RICHARD GARRETT
OCCUPATION: Teacher in Portland since 1975, at Llewellyn, Irvington, Sellwood, Cleveland, and Roosevelt.
OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND: Past President, Portland Association of Teachers; Instructor, Hofstra University and University of Missouri.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: B.A. cum laude, Columbia College, Columbia University; M.A., University of Washington; Ph.D., Columbia University.
PRIOR GOVERNMENTAL EXPERIENCE: Advisory Committee to the Oregon Legislature on Ballot Measure 47.
Other Professional Service
Portland Schools Foundation Board; Oregon Education Association Board; Support Our Local Schools Campaign Committee; Portland Public Schools Strategic Planning Team, Pew Foundation Planning Team, Carnegie Foundation Planning Team, Technology Advisory Committee; Chair, Portland Teachers’ Professional Development and Advocacy Committees.
Personal
Married, with three children, all three graduates of Portland high schools.
My goal is to restore energy and purpose to the Portland Public Schools. To accomplish this, I will insist on
• Academic excellence for every student in every school, with standards of achievement fully supported by district leaders;
• Fiscal discipline, to manage resources with care and foresight, and direct them where they will best serve students;
• Employment standards that value employees, and attract and retain the best individuals from teachers to superintendents.
A productive school board member should have a thorough knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the school district, in its programs, its finances, and its personnel. I know every school in every neighborhood in Portland. I also know the leadership of our district.
I am determined to move our school district forward.
To succeed, I need your vote.
Endorsements include:
Portland Association of Teachers, Nick Fish, Gary Hansen, Forrest Rieke, Jay Casbon, Ann Nice, Sharon Gray, Portland Federation of Teachers and Classified Employees (AFL-CIO).
For more information, e-mail RichardGarrett@attbi.com
(This information furnished by Parents, Teacher, and Citizens for Richard Garrett)
JON JACOB
OCCUPATION: Computer Programmer
OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND: Computer Programming
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: Brown University, MA (History); University of Michigan, BA (History)
PRIOR GOVERNMENTAL EXPERIENCE: Citizen, voter, and activist
Jon Jacob: The Parent’s Choice
Parents need a voice that will look after the interests of their children – I will be that voice.
The Board Needs to Lead
The School Board sat on the sidelines and watched our schools deteriorate. They need to stand up and bring direction back to the district. If elected, it will be my job to build coalitions and find solutions that will bring credibility to the board and financial health back to the district.
Stop Closing Schools
Although closing schools gives the appearance of action, it is a sign of failure. This is unacceptable. Closing schools destroys communities, disrupts students’ lives, and saves very little money in return. We need new thinking on the board that will find ways to save money—without destroying neighborhoods and throwing our children into chaos.
Empower Parents For Better Schools
“Right to transfer” (known as Article 10) was forced on the teachers and gives the district the right to place them where it wants without their input. By making teachers and administrators adversaries, Article 10 only breeds more resentment and harms teacher morale. Clearly, we need to provide incentives for the best, most-experienced teachers to move to the schools that need their help the most; however, forcing this on teachers is counter-productive. The best teachers want to work in schools that enjoy a high level of positive parental involvement. My first order of business will be to organize parent groups at each school to take ownership of their teacher-recruitment efforts. Strong parent involvement is a major factor in convincing teachers to join schools that need their help.
Vote for Jon Jacob and bring credibility back to our district, leadership to the board, and a strong public education to our children.
For more details about my campaign, go to http://www.jonjacob.org
(This information furnished by Jon Jacob)
RICHARD NICHOLS
OCCUPATION: Limbo Market - owner
OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND: Limbo Market - owner
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: Oregon State University – Bachelor’s degree
PRIOR GOVERNMENTAL EXPERIENCE: None
We have a solution to the problem that is currently facing the schools and the taxpayers.
Current Problem:
A centralized school system for which there is no accountability, either financially or to ensure that a high level of education is given to the children. That is both the fault of the system, as well as the local government. A centralized system also separates parents from the schools, which further deteriorates children’s ability to achieve. Parents feel their input is ignored.
Solution “9-10-11”
Set up a decentralized system, whereby the principal is responsible for financial and educational policies within state and federal laws. This will involve a PTA, which has far more influence with their school. I put together seven school budgets for the smallest and largest elementary, middle, and high schools using $9,000 for each elementary school student, $10,000 for each middle school student, and $11,000 for each high school student, i.e. “9-10-11”. Actual federal and state budgets are approximately $11,200 per student. We found a surplus of approximately $16,000,000 within the seven schools (see our web page at www.leadercapital.com). Attempting to fix the current system will not work. We need to move to a system that uses actual line item accounting and GIVES THE SCHOOLS BACK TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
In Summary:
1) Decentralize the schools.
2) Open currently closed schools.
3) Use the current funds allocated to schools and have accountability for financial and educational standards.
4) Work towards a more equal distribution of state and federal funds.
5) Give schools back to the neighborhoods.
6) Work towards raising teacher salaries.
(This information furnished by Richard Nichols)
DILAFRUZ WILLIAMS
OCCUPATION: Professor of Education, Portland State University
OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND: Director, Community-University Partnerships, Portland State University; Director, Urban Teacher Preparation, Research Associate/Administrator, support programs for underrepresented students, Syracuse University; Secondary Science/Math Teacher.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: Ph.D. (Education), M.P.A. (Public Administration), Syracuse University; C.A.S. (Teaching, Curriculum & Learning Environments), Harvard University; M.Ed and B.Ed (Science/Math Education), M.Sc. and B.Sc. (Botany), University of Bombay.
PRIOR GOVERNMENTAL EXPERIENCE: None
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: Site Council Member; Parent Volunteer; Board Member, Portland Schools Foundation; Founding Member, Environmental Middle School; Education Advisory Boards, Learning in Deed/Oregon Department of Education and Portland Bureau of Environmental Services; Leaders Roundtable/Caring Communities; PPS Strategic Planning Team.
PERSONAL: Dilafruz’s son, James, attended Portland Public Schools for 12 years. He served on the School Board as student member and graduated last year.
“I have committed my personal life and professional career to educational excellence and equity. As our schools face many pressing issues, I will strongly support financial accountability to ensure that the District’s resources are focused on our children and their classrooms. I am not afraid to ask tough questions. My experiences as a parent, classroom teacher, and teacher of teachers/principals put me in a unique position to restore credibility and to build public confidence in the Board.” –Dilafruz Williams
“Dilafruz brings concrete experience as an educator to the challenges we face.” – Debbie Menashe, Portland School Board
“Dilafruz is committed, knows our schools, and is a problem-solver.” – Sarah Taylor, Environmental Middle School Principal
“A team player, Dilafruz will bring transparency and clear communication to the Board” – Mike Sweeney, Lincoln Teacher
WE ENDORSE DILAFRUZ!
Organizations: Stand for Children, Students for Oregon’s Schools
Elected Officials: Governor Barbara Roberts, Commissioner Serena Cruz, Senator Avel Gordly, Metro Commissioner Rex Burkholder.
Educators: Elizabeth Capps, Gloria Gostnell, Lourdes Love, Bruce Plato, Jack Ubik.
Former School Board Chairs: Dean Gisvold, Steve Griffith, Stephan Kafoury.
Community Leaders: Bob VanBrocklin, Phyllis Edmundson
Parent Activists: Scott Bailey, Pamela Echeverio, Jane Ames
Dilafruz Williams: For Excellence, Accountability, and Equity
www.VoteWilliams.org
(This information furnished by Dilafruz Williams)