Morgan Hill Life asked the nine school board candidates to write 200 words each on their candidacy. They are presented in alphabetical order.
Published in the Oct. 1-14, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Armando Benavides
Armando Benavides
I have been married for 25 years to my wife Alicia Cortez and we have two sons. For 15 years we have made Morgan Hill our home.
As a parent, I understand how valuable education is for all children. Parents want their children to succeed in school and to go on to a four-year college when they graduate from high school. We need to make that a reality for all students. I am an experienced attorney who will bring needed leadership to the school board to move us in the right direction.
For the past five years, I have passionately served as a community advocate and attorney for MHUSD students and families. I have regularly attended board meetings and have addressed the trustees on important issues, such as student achievement, education equity, community relations, school finance, and transparency.
If elected, I will be the only board member with the professional legal background and experience.
At this crucial time when education is undergoing a transformation at the federal, state, and local level, it is crucial to have a board member with the unique legal skills and knowledge that I possess. I am also bilingual in Spanish and bi-cultural and will be able to directly communicate with Latino parents.
By Gino Borgioli
Gino Borgioli
I have volunteered more than 200 hours with teachers and kids directly in their classrooms. I have seen what works, what doesn’t work and what needs more dedicated attention. All of my children attended the MHUSD system and my grandson is now a student at Paradise Valley. Like you, I have a vested interest in seeing success in the classroom, this reality is my passion. My goal is to bring 21st-century learning tools to our students and put students first. This is why I have the support of teachers and parents.
What I bring to the board:
• Insight to challenge the unsuccessful habits of the past and provide a voice for parents.
• More than 200 volunteer hours inside the classroom per year working with teachers and students to bring 21st Century Learning benefits to our kids.
• More than 20 years of high-tech experience complemented by 10 years of financial industry experience.
• I will keep the focus on the kids and prioritize Measure G monies in a less stagnated way than current proposed plan. As a school board trustee, I will ensure all decisions I make will be centered and focused on our students, not politics. No “behind closed doors decisions without parent input.”
For more information, visit www.ginobforschooltrustee2014.com.
By Brenda Cayme
Brenda Cayme
I’m a vested resident in this community with two school age children attending public school. I have listened to frustrated families who want changes for the better. I will use my experience as a nurse in understanding it is not only the student who needs attention; but, it is the family as whole.
As a director, I will use my leadership skills and be a mentor to all students. I’m a firm believer of leading by example. I’m vested in education as these students will be our future doctors, lawyers, engineers, and politicians.
I come from a family of three of which I am the eldest (all three of us have university degrees). My parents migrated here in the 1970’s with only belongings that would fit into a suitcase. My father instilled education in all three children as he was a teacher and principal devoted to the public school system for 40 years. All of my aunts and uncles all have university degrees. In moving forward, my children will strive to obtain a degree from a university.
All children should have the best education available to them so they may reach their highest potential in a safe environment with support from family and their community.
By David Gerard
David Gerard
I decided to run because we need fresh thinking on our school board. Working together, let’s design an academic powerhouse for all with superb college prep and pre-apprenticeship programs. Anyone intending to be an education leader first and foremost must be well-educated. I earned a B.A. with High Honors from Wesleyan University as an economics and government major and studied in Mexico.
I earned a Ph.D. with a psychology dissertation on bilingual teenagers, have an education degree and studied Chinese in Taiwan. I taught over 10 years, including U.C. Berkeley in finance and policy. Board members must make major budgetary decisions. For five years I managed an $80 million payroll, negotiating 12 union contracts.
A 25-year district resident, I developed 150 community leaders for Leadership Morgan Hill and for eight years led classes studying how our local schools and community work together. My whole family volunteered for our schools.
This year I organized dozens of parents to attend District LCAP funding meetings. As a recent cancer survivor and former teacher of autistic kids, I understand special needs issues well. With two college-age sons, I understand a parent’s perspective in today’s world.
Now I’m ready to serve all our children.
By Ann Horner
Ann Horner
I believe I bring a unique set of skills and experience to the board.
As number two of six kids, I learned early on how to work with others and get jobs done. I tutored through high school and college and I still read in our schools.
I earned a B.A in sociology from Heidelberg College, then spent two years focusing on systems of education at Western Michigan University.
In Morgan Hill, I spearheaded bringing Rachel’s Challenge Kindness and Compassion program to our schools. I have been trained in the Olweus Bully Prevention Program and have volunteered with Rock the Mock, Science Fairs and Career Days. As a board member I will pursue communication and community involvement, rigor regarding the spending of hard-earned taxpayer dollars and creative educational solutions including Career Technical Education as well as college prep.
I invite and value your participation, support and vote as this process unfolds. Please let me know what you consider to be the most important issues in our district and what solutions you think might work. Contact [email protected]. I do not have all the answers but I plan to dig deep, study hard, listen harder and promote the best direction to accomplish these goals.
By Steve Klem
I am a lifelong resident of the South Bay and have lived within Morgan Hill Unified School District for almost 30 years. Both of my daughters are graduates of Morgan Hill schools and my grandson attends second grade at Barrett Elementary where my daughter has taught for the past 14 years. My son-in-law is also a teacher, my wife is a retired teachers aide, and my other daughter works in education for Apple.
Recently retired after 40 years working in business management, I have devoted years of service in the community. As a volunteer at Los Paseos, Encinal, Martin Murphy, and Live Oak, I was on the School Site Council Committee to add Sobrato High School and after school detention program. For 12 years, I was president of the Los Paseos Aquatic Club and just recently graduated from the Morgan Hill Citizens Police Academy.
I am insightful, devoted, hard-working and extremely humble and look forward to devoting time to the MHUSD and the community it serves. My main objectives as a board member will be to sustainably grow the district and its services in order to service our increasing population, encourage innovative programs and instructions that meet the needs of our diverse student body, and to hire and retain top-notch faculty and staff in the district.
By Janine Moreno
Janine Moreno
My life experiences have prepared me to be a tenacious advocate for high quality education. As a self-employed businesswoman, I lost my husband after a long health battle and was left to raise our son as a single parent. It has been challenging to make sure that my son, who is a 5th grader, succeeds in school. What I want for my son is what I want for every child attending our district schools.
I bring a parent perspective and unyielding commitment for excellence to the board. I have lived in Morgan Hill since 1987 and attended our district schools. I graduated from Live Oak High School in 1988 and then went on to acquire my cosmetology license. In my years as a hairstylist I have been a sounding board for parents with children in the public schools, listening to their frustrations and concerns as well as success stories.
Our district is undergoing new challenges from all the new education reform, such as the transition to the Common Core standards. Our students deserve the parent’s voice and perspective in the decision making.
By Donna Foster Ruebusch
Donna Foster Buebusch
As an experienced educator I bring a perspective that bridges the classroom to the boardroom. Running for school board is the next step in continuing my commitment to our community. When our community collaborates as a team of educators, parents and civic leaders we maximize our collective resources and together create successful students.
I have been a leader that brings groups together to achieve a positive result (WASC coordinator, department chair, district budget committee 2002-present). Successful schools respect parental support and a teacher’s professionalism. Working together moves us forward, closing the achievement gap.
I support innovative programs such as the Focus Academies and Dual Immersion programs and Transitional Kindergarten. Curriculum should match the way the world works and we conduct daily life. By expanding choices at the middle and high schools to link technology and Career Tech pathways, which integrate math, science and other core academic subjects, we can create real-world connections for students. My children attended MHUSD schools K-12 and benefited from wonderful teachers, academic programs, drama and athletic programs.
I understand school funding and budgets. I was honored as Morgan Hill’s 2010 Teacher of the Year.
My experiences of teaching, collective bargaining, leadership, parenting and community involvement qualify me to serve as an effective board member.
By Ron Woolf
Ron Woolf
I have spent 35 years as a teacher and administrator. I have been involved with the school district in educational excellence for 28 years.
As a current board member, I am using my past experiences to provide the knowledge, training, and commitment necessary to lead this district during this time of Common Core Standards and Local Control Accountability Plans. I can make complex decisions because of my classroom and secondary administrative history.
I have been actively involved with the Mushroom Mardi Gras and the Teachers Aide Coalition. I have been selected Teacher and Educator of the Year.
In 2012, I served as president of the school board and completed a Masters Degree in Governance from the California School Boards Association.
I have seen a 13.5 percent increase in the graduation rate and a 20.4 percent increase with Latino students.
We must continue to close the achievement gap. There has been an 11.7 percent decrease in the number of dropouts.
I am seeking another term because I value the role of parents and community members in supporting the goal of giving our students the best education possible to be college and career ready. Graduation rates must be 100 percent. Students should be engaged and connected to their schools, community, and consistently be productive. I ask for your support and I pledge my continued dedication.
