re-opening the school as a neighborhood school. I believe most parents, especially parents of elementary-aged children, want to send their kids to their neighborhood school because of convenience. If the school board thinks that STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) is vital to a well-rounded education, why not offer it at all the schools? If it's too expensive to offer at all the schools all the time, why not implement it one grade at a time? Or have STEM teachers that visit all the schools much like PE teachers. I don't mean to start a debate on this topic I'm just pointing out that these are the types of questions a school board must consider.

Yes, the district will function as long as the teachers and students are there, but it's the school board that makes these decisions. (And isn't it interesting that the farther away from the student the teacher gets the more he/she gets paid?!) In terms of the budget, it's the school board that has to make the hard decisions about what to cut during tough fiscal times but it also gets to determine what to fund when there is extra money. If there's extra money should it go to teacher salaries, class size reduction, supplies and programs that are routinely funded by PTAs or something else?

As far as how school board members differentiate themselves from one another I'm not sure yet. As I stated in my original post, my only promises are to be accessible, to listen, and to make common sense decisions based on what I believe is best for our students. If there's a budget deficit or surplus, I want to hear from district parents and taxpayers about what to cut or fund. You and I will not agree on everything but I will tell you what I think and why I vote the way I do.

And just to clarify, there will be no school board election in November. Only three candidates filed for three seats so it's a done deal. We will be sworn in at the December meeting. Although that relieves me of the time and expense of a campaign, the voters are deprived of choosing the candidates that best represent their values.

[Rich_T]

Thank you so much, Sarah - that really helps me understand.  I am also impressed by the quality of your thoughts and your writing style.

 

I can't imagine that there would be a budget surplus to allocate anytime soon, given the economic times in which we live, but government spending is a strange thing, so who knows?

 

Is it a paid position?  If so, then you are even smarter for having applied.  How often does a job opening get filled by a single applicant?

[SCA]

Board members receive a monthly stipend of $440. They are also eligible for health benefits which I will decline.

Thanks for the compliment on my writing style. My public education has served me well!

[DavidH]

Good luck Sarah.  You'll certainly have your hands full.

[JoAnne Reinking]

Congratulations and welcome Sarah. Looking forward to working with you.

[mac_convert]

Hi Rich_T,
Here's how I see it. The role of the school board is to set district policy, and determine its priorities in the form of a budget. For example, a few years ago the district closed down Riverview Elementary School in Rancho Cordova due to budget cuts. That school was reopened this year as Riverview STEM Academy. According to the school's website, anyone may APPLY to go to school there - there are no attendance boundaries. If I had been on the board when that idea was proposed, I would have voted against it. I would have supported re-opening the school as a neighborhood school. I believe most parents, especially parents of elementary-aged children, want to send their kids to their neighborhood school because of convenience. If the school board thinks that STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) is vital to a well-rounded education, why not offer it at all the schools? If it's too expensive to offer at all the schools all the time, why not implement it one grade at a time? Or have STEM teachers that visit all the schools much like PE teachers. I don't mean to start a debate on this topic I'm just pointing out that these are the types of questions a school board must consider.

Yes, the district will function as long as the teachers and students are there, but it's the school board that makes these decisions. (And isn't it interesting that the farther away from the student the teacher gets the more he/she gets paid?!) In terms of the budget, it's the school board that has to make the hard decisions about what to cut during tough fiscal times but it also gets to determine what to fund when there is extra money. If there's extra money should it go to teacher salaries, class size reduction, supplies and programs that are routinely funded by PTAs or something else?

As far as how school board members differentiate themselves from one another I'm not sure yet. As I stated in my original post, my only promises are to be accessible, to listen, and to make common sense decisions based on what I believe is best for our students. If there's a budget deficit or surplus, I want to hear from district parents and taxpayers about what to cut or fund. You and I will not agree on everything but I will tell you what I think and why I vote the way I do.

And just to clarify, there will be no school board election in November. Only three candidates filed for three seats so it's a done deal. We will be sworn in at the December meeting. Although that relieves me of the time and expense of a campaign, the voters are deprived of choosing the candidates that best represent their values.

Thanks for taking on the challenge, but you might want to investigate what a STEM school is before you make any decisions. You should know about the program because RR is in the process of transitioning into a STEM school! The STEM program cannot be run like the P.E. and Music programs the way our district currently offers to elementary students! The program is interwoven across all the academic disciplines. STEM ISN'T A CLASS! If you want to make some change . . . I challenge you to look at the IB school they've started at Cordova High. There is much inequality for those teachers! The demands of the new program are outrageous and not fair and they are certainly working harder than many teachers at other sites! 

 

Your words . . . "(And isn't it interesting that the farther away from the student the teacher gets the more he/she gets paid?!)" 

I hope you're implying administration makes far more, because teachers have taken pay cuts for many years in the name of "furloughs." Teachers make far less than a first year administrator and at times a teacher's job can be far more challenging!  Last year ALL FCUSD employees were given a 5% one time check to help reimburse losses for seven years of furlough days.  This was reported as a 5% raise in the news just last week and I haven't seen anything in the media to retract the statement.  The inaccuracies of teacher salaries listed in the news media a few weeks ago is just one example of how the media and much of the general public thinks teachers are overpaid! I would like to know what other jobs, that require a college degree plus grad school, who use their own funds to do their job? Teachers use far more than the $250 tax credit each year and take much abuse about how they work from 8-3 and have summers off! I hope you'll be an advocate for teachers like Mrs. Reinking!

[SCA]

Hi mac_convert - Yes, my point in saying that the farther a teacher gets from a student the more he/she earns was referring to the fact that principals make more than teachers, district administrators make more than principals, etc. And yet to Rich_T's point, the schools will still run as long as the teachers and students show up. I also saw the article in the Sac Bee that said FCUSD teachers received a 5% raise when really all employees received a one-time bonus.

I'm aware that Russell Ranch is being transitioned to a STEM school but all we've done so far is introduce Project Lead The Way into the classrooms. Last year one teacher per grade level piloted PLTW including my son's 4th grade teacher. This year the district provided our school $24,000 to implement PLTW school-wide. I know because our PTA is funding the shortfall. The question I have is if PLTW is so good for students, why would it only be offered at a few select schools? Why not expose all students in the district to it? I'm told there are no plans to do so. I believe JoAnne Reinking did suggest that it be introduced one grade level at a time across the entire district, or taught like PE and music. I get that STEM is supposed to be interwoven across all disciplines but to my knowledge the only thing we've done to date to make Russell Ranch a STEM school is added PLTW. I'm anxious to visit Riverview to see how they are doing things.

I am also interested to see the IB program at Cordova and to talk with the teachers. I have heard that it's a tremendous amount of extra work. I'm curious to see if students that live in our district but that are enrolled in the IB program at Mira Loma come back to our district. I'm told that if our district offers the same program as another district then a student's transfer request may be denied, but all the student has to do is appeal it with the County and the transfer will be granted.

I know I have a lot to learn so please keep the comments and questions coming! Or feel free to contact me directly.

[MikeinFolsom]

Quite possibly it could be sincere apathy towards the school district?  Nothing like going to a meeting, voicing a collective concern, then having the board do exactly what they wanted to in the first place?  Or better yet, how about paying 15k to an education attorney to fight the FCUSD when no attorney should have been needed at all?  The list goes on and on.  Congrats on your new position.  Hope you do better than your predecessors.  And no, I'm not bitter in the least.........

[cw68]

I'm curious to see if students that live in our district but that are enrolled in the IB program at Mira Loma come back to our district.

Do you mean Do you wonder if current Mira Loma IB student will transfer to Rancho? My guess is very few high school students would willingly change schools and would rather stay at their current school.

[tessieca]

I think you're right, CW.  We will likely retain kids in our district who would otherwise have gone to another IB school, but they won't change programs and come back if already attending somewhere else.  We expect that we will get increased numbers due to transfers in from students near non-IB schools (outside the district).

 

We're excited to have Sarah join us.  She'll be an asset to the district.