Year-round schedules favored by potential school leaders (by Heather in Daily Journal)
Year-round schools for all grades including high school was at least partially supported by candidates running for one of the two school districts representing Foster City students at a joint candidate forum last night.
Candidates running for seats on the San Mateo Union High and the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary school districts board of trustees met for a joint candidate forum held by the Foster City Education Committee last night. Construction and charter school talks topped the conversation with a majority of the questions addressing issues in the high school district. The biggest surprise was an OK to at least research a move to having all year-round school in both districts. Two seats are up for grabs with only one incumbent on the San Mateo Union High School District Board of Trustees Diane Vranes seeking re-election. Vranes, a teacher, faces Dave Pine, Burlingame Elementary School District board president; retired teacher and community activist Don Havis; and retired financial services consultant Stephen Rogers. Trustee Marcia Cohn-Lyle is not running for re-election, instead vying for a spot on the Foster City Council. Community volunteers and district moms Gina Kuo and Colleen Sullivan are challenging board President Mark Hudak for the two seats available on the San Mateo-Foster City School District Board of Trustees. Trustee Melodie Lew is not running again and is supporting Kuo. Candidates were asked to only give a yes or no answer when asked if they supported a year-round schedule. The overwhelming consensus was yes.
Many schools in the elementary district already have a year-round schedule, which advocates say increases retention and gives more opportunity for extra help during the year. Such a calendar change is said by supporters to possibly shrink the performance gap between students a challenge both districts face. Sullivan, Kuo and Hudak were all in favor of more year-round calendars if it made sense for the parents. Hudak went further to say if a majority of the schools were year round, than the district should be as well.
Officials in the high school district played around with the idea of switching to a year-round calendar but it faces different challenges such as sporting and activity schedules. It's challenges like those that made Pine, Rogers and Vranes give a qualified OK to the idea saying they'd be open to studying the calendar change. Havis was interested in seeing a change. For years, residents of Foster City have advocated for a high school within its borders. In recent years, the efforts turned to creating a charter high school on four vacant city-owned acres. Since the San Mateo Union High School District governs public high school education in Foster City, committee members wanted to know who would support the charter proposal that could be before the board this school year. The topic was generally supported by Pine, Rogers and Vranes if the school were to offer a new option for students in the district. Havis was against any charter option since it takes money away from the other schools without the same regulations and oversight.
All four high school district candidates were in favor of more oversight of the upcoming construction. A stronger relationship with the San Mateo County Community College District was also widely favored. Pine and Rogers added it would be an opportunity to offer a wider range of classes and potentially fill in the open periods many seniors now enjoy. Teacher retention, especially given the budget struggles for the large elementary district, was a concern for the committee. All three candidates acknowledged the district is not funded at the levels of neighboring districts and may never be able to offer the same salary level. The only way to retain teachers is pay the best we can and improving their lives in non-monetary ways. In easing and their quality of life we can increase their feeling of professionalism in their career,? said Sullivan. Hudak echoed those sentiments adding that having job opportunities meeting the interests of teachers could add to the teacher retention. Kuo also said revisiting the parcel tax when it runs out in 2010 could be an added source of revenue going forward.
The full discussion will be aired at 1 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Foster City TV Channel 27 today. It will be reshown again as the Nov. 6 election.
Year-round schools for all grades including high school was at least partially supported by candidates running for one of the two school districts representing Foster City students at a joint candidate forum last night.
Candidates running for seats on the San Mateo Union High and the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary school districts board of trustees met for a joint candidate forum held by the Foster City Education Committee last night. Construction and charter school talks topped the conversation with a majority of the questions addressing issues in the high school district. The biggest surprise was an OK to at least research a move to having all year-round school in both districts. Two seats are up for grabs with only one incumbent on the San Mateo Union High School District Board of Trustees Diane Vranes seeking re-election. Vranes, a teacher, faces Dave Pine, Burlingame Elementary School District board president; retired teacher and community activist Don Havis; and retired financial services consultant Stephen Rogers. Trustee Marcia Cohn-Lyle is not running for re-election, instead vying for a spot on the Foster City Council. Community volunteers and district moms Gina Kuo and Colleen Sullivan are challenging board President Mark Hudak for the two seats available on the San Mateo-Foster City School District Board of Trustees. Trustee Melodie Lew is not running again and is supporting Kuo. Candidates were asked to only give a yes or no answer when asked if they supported a year-round schedule. The overwhelming consensus was yes.
Many schools in the elementary district already have a year-round schedule, which advocates say increases retention and gives more opportunity for extra help during the year. Such a calendar change is said by supporters to possibly shrink the performance gap between students a challenge both districts face. Sullivan, Kuo and Hudak were all in favor of more year-round calendars if it made sense for the parents. Hudak went further to say if a majority of the schools were year round, than the district should be as well.
Officials in the high school district played around with the idea of switching to a year-round calendar but it faces different challenges such as sporting and activity schedules. It's challenges like those that made Pine, Rogers and Vranes give a qualified OK to the idea saying they'd be open to studying the calendar change. Havis was interested in seeing a change. For years, residents of Foster City have advocated for a high school within its borders. In recent years, the efforts turned to creating a charter high school on four vacant city-owned acres. Since the San Mateo Union High School District governs public high school education in Foster City, committee members wanted to know who would support the charter proposal that could be before the board this school year. The topic was generally supported by Pine, Rogers and Vranes if the school were to offer a new option for students in the district. Havis was against any charter option since it takes money away from the other schools without the same regulations and oversight.
All four high school district candidates were in favor of more oversight of the upcoming construction. A stronger relationship with the San Mateo County Community College District was also widely favored. Pine and Rogers added it would be an opportunity to offer a wider range of classes and potentially fill in the open periods many seniors now enjoy. Teacher retention, especially given the budget struggles for the large elementary district, was a concern for the committee. All three candidates acknowledged the district is not funded at the levels of neighboring districts and may never be able to offer the same salary level. The only way to retain teachers is pay the best we can and improving their lives in non-monetary ways. In easing and their quality of life we can increase their feeling of professionalism in their career,? said Sullivan. Hudak echoed those sentiments adding that having job opportunities meeting the interests of teachers could add to the teacher retention. Kuo also said revisiting the parcel tax when it runs out in 2010 could be an added source of revenue going forward.
The full discussion will be aired at 1 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Foster City TV Channel 27 today. It will be reshown again as the Nov. 6 election.
- Written by Fiona
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