MARTIN GONZALEZ
OCCUPATION: Community Economic Development Director, American Friends Service Committee; Owner Manager, La Bella Nonna Restaurant; Group Facilitator, School Budget Discussion; Peace Organizer.
OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND: Union organizer; Teacher Aide; Carpenter; General Manager, Manufacturing Business.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: Texas A & M, Bachelor of Science in Education; University of Washington, Political Science Major.
PRIOR GOVERNMENTAL EXPERIENCE: Past member Elementary School Site Council, NE Community Court Board, and Multnomah County School Aged Policy Framework Advisory Board.
Dear Neighbor,
Since 1987 my children have attended Portland public schools. I remain committed to public education. This year my granddaughter is in second grade while my youngest son is in 8th grade. Some of the major challenges faced by schools include:
• shrinking resources due to Oregon’s troubled economy;
• A federal administration that invests more on war than on education;
• Federal Laws requiring more reports with less resources for implementation;
• Unresolved student achievement gap and high drop out rates;
• A vacuum of leadership in the school district.
I want to contribute to closing the achievement gap and strengthening all neighborhood schools. I bring skill to build collaborative team efforts that can:
• Involve and organize parents;
• Train and support our teachers;
• Secure resources for classrooms;
• Motivate and hold students accountable;
• Set a commitment to high academic success & standards for all students;
• Press for administrative & fiscal accountability.
I am asking for your support.
--Martin Gonzalez
A LEADER FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND CHILDREN
“For more than 20 years Martin has worked tirelessly to …guarantee quality education…Martin is driven by a moral obligation to lift our children up rather than lock them up.”
--Rev. Jesse Jackson Jr., Portland Observer, 8/19/1998
“Martin can bring together teachers, principals, parents and students to address the challenges in our school system. His organizational and leadership skills will serve us well.”
--Carrie Adams, Education Advocate
WE ENDORSE MARTIN!
PORTLAND RAINBOW COALITION, State Senator Avel Gordly, Multnomah County Commissioner, Serena Cruz, and many parents…
(This information furnished by Friends of Martin Gonzalez)
RION LYLE
OCCUPATION: Yoga Teacher
OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND: Student
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: Diploma and Certification from Miri Piri Academy, Amritsar, India; Portland Public Schools (K-11); P.C.C.
PRIOR GOVERNMENTAL EXPERIENCE: Site Council, Grant H.S.; Internship, Commissioner Sten
Previous generations were served well by educational training for employment or management. Unfortunately, educational models from the 19th and 20th centuries are wholly inadequate for our 21st Century Information Age in a Post–Industrial Economy. Today we need to educate for Freedom: Freedom to think independently; Freedom to work cooperatively and creatively; Freedom to devise and implement solutions to problems of global importance. Children know this. Many of you do, too.
Deep transitions of this nature will be challenging for all concerned. I am committed to finding innovative solutions to the district’s present revenue shortfalls, but the school district’s immediate budget crisis pales in significance to the crisis of confidence and relevance of our school system itself.
A Few Ideas:
• Children want to learn
• Reshape the curriculum to reflect our evolving globalized economy
• Make the curriculum relevant, engaging and empowering to meet student needs and aspirations
• Provide respect and support for students’ unique learning styles
• Give teachers greater freedom and flexibility in modifying standardized curriculum
• Rely less on text books, more on internships, individualized learning and community service
• Further reduce administrative overhead and bureaucracy
• Work actively with the experts who can solve issues with under-served populations
• The school community is the whole community, not just parents, teachers, and kids
My youth gives me particularly fresh insights into the beliefs and aspirations of our students. My youth and desire to be an agent of positive change allow me to look at old problems with new eyes and with minimum preconceptions.
Rion Lyle –A Fresh Face with Fresh Ideas
(This information furnished by Committee to Elect Rion Lyle)
LOUIE SLOAN
OCCUPATION: Teacher
OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND: Alternative high school teacher 13 years, Certified in Social Studies, Science & Special Ed; David Douglas representative to Oregon Education Association Representative Assembly; Marine Corps Company Gunnery Sergeant
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: Education Course work PSU; B.A. Sociology Cal State San Bernardino, honors
PRIOR GOVERNMENTAL EXPERIENCE: Site Council Member, Beach Elementary; Bargaining member David Douglas Education Association; 22 years active and reserve Marine Corps, Member VFW.
Community Service:
HOPE Contact person Beach Elementary; PTO member Beach Elementary; Cub Scout Den Leader, Pack Committee Chairman.
For several years the Portland School District has had no direction. The leaders have forgotten to look at how spending cuts affect students. As a result families have lost faith in public education and are increasingly enrolling their students in private schools or moving to suburban districts. As a school board member I will work to restore faith in public education by…
• Soliciting public input before major decisions are made. Not just get public comments after the decisions have been made, as is the case now.
• Creating Citizen Advisory Committees for each cluster to find creative solutions to problems.
• Scrutinizing spending to not allow wasteful spending like the $110,000 for Street Trees approved on March 10th, 2003
• Not selling schools or ball fields.
• Decentralize district administration and get decision making out of the central office. Let principals make hiring decisions.
• Working with community groups and other school districts to lobby Salem to fix the school funding formula to …
• Fund full day kindergarten
• Base special ed compensation on student’s qualifying condition
• Treating employes as valuable resource not as economic liabilities.
• Working with unions collaboratively to find workable solutions to problems like retaining teachers in impoverished neighborhood schools and controlling costs.
• Finding a workable solution to replacing the Whitaker Middle School building.
• Not accepting special interest money or use the school board to promote myself to a higher elected office. I plan to represent the people of Portland not special interests.
Questions? Call 502-285-5296 or bighamsloan89@yahoo.com
(This information furnished by Louie Sloan)
JOHN SWEENEY
OCCUPATION: Land management consultant; free lance writer
OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND: Supervisor, Portland Parks and Recreation; Captain, Oregon Army National Guard
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: A/AS, Portland Community College; Diploma, Kubasaki American High School; Benson Polytechnic High School; Diploma, Kellog School
PRIOR GOVERNMENTAL EXPERIENCE: Director, Multnomah Education Service District
John Sweeney wants to help overcome the two major shortages facing the Portland Public Schools.
Shortage number one; Now, is money. The economy is in a down turn this soon pass. Because, the economy will recover soon. However, it must be managed in the mean time. Shortage number two; Teachers! By about the year 2010 about half of those in “education” will retire. And there are not enough people in training to be teachers, to replace them.
If the Oregon State Legislature alters PERS (Public Employees Retirement System) too serverly. Getting teachers for the public schools in Oregon will be almost impossible. Most families will be “Home Schooling” their children, not by choice, as the public school systems in Oregon will have collapsed.
To overcome some of these shortages, the schools can do three things:
One, Combine classes, English and Social Sciences for one.
Two, compress the high school course of study from four years to three years.
Three, inspire people, young and experienced to enter education as a profession.
John Sweeney has management experience and training through Portland Community College, the U.S. Army and the Portland Parks and Recreation. This has led him to believe that; “There is always a better way, and that “the” better way is not always the obvious way”.
(This information furnished by John Sweeney)
DAVID WYNDE
OCCUPATION: Regional Vice President, US Bank; Father of Kendall (8), Sophie (5).
OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND: Banking/Finance (18 years); Human Resources (6 years).
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: University of Hawaii, Masters in Social Work; Nottingham University, Bachelor of Arts
PRIOR GOVERNMENTAL EXPERIENCE: None
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: Treasurer, Portland Schools Foundation; Steering Committee, Coalition for School Funding Now; Campaign Committee, Local Option Ballot Measure;
My commitment to equity and opportunity comes from the heart. I am the first member of my family to graduate from college. My parents, teachers and schools gave me the chance to succeed: we must give all of our children that chance. I have the background to provide the strong leadership and responsible financial management that our schools need.
I ask for your support.
--David Wynde
“David cares passionately about our public schools. He brings his business, financial and management experience to bear on the issues we face, combining an understanding of fiscal responsibility with a vision for great schools for all our kids.”
Portland School Board member Julia Brim-Edwards.
“David will work to re-establish a climate of trust and mutual respect within Portland Public Schools. He’s a leader who can bring people together to solve problems.”
Multnomah County Chair Diane Linn.
“David knows one of the keys to continued improvement in our schools is finding ways to get people involved. He can make the tough decisions that will improve the quality of our children’s education and help the district demonstrate greater accountability.”
City Commissioner Jim Francesconi.
“David understands how Portland’s schools are connected with the rest of the state. He has been a firm advocate in the campaign for long-term solutions that provide stable and adequate funding for K-12 education statewide.”
Parent activist Pamela Echeverio.
WE ENDORSE DAVID!
Portland Association of Teachers; Stand for Children; State Senator Kate Brown; State Treasure Randall Edwards; Metro Council President David Bragdon; former Portland School Board members Dean Gisvold, Steven Griffith, Steve Kafoury; Community leaders Scott Bailey & Barbara Willer.
(This information furnished by David Wynde for School Board Committee)