Oct 12, 2007

ELECTION 2007: Up close with the candidates for Palo Alto Unified School District Board

Daily News Staff Report

Camille Townsend (Incumbent)

AGE: 52

OCCUPATION: Attorney, currently not practicing

FAMILY: Married with two daughters who attended Palo Alto schools

YEARS LIVED IN PALO ALTO: 11

EDUCATION: B.A. in sociology criminology at University of Wisconsin at Madison; M.P.A. in public affairs at American University; J.D. from Loyola University in Chicago

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: Past four years on Palo Alto School Board and its current president; president of the Nixon PTA; Site Council at Nixon; PTA Council head of legislation; co-chairperson of Leadership at PTA Council

Q: How do you plan to deal with the rising student enrollment?

A: Changing enrollments are always challenging, either during times of growth or decline. Few are happy when school boundaries change. All options involve trade-offs. Demographic shifts and new housing cause changes at each elementary, middle and high school. We need to consider new facilities in the same discussion with class sizes, special programs, and spare capacity. We need to ensure that growth doesn't threaten play space, educational results and the virtues of small classes.

Q: How will you restore employee confidence in the district's leadership?

A: Confidence is raised when people feel they are valued and heard. Last year the teachers' union observed the positive tone and ease of relations with the district. Managers, however, cited reasonable concerns that the board took seriously. With the assistance of consultants, the superintendent and board established working protocols to improve communications throughout management and the new protocols provide guidelines for operations and communications.

Q: Should new school programs provide in-depth, specialized education for a small bunch of students or broader enrichment for a larger group?

A: The question offers a false choice. It is a virtue of this district that we can offer AP classes, music choices, athletics, robotics, shop, world languages, counseling and tutoring for our students while maintaining an excellent core curriculum. We have elementary programs that allow different learning styles, at the option of the parents. We have accelerated remedial programs at all levels. Each child is unique, and we need to provide each with an avenue for success.

Q: What facility concerns need to be addressed first?

A: In addition to handling growth, we need to upgrade our technological capabilities in the classroom for instruction, for teacher support and for administrative efficiency. We are not at a level that Silicon Valley and the world demand. Certain schools need earthquake improvements, and not all schools have the same access to athletic facilities. Eliminating portables when possible should also be a goal.







Barbara Klausner

AGE: 51

OCCUPATION: Educator, currently on break

FAMILY: Married, with three children who have attended Palo Alto public schools, but now two are in college and one at Castilleja School

YEARS LIVED IN PALO ALTO: 11

EDUCATION: New York City public schools; B.A. in public policy from Cornell University; J.D. from Yale University; M.A. in elementary education from New York University

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: Parent representative of Nixon Site Council for two terms; board of Gunn Foundation; board of Palo Alto Foundation for Education; board of the Palo Alto Girls Softball Organization; variety of district committees

Q: How do you plan to deal with the rising student enrollment?

A: As enrollment grows, we need to maintain flexibility in meeting those changes, with a long-term view across the K-12 spectrum. Modifications must address costs and factors that most impact student needs. Some changes may be made to programs, such as increasing the number of periods in the high school day. Others must involve facilities. If trends continue, we need to be pro-active, look beyond portables and expand our range of permanent facilities, including major renovations to increase space.

Q: How will you restore employee confidence in the district's leadership?

A: As a former teacher and district specialist, I have worked as a colleague with many educators and staff, so I start with the advantage of having already developed positive relationships. We must include employee input in decision-making, and be responsive to their program needs. We must ensure that the superintendent is drawing upon employee expertise when providing information to the board. District leadership also must provide clear, manageable direction to employees so that their tasks are well defined, reasonable and achievable.

Q: Should new school programs provide in-depth, specialized education for a small bunch of students or broader enrichment for a larger group?

A: I have spent the past decade providing curriculum and instructional support for our core program (primarily elementary math) so that all students across the ability spectrum receive an enriched, intellectually engaging educational experience. I have taken programs originally designed to challenge high-achievers and brought them into the classroom for the benefit of every student. New school programs should be crafted in response to student need, which varies, but there is always the need to enrich the regular curriculum for all students.

Q: What facility concerns need to be addressed first?

A: Safety concerns and enrollment growth needs should be addressed first. Our student enrollment has grown 30 percent since our last bond measure in 1995, and the growth trend appears to be accelerating. We need facilities that can accommodate our students in a setting that matches our educational programs. Facilities upgrades should be planned so that we get the biggest bang for our buck, maximizing the return on our taxpayers' dollars. Our priorities should include an equitable approach to making improvements across the district.







Melissa Baten Caswell

AGE: 43

OCCUPATION: Community leader, former business executive

FAMILY: Married with two children, both of whom have attended Palo Alto public schools, one now at Castilleja School

YEARS LIVED IN PALO ALTO: 17

EDUCATION: B.A. in psychology and economics from Dartmouth; M.B.A. from Dartmouth

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: Two years as president of Palo Alto PTA Council; president of Duveneck Elementary PTA; founding board member of Youth Community Service; cabinet member of Palo Alto Art Center; Parent Advisory Board member; Family Resources ambassador; Girl Scout Leader; Mayor's Green Ribbon and Red Ribbon task forces; volunteer helper for several sports teams

Q: How do you plan to deal with the rising student enrollment?

A: We must move proactively to deal with rising enrollment - we can't wait to act until enrollment exceeds our capacity. As a first, key step, we must move now to reopen Garland to provide some flexibility to the system. The district must also look at all other available options for accommodating increased enrollment, including the possibility of constructing additional classrooms. I do not support the expanded use of portable classrooms as a long-term solution to rising enrollment.

Q: How will you restore employee confidence in the district's leadership?

A: The district has a new superintendent who I am confident will enjoy great support from both district employees and the community as a whole. The school board should not, however, forget the concerns raised by members of the management team last year, and should work with the district leadership to address those concerns and to engender a culture of collaboration, both within the schools and across the district.

Q: Should new school programs provide in-depth, specialized education for a small bunch of students or broader enrichment for a larger group?

A: Any K-12 public school system must provide both broad enrichment for all students and, in appropriate circumstances, specialized education for certain students. For example, PAUSD does and should provide high-quality education for special education students. Having said that, I believe the primary focus for new programs should be on programs that are beneficial for all or most students.

Q: What facility concerns need to be addressed first?

A: The primary facility concern is accommodating the steadily rising number of students enrolled in our schools. We must act quickly to set a plan that is fiscally prudent but that will also ensure adequate facilities for all our students. We do not want to see our campuses filled with portables, nor do we want middle schools of 1,200 students each.







Wynn Hausser

AGE: 48

OCCUPATION: Director of communications for Public Advocates nonprofit

FAMILY: Married, two children in Palo Alto public schools

YEARS LIVED IN PALO ALTO: 24

EDUCATION: B.S. in communications from Northwestern University; M.A. in communications from Stanford University

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: Chair of the Palo Alto Human Relations Commission; Palo Alto Community Child Care board member; Palo Alto Little League board member; eight years as baseball manager, basketball coach and soccer referee

Q: How do you plan to deal with the rising student enrollment?

A: Dealing with rising enrollment requires analyzing and balancing multiple variables including time, space, staffing, funding, daily schedule, school and class size, boundaries and environmental impact. In considering these variables, I'll take both a short- and long-term view. The severest stress points will be first priority. I'll seek solutions that maximize resources, minimize disruption and keep as many students as possible in their neighborhood school. I'll also ensure we're getting the most reliable data on which to base decisions.

Q: How will you restore employee confidence in the district's leadership?

A: Employee confidence will only be restored through action and time. Action means saying what we'll do and doing what we say, providing clear mechanisms for concerns to be aired and addressed, demonstrating active listening skills, and taking into account their needs and concerns. Time means doing it again and again. As a board member, I will lead by example and support Dr. Skelly in building positive relationships with employees throughout the district.

Q: Should new school programs provide in-depth, specialized education for a small bunch of students or broader enrichment for a larger group?

A: As a basic principle, I stress the word Unified in Palo Alto Unified School District. We should provide equity across the district and the greatest opportunity for the largest number of students. I'm willing to support more cross-district differences in electives than core programs, when the achievement gap, English language learners, students with special needs and different learning styles are targeted, or in carefully evaluated pilots where plans exist for expansion or elimination, depending on outcomes and demand.

Q: What facility concerns need to be addressed first?

A: The top priority needs to be facilities that are unsafe or in need of repair as required by the Williams settlement (see www.decentschools.org). Then, facility projects should be sequenced according to identified needs and priorities, including addressing enrollment growth, as represented in a new facilities master plan. We should make the most of limited resources by building multistory facilities where feasible and creating flexible learning environments that can adapt to multiple uses.







Claude Ezran

AGE: 52

OCCUPATION: High-tech executive

FAMILY: Married with three daughters, all in Palo Alto public schools

YEARS LIVED IN PALO ALTO: 16

EDUCATION: M.S. in electrical engineering from Ecole Superieure d'Electricite; M.B.A. from Harvard Business School

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: Board of Directors of Cable Co-op; PTA school board observer; PTA Council treasurer and director of education; member of Organizing Committee for Measure A; member of Healthy School Lunch Committee

Q: How do you plan to deal with the rising student enrollment?

A: This is my No. 1 priority for my first year. We need to define our vision for 21st century school facilities, examine all key variables and find the optimal compromise points - demographic projections, maximum site size, class size, new sites and financing options - and put together a realistic, detailed, prioritized and time-sequenced facilities road map that the school community is enthusiastic about and willing to support. This is a huge and complex task that will require vision, leadership and decisiveness.

Q: How will you restore employee confidence in the district's leadership?

A: We need to regain the trust not only of employees, but of the whole community. I will use my business experience managing people and project teams to promote teamwork on the board and help it function with greater effectiveness. I will encourage it to operate more at the leadership and policy level and focus less on operational details. I will monitor the situation with my colleagues to ensure that the new superintendent and the district's management team are working optimally.

Q: Should new school programs provide in-depth, specialized education for a small bunch of students or broader enrichment for a larger group?

A: Fortunately, this is not either-or; we do both very well in our district. We have many specialized programs: special education, programs for the gifted, music, journalism classes, etc. If a proposed program divides the community, I will ask representatives from both sides to get together with a mediator and try to find compromises and reach a consensus. People sometimes forget that they share 95 percent of the same goals in our district; we need to help them identify win-win outcomes.

Q: What facility concerns need to be addressed first?

A: Many of our schools are close to full capacity. I will work collaboratively with the board, the superintendent and the community to develop a long-term vision for school sites and facilities, and a road map on how to get there over the next 10-15 years. If we keep adding Band-Aid solutions with no sense of direction, we will ultimately get stuck into a very undesirable situation. Furthermore, our buildings are aging; we largely live on a legacy from the '60s.



Pingyu Liu

AGE: 66

OCCUPATION: Freelance writer

FAMILY: Married, two children in Palo Alto public schools - one graduated

YEARS LIVED IN PALO ALTO: 7

EDUCATION: Undergraduate education in China; M.S. and Ph.D. in physics from the University of Utah

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: Hoover School geography bee coordinator; classroom volunteer

Q: How do you plan to deal with the rising student enrollment?

A: Let me put my answer in the following: Limited by my experience, I would ask and learn from Palo Alto Unified School District administration and my board colleagues before any conclusion.

Q: How will you restore employee confidence in the district's leadership?

A: PAUSD now has a very strong superintendent. We have to try very hard to support Dr. Skelly's every effort to restore confidence. We all should focus our resources on the most important business, i.e., teaching kids.

Q: Should new school programs provide in-depth, specialized education for a small bunch of students or broader enrichment for a larger group?

A: I think a successful school district needs in-depth, specialized education for some students and broader enrichment for others. Kids are different intrinsically. After giving a slide show at Hoover's Geo Bee club, I asked kids, "What do you want me to do next meeting?" Two fifth-graders said, "More tests!" Another said, "More shows." The two who wanted more tests are really good on geography and want to be national champions. My solution, which would satisfy both groups, is every three weeks of shows are followed by a test.

Q. What facility concerns need to be addressed first?

A: My suggestions to overcrowding and facility would be to get one of the leased campuses back in three years, and build a small high school to accommodate the urgent demand.