My responses to questions posted on Nextdoor
Please enlighten when, how and where to vote for school board.
A voter guide was recently mailed to all voters. If you have not yet registered to vote, there is still time. You can register on line at https://www.acvote.org/voting/register-to-vote. The voter guide lists polling locations. If you are registered as a Permanent Absentee Voter, you will receive a ballot in the mail that you can fill out and mail or drop off at a polling place on November 6th.
It will be great if aspiring candidates can share:
1. Their background experience with school education that makes them the best fit for this role.
The voter guide contains a ballot statement that lists the qualifications of three of the five school board candidates. (Two candidates did not choose to submit statements.) Additional information can be found on a candidate’s flyers, mailers and/or web sites. The League of Women Voters is hosting a candidate’s night on October 17th at the NUSD District Office at 6:00 pm. My website is www.nancythomas.org. I have 25 years of Hewlett-Packard industry experience as an electrical engineer and National Contributions Manager. In the latter role, I was responsible for developing the company’s K-12 education programs, including our K-6 Hand-on Science Program. I visited hundreds of classrooms and workshops and learned first-hand how experiential learning deepens students understanding of key concepts. I encouraged NUSD to participate in this and a subsequent National Science Foundation program that provided intense professional development in science for our K-8 teachers. The program is thriving to this day. My business and management experience have helped me in my role as a school board member. I work with my board colleagues to analyze our budgets, ask pertinent questions and suggest ways to provide resources while maintaining the district on a sound financial footing. I am perhaps the most vocal school board member in asking for and monitoring reports of our progress to ensure that our resources are used wisely. My background with school-related organizations includes ten years' as a board member of Kidango, an organization that provides pre-school education to over 4,000 Bay Area families and six years as a board member for BSCS (Biological Sciences Curriculum Study). I am a member of the CSBA (California School Boards Association) Delegate Assembly and I participate in advocacy work with our Sacramento elected officials. I am one of two CSBA representatives to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Federated Council, an organization that oversees high school athletics in California. I have participated in board-related training through CSBA including the Masters in Governance Program and Brown Act Training. My community activities include membership in the Newark Rotary Club and the Newark Optimist Club.
2. How they plan to improve the schools in Newark
Too few of our students are currently thriving in our schools. We must pay particular attention to our CAASPP math scores at the high school level. We completed a new K-12 math adoption last year that meets the new National Math Standards. It provides rich on-line resources and manipulatives to help students go in-depth to explore and understand key mathematical concepts. We are working with the Silicon Valley Math Initiative to provide professional development for our teachers to more effectively engage students in learning mathematical concepts. We have a dynamic science leadership team that is adapting our courses to meet the Next Generation Science Standards. We will spend this year updating our grading policies as well as our graduation requirements. Our goal is to increase the number of students meeting A-G requirements for admission to the UC/CSU system. We have added more than a dozen Advanced Placement courses at our high school, resulting in many more of our students taking AP classes. We recently passed a resolution declaring ourselves a STEAM district (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). Our upgraded technology infrastructure provides high speed internet access to every classroom. We have provided 1:1 Chromebooks to our students, we are installing state-of-the-art smart whiteboard projection systems in our classrooms, and each school is in the process of developing a Makers Space with technology for students to experience STEAM enrichment projects crossing all curricular areas.
3. How they plan to spend financial resources to improve the quality of education
Schools that have high numbers of English Learners and low-income families are apportioned additional funds to improve the outcomes for our disadvantaged student population. Our Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) describes how we are directing these supplemental funds and how we are responding to parent and stakeholder input. Examples of how the sites are using their allocations include intervention teachers, intervention programs, counselors for academic support and conflict resolution, and staff time to work on structures and discuss how to help underserved students. We have invested in an iReady instructional reading program customized to each student’s needs. We are in the process of providing drop-in homework centers at two locations in the district. After school STEAM enrichment programs will be offered this year at each elementary school provided by Ohlone for Kids. We have launched a very successful summer mathematics academy to help students who are behind to reach grade-level performance standards. Our PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention System) and mental health services, along with our new C-ATS (Alternatives to Suspension) program at the high school are working to minimize classroom disruptions and provide expanded services to students with behavioral issues. At the other end of the spectrum, we continue to challenge our high performing students through accelerated programs at the junior high and high school level and through additional AP course offerings at the high school. Our partnership with the Mission Valley ROP provides pathways for students on a Career Technical Education path. Our Ohlone Connections program gives students a head-start on earning college credits while completing their senior course completion requirements.
4. How they plan to hire and retain best teachers given current financial situation
We must do everything we can to attract teachers to work for our district. The financial situation we’re facing is not unlike those of other districts in Alameda County – declining enrollment coupled with dramatic increases in STRS and PERS retirement costs. We have experienced a decline of 112 students per year on average, largely due to our aging population over a period when only four new homes were built in town. Each student brings over $9,000 in revenue to the district. Between 2013-14 and 2020-21, our contributions to STRS and PERS will have increased by $3 million per year. New housing promises to bring new students, but not quickly enough to meet our immediate financial needs. In addition, an unanticipated drop of 141 students this year appears to have been caused in part by families moving out of the area due to the high cost of housing. In the short term we must step up our recruiting efforts, especially for special ed teachers. It is important that we develop a budget that provides wage increases to retain our staff. The superintendent has convened a budget advisory group that is examining how we can address our immediate budget crisis. An option I would like to explore includes consolidating schools. An elementary school size optimized for cost, efficiency and flexibility is about 600 students. Our average elementary school size is 380. Communicating this need to the community and considering various scenarios will be important moving forward. I would like to see us discuss transitioning to a middle school model at the Junior High School. Another idea I would like to see the district explore is workforce housing. There are models where employees are provided below-market rents over a period of years so they can save for a down payment on a home. This would be one way to attract and retain teachers. For all these ideas it is important to inform the community and seek their input.
5. What needs to be done to enroll more children into our public schools instead of going private
As a first step to increase our enrollment we need to better communicate the good things we are doing, some of which I outlined above. In the longer term we must show that we are improving student outcomes as measured by improved test scores, increased graduation rates, and more students meeting UC/CSU A-G admission requirements. At its October 2nd meeting, the Board approved a contract with Voler Strategic Advisors to provide tools, guidance and support for stakeholder engagement. Voler will help us create a public information infrastructure to clearly demonstrate why we are the best choice for the educational needs of Newark’s children. They will help us communicate the breadth of our programs and services, many of which go beyond what any private school can provide. Plans already underway to help with enrollment include streamlining our registration process and providing customer relations training for our staff.
A voter guide was recently mailed to all voters. If you have not yet registered to vote, there is still time. You can register on line at https://www.acvote.org/voting/register-to-vote. The voter guide lists polling locations. If you are registered as a Permanent Absentee Voter, you will receive a ballot in the mail that you can fill out and mail or drop off at a polling place on November 6th.
It will be great if aspiring candidates can share:
1. Their background experience with school education that makes them the best fit for this role.
The voter guide contains a ballot statement that lists the qualifications of three of the five school board candidates. (Two candidates did not choose to submit statements.) Additional information can be found on a candidate’s flyers, mailers and/or web sites. The League of Women Voters is hosting a candidate’s night on October 17th at the NUSD District Office at 6:00 pm. My website is www.nancythomas.org. I have 25 years of Hewlett-Packard industry experience as an electrical engineer and National Contributions Manager. In the latter role, I was responsible for developing the company’s K-12 education programs, including our K-6 Hand-on Science Program. I visited hundreds of classrooms and workshops and learned first-hand how experiential learning deepens students understanding of key concepts. I encouraged NUSD to participate in this and a subsequent National Science Foundation program that provided intense professional development in science for our K-8 teachers. The program is thriving to this day. My business and management experience have helped me in my role as a school board member. I work with my board colleagues to analyze our budgets, ask pertinent questions and suggest ways to provide resources while maintaining the district on a sound financial footing. I am perhaps the most vocal school board member in asking for and monitoring reports of our progress to ensure that our resources are used wisely. My background with school-related organizations includes ten years' as a board member of Kidango, an organization that provides pre-school education to over 4,000 Bay Area families and six years as a board member for BSCS (Biological Sciences Curriculum Study). I am a member of the CSBA (California School Boards Association) Delegate Assembly and I participate in advocacy work with our Sacramento elected officials. I am one of two CSBA representatives to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Federated Council, an organization that oversees high school athletics in California. I have participated in board-related training through CSBA including the Masters in Governance Program and Brown Act Training. My community activities include membership in the Newark Rotary Club and the Newark Optimist Club.
2. How they plan to improve the schools in Newark
Too few of our students are currently thriving in our schools. We must pay particular attention to our CAASPP math scores at the high school level. We completed a new K-12 math adoption last year that meets the new National Math Standards. It provides rich on-line resources and manipulatives to help students go in-depth to explore and understand key mathematical concepts. We are working with the Silicon Valley Math Initiative to provide professional development for our teachers to more effectively engage students in learning mathematical concepts. We have a dynamic science leadership team that is adapting our courses to meet the Next Generation Science Standards. We will spend this year updating our grading policies as well as our graduation requirements. Our goal is to increase the number of students meeting A-G requirements for admission to the UC/CSU system. We have added more than a dozen Advanced Placement courses at our high school, resulting in many more of our students taking AP classes. We recently passed a resolution declaring ourselves a STEAM district (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). Our upgraded technology infrastructure provides high speed internet access to every classroom. We have provided 1:1 Chromebooks to our students, we are installing state-of-the-art smart whiteboard projection systems in our classrooms, and each school is in the process of developing a Makers Space with technology for students to experience STEAM enrichment projects crossing all curricular areas.
3. How they plan to spend financial resources to improve the quality of education
Schools that have high numbers of English Learners and low-income families are apportioned additional funds to improve the outcomes for our disadvantaged student population. Our Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) describes how we are directing these supplemental funds and how we are responding to parent and stakeholder input. Examples of how the sites are using their allocations include intervention teachers, intervention programs, counselors for academic support and conflict resolution, and staff time to work on structures and discuss how to help underserved students. We have invested in an iReady instructional reading program customized to each student’s needs. We are in the process of providing drop-in homework centers at two locations in the district. After school STEAM enrichment programs will be offered this year at each elementary school provided by Ohlone for Kids. We have launched a very successful summer mathematics academy to help students who are behind to reach grade-level performance standards. Our PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention System) and mental health services, along with our new C-ATS (Alternatives to Suspension) program at the high school are working to minimize classroom disruptions and provide expanded services to students with behavioral issues. At the other end of the spectrum, we continue to challenge our high performing students through accelerated programs at the junior high and high school level and through additional AP course offerings at the high school. Our partnership with the Mission Valley ROP provides pathways for students on a Career Technical Education path. Our Ohlone Connections program gives students a head-start on earning college credits while completing their senior course completion requirements.
4. How they plan to hire and retain best teachers given current financial situation
We must do everything we can to attract teachers to work for our district. The financial situation we’re facing is not unlike those of other districts in Alameda County – declining enrollment coupled with dramatic increases in STRS and PERS retirement costs. We have experienced a decline of 112 students per year on average, largely due to our aging population over a period when only four new homes were built in town. Each student brings over $9,000 in revenue to the district. Between 2013-14 and 2020-21, our contributions to STRS and PERS will have increased by $3 million per year. New housing promises to bring new students, but not quickly enough to meet our immediate financial needs. In addition, an unanticipated drop of 141 students this year appears to have been caused in part by families moving out of the area due to the high cost of housing. In the short term we must step up our recruiting efforts, especially for special ed teachers. It is important that we develop a budget that provides wage increases to retain our staff. The superintendent has convened a budget advisory group that is examining how we can address our immediate budget crisis. An option I would like to explore includes consolidating schools. An elementary school size optimized for cost, efficiency and flexibility is about 600 students. Our average elementary school size is 380. Communicating this need to the community and considering various scenarios will be important moving forward. I would like to see us discuss transitioning to a middle school model at the Junior High School. Another idea I would like to see the district explore is workforce housing. There are models where employees are provided below-market rents over a period of years so they can save for a down payment on a home. This would be one way to attract and retain teachers. For all these ideas it is important to inform the community and seek their input.
5. What needs to be done to enroll more children into our public schools instead of going private
As a first step to increase our enrollment we need to better communicate the good things we are doing, some of which I outlined above. In the longer term we must show that we are improving student outcomes as measured by improved test scores, increased graduation rates, and more students meeting UC/CSU A-G admission requirements. At its October 2nd meeting, the Board approved a contract with Voler Strategic Advisors to provide tools, guidance and support for stakeholder engagement. Voler will help us create a public information infrastructure to clearly demonstrate why we are the best choice for the educational needs of Newark’s children. They will help us communicate the breadth of our programs and services, many of which go beyond what any private school can provide. Plans already underway to help with enrollment include streamlining our registration process and providing customer relations training for our staff.