For the education system in West Sacramento, how do you plan to raise the standards in our schools and improve student proficiencies to make this a more desirable area for families to locate and attend our public schools?
Sandra Vargas
Email:
sandravargas1@yahoo.com
Website:
www.votesandra.com
Phone: (916) 617-2990
Upon reviewing some school-specific data and other state reports on similar schools, the evidence shows that there are some high-achieving schools in our district. This should make all of us proud. The students and staff of these schools deserve special recognition and praise, for they are doing things right and serving our students well. We should promote and expand these best practices and implement those same policies and high standards in all our schools for all our students.
We also need to review data periodically and be kept informed about the progress, or lack thereof, that is being made at each of our schools. The staff should present updates and information about various programs and policies on a regular basis, like at our regularly scheduled board meetings, to ensure that we are implementing those rules and policies correctly and we are achieving results. This practice will also allow both the board members and our entire community to provide input and comments, not only on the great work we are doing, but also to identify or hear about the areas where we may need some help, and find ways to work towards those improvements.
The good news is that our new staff and current board members are beginning to make this a regular practice and they do see this as a necessary informational tool, which is a good indication that a greater, more important, emphasis has been placed towards increasing our collaboration and our efforts to improve our schools.
Another positive change is the arrival of our new highly qualified superintendent, who seems to be off to a good start and is finally getting things done. I think he has the right experience and the right attitude and, in my opinion, he has already demonstrated to our community that he truly cares about our students and our community and that he is fully committed to meeting the needs of our students, working more and more diligently everyday, and increasingly striving to turn our district around.
Our entire community shares in the same vested interest in ensuring the success of our children, so we must all do our part and have faith in our public school system. We all share the responsibility for our children and we should all view the education of our children as the highest priority in our community. If we all do our jobs right and we take our roles in our community, no matter if you are a long-time community member or new resident, or whether you are a parent, a teacher, a school or district administrator, or a city official –if we all take our roles seriously, there is no doubt in my mind that we will begin, and then be able to stay, on the right path to vastly improve our educational system. I strongly believe that by improving our schools, we help improve our city, and therefore, our quality of life.
Email: mort@jps.net,
Phone: (916) 371-1637
I think a good deal has been done already to improve student proficiencies in the district. I hope the change in district office administration will prove to be a strength that will materialize quickly and can help to create the future success of the district. The strong emphasis on teaching and learning in the classroom and the strong, bold goals of the new Superintendent are sure to help create higher standards for our teachers and students as well. The Board will need to support the vision and goals of the Superintendent and hold him accountable for achieving them.
Many in the community perceive our current educational system to be failing. If that is true, why would a parent or student choose to stay in it? Likewise, if our system is perceived to be strong, why would a student or parent choose to leave? It should be a goal of our Board to raise standards and create a strong, viable local educational system that keeps students and parents in it. Weak systems will not hold students, and ADA and funding will be lost. I think we have set upon a positive move in right direction with staff changes and bold goals in place. I hope that these changes will allow for the best opportunities and growth for its students and consequently, change some to the perceptions of our community members and others who might choose to locate in West Sacramento.
Dani Langford
Email: danamites@earthlink.net
Phone: (916) 372-3384
I believe we have a good start to turning this District around with the new leadership in the District administration. My husband and I both were both privileged enough to participate in the Superintendent Search Advisory Council that helped the Board during the interview process of the hiring of the new Superintendent. I think he along with his new administrative team is giving us a new direction. The Superintendent along with the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Sue Brothers, are making great strides in setting new standards and goals to help us meet the State standards as well as working with the teachers to provide training support that is needed to help the students that are falling in the gaps.
As a Board member, my job is to support the Superintendent as well as holding him accountable to fulfill the Districts vision and policies.
Karl Machschefes
Email: machkarl@sbcglobal.net
Phone: (916) 372-8487
We need to put into action the plans I have outlined. We can also establish full-day kindergarten, district wide, in order to give our students and parents a leg up. As we get people interested in K-8, magnet schools, and the small learning centers at the high school, we increase the desire to go to school here, live here and be part of the community.
Matt Stegman
Email: matthewcstegman@yahoo.com
Website: www.mattstegman.org
Phone: (916) 281-4136
It is essential that we raise student proficiency in the district. One of the top concerns of relocating families is the schools. The goal for California is to have all schools receiving an API score of at least 800. None of WUSD schools have achieved this goal. While some are within a couple of points, many have a long way to go. We need to focus on the issues mentioned above. We must attract and retain the best teachers, we need to provide safe, uncrowded campuses, and we need to make sure our students are in class and ready to learn. In addition, we must be active in our review of curriculum and instruction to make certain we are always providing our students with the best means to succeed. While the district, with its new leadership, is starting to address these issues, I will be committed to seeing it through.