Tim’s Mission for PUSD
If elected, I will work tirelessly to ensure that our district provides a high-quality education to all students, prioritizes the safety and wellbeing of our children, and maintains fiscal responsibility in the face of economic uncertainty. I believe in transparency, accountability, and engaging with the community to find the best solutions for our schools.
1) Represent the best interest of Trustee Area A and its schools within the PUSD.
The children’s education, your time, and your hard-earned tax dollars are paramount to my attention. It was decided recently to dissolve the at large format of Board members and adopt geographical “Areas”. This was done for a good reason and I would like to represent you.
2) Listen to, engage, and leverage the parents & community.
The PUSD Community is very large. Each of the five “Areas” within the district have unique needs and resources. Our schools would benefit from deeper engagement with the community filled with businesses, universities, parents, and alumni. Area A and the entire PUSD community is bursting with resources.
3) A clear focus on academics in the classroom.
The District needs to focus on “first things first”. A targeted approach to the needs of students in every level of learning and competency, with a tenacious desire for improvement of grades and test scores. Successful athletics and extra-curriculars go hand in hand with focused successful academics.
4) I will push for thoughtful, focused, pragmatic, data driven improvements.
The last four years have been more complex than ever before for the world and education. We must be nimble and willing to put everything on the table for discussion. I have spent 25 years designing and improving products, processes, and operations using a systems approach that uses multi-disciplinary ideas and resources to manage solutions.
5) I will lead with responsible transparency, clarity, and accessibility.
The busy family needs timely succinct information flowing to and from the right people about the right things. Too much information can sometimes be…too much. I vow to be straightforward and available to students, parents, and the community. I will leverage online tools as well as in-person engagements to communicate and collaborate with families. I want to build a resource team that meets regularly to discuss the needs and issues of the villages in “Area A”.
6) I will work to create the best programs and curriculum through hiring, retaining, and paying the best teachers for our students.
Conversely, programs that do not show sustainable value should be dropped quickly and underperforming teachers should be identified and cut before tenured status. We learn more from failing but we must fail fast. Just like in the workplace, bad bosses typically compel good employees to leave; bad classes and teachers tune out students. Colleges are in a redesign phase just like K-12. Expectations and ROI on a post-COVID college experience should be evaluated. There are always opportunities other than college.