Carmel Unified School District

Total Revenue: $35,124,625
Dollars/Student: $17,269
Total Schools: 6
Total Enrollment: 2,132
Average Class Size: 21.3
Student/Teacher Ratio: 15.9
Average Teacher Salary: $69,879
Average Years Teaching in District: 11.1
Four-year Dropout Rate: 0.5%
Graduates with UC/CSU Required Courses: 43.5 percent
Students Receiving Free or Reduced Lunches: 9.5 percent

The Candidates

Vote For Three

AMY FUNT

Age: 57

Occupation: Current President, Carmel Unified School District Board of Education; community volunteer.

Number of years in the district: 14

How many kids do you have?

Two, ages 18 and 15.

How many kids do you have attending schools within the district for which you are running?

One. The other attended Carmel Unified elementary, middle and high school until she graduated last June.

What are the top two issues facing the district? If elected, how will you address them?

Student achievement: By this I mean academic success for all students, with effective preparation for college and/or career. I fully support the ongoing effort to ingrain state standards in our K-12 curriculum, with emphasis on the learning of those standards, and believe that the hiring and retention of highly qualified teachers is essential to that goal. I have worked with the board and administration to implement an academic program for our high school students that constitutes the basic requirement for admission to the UC/CSU college system. Since I’ve been on the board I have pushed to keep our libraries open later for kids, and am working to promote better articulation of study between elementary and middle school, middle and high school – to facilitate student transitions and ensure proficiency at every stage. Now in my eighth year of service on the Joint Powers Board for SELPA, which oversees countywide Special Education services, I am sensitive to our special needs children, whether they be physically, emotionally or mentally challenged – or are struggling with English as a second language; that perspective informs my efforts to ensure equity of access to academic support.

Adequacy of facilities: This is a toss-up with technology integration, a huge issue for our district, and for all students today. However, I believe that we should not underestimate the importance of modern, safe facilities for students and teachers, the infrastructure for tech services, science labs and other educational necessities. I ran the 2005 bond campaign that raised $21.5 million for facility development district, enabling us to build permanent classrooms across the district, a great library at Carmel High, a 40-meter pool and the district’s first performing arts space, a 350-seat theater on the high school campus. I am on the steering committee for the new theater and feel enormous gratification that soon our many talented students will have a proper venue in which to perform or display art.

What issue flies under the radar of the current board or the public?

We are experiencing a national epidemic of marketing scams aimed at school-aged kids and their families, in the form of costly “leadership” conferences, “honor roll” societies and bogus talent competitions. Yet many people, including members of our school community, miss the fine print on the gilt-edged invitations from what are really charter travel companies, and recommend or sign up students. Parents deserve to know the truth, and last spring I reported on this problem to the board, with a recommendation that we sunshine the issue with parents and teachers.

What will you accomplish that your opponents cannot?

The school board is a team, and none of us can accomplish anything without the support and collaboration of our peers. That said, I represent a unique and, I believe, effective skill set that serves our board well. A product of public schools myself, I have a deep personal commitment to excellence in public education and the tenacity to keep fighting for policies and practices that serve our students best. I have an academic grounding in child development and years of direct, active experience in our school system. I also have strong communication skills and have worked cooperatively with all stakeholders in our District. What I will accomplish in my next term hinges on all of the above.

What endorsements have you received, if any?

I have not solicited any formal endorsements but I hope to receive the backing of most local media outlets, as I did in the last campaign. These media endorsements have not yet been published.

What is your education-related background (work, volunteerism, education)?

I graduated from New York City’s prestigious High School of Music & Art, hold a psychology B.A. cum laude from Boston University, an M.A. in Child Development from Sarah Lawrence College, and a Masters in Governance from the California School Board Association. Before moving to Carmel in 1993, I published management training books for Time-Life. I have been a local community volunteer for 14 years, and served on the boards of the Cultural Council for Monterey County, Pacific Repertory Theater and the Monterey Institute of International Studies scholarship fundraising program.

What other civic experience do you have?

I chaired the Monterey County AIDS Project's Feast for AIDS for four consecutive years and was awarded their award for outstanding volunteer. I also worked with the American Heart Association on its “Red Dress” women's awareness efforts, and served on its fundraising committee. Last year I MC'd the Outstanding Women Awards sponsored by the Monterey County Commission on the Status of Women.

What is the one book that every school kid ought to read before graduating from high school?

My daughter Stephanie was handed this question last May in the Carmel High School scholarship competition, and I liked her response so much I am taking the liberty of “borrowing” it: she recommended “The Fisk Guide to Colleges,” an encyclopedic resource which gives students a broad range of information and critical perspective on higher learning opportunities across our country. Whenever our middle school families have been polled, virtually every one expresses an expectation of sending their student(s) to college. “The Fisk Guide” helps high school students stay connected to that important goal, and tells them in great detail what they can look forward to.

RICHARD KREITMAN

Age: 58

Occupation: Financial Advisor/CFP

Number of years in the district: Six

How many kids do you have? How many kids do you have attending schools within the district for which you are running?

My wife Barbara and I have two sons, one 14 and a freshman at Carmel High (having gone to River School and Carmel Middle School), and the other 10 and in fourth grade at River School.

What are the top two issues facing the district? If elected, how will you address them?

One, academic improvement at Carmel High School, and two, attracting and retaining the best faculty and staff. My goal is to see the same level of educational excellence achieved by our elementary schools repeated at Carmel Middle School and Carmel High School. We can do this, and if we do, we will have, at all levels, some of the very best schools in the state, public or private.

Academic improvement: If elected, I would push the District to develop and implement a comprehensive plan for achieving excellence in every major subject area, with a focus on Carmel High. Specifically, and as an example, I would like to see a comprehensive, district-wide math program, K-12, based on our own desires and the most successful programs we can find elsewhere. (Disappointment with our math results, particularly at the High School, is currently a matter of public concern in our school community.) We should hire a district math director to coordinate mathematics curriculum, professional development, and special programs; and we should put additional instructional resources into math, particularly at the secondary level With particular attention to the High School, we should develop similar comprehensive programs in science, language arts, foreign languages, visual and performing arts, phys/ed, and ROP. We already have many areas of excellence – the challenge is creating excellence in all subjects at all levels.

Attracting and retaining the best faculty and staff: Among the extraordinary educational resources we’re blessed with in Carmel, perhaps the most valuable is our extraordinarily able and professional teaching faculty. We should use our ample financial resources to maintain levels of salary and benefits that attract and retain the best teachers, and to provide our teachers with the professional training, technology, and support they need to achieve a high level of educational success with our students. We should recognize, celebrate and support the strengths of our teachers, not attack them.

What issue flies under the radar of the current board or the public?

Many issues that used to fly under the radar are now at least on the screen, but one that continues to bother me were the results from the Healthy Kids Survey as presented to the board at a meeting in August. The discussion glossed completely over the number of students reporting that they did not feel safe at their schools, or felt bullied or intimidated. Granted, a large majority of students reported no problems in these areas, 85 percent or better, as I recall, but the remaining percentage that did report problems works out to hundreds of students across district. We need to address this.

What will you accomplish that your opponents cannot?

I can’t tell you what my opponents aren’t capable of. I can say, having attended nearly every board meeting over the past five years and intently observing and listening to the incumbent board members, that none of them has more passion or commitment than I do to academic excellence in our schools. I’ve worked hard at it and continue to work at it.

What endorsements have you received, if any?

I haven’t asked for many, but I do have a couple of dozen parents.

What is your education-related background (work, volunteerism, education)?

Education: Stuyvesant H.S., New York. BA, 1970, Stanford University, majored in Economics and Latin American Studies. MA, 1974, Cornell University, Agricultural Economics.

Professional Experience: My first career was with the US State Department as a Foreign Service Officer and economist with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Costa Rica and Washington, D.C.

For the last 30 years or so I’ve been in the private sector, since 1997 working in partnership with my wife Barbara as a financial advisor and Certified Financial Planner with Smith Barney at our firm’s Salinas office. My entire professional career has involved management, finance, planning, and analysis, in small and large companies, public and private. I know what it takes to successfully set organizational goals and implement programs to achieve them. I am a good budget analyst and auditor, skills that will serve well on the Carmel School Board.

Community Involvement: I am a Cub Scout leader, I have been a youth soccer and baseball coach, and I have been an active member and volunteer and have served on the executive board of my synagogue, Congregation Beth Israel in Carmel Valley. My wife and I also own an art gallery in Carmel that supports local artists and arts organizations.

Carmel Schools Experience and Involvement: Since my sons began attending district schools six years ago I have been an active participant and volunteer in the Carmel Schools, serving on the executive boards of the Carmel Middle School PTO, the Carmel River School PTA, the FOCUS Foundation Board, as well as the River School Site Council, and several district committees. Last year I co-chaired the district committee on GATE and Advanced Learning whose policy recommendations were adopted by the Board last June. I have been active in fundraising and events and have served as a volunteer math tutor in classrooms at River School and the High School.

For the past five years I have attended nearly every public meeting of the Carmel Unified School District Board of Education, observing, taking careful notes, participating in discussions, sometimes as a member of the community and at other times as a representative of a working committee.

Back in 2002 and 2003, as an active citizen participant at these meetings, I regularly presented the Board and administration with analyses of how our students were doing academically compared to their peers around the state. Through spreadsheets, commentary, and communications, I brought early attention to the unfortunate reality that the actual academic achievement and performance of our students, particularly in our secondary schools, fell far short of our community perceptions, our exceptional level of resources, our expectations as parents, and, most important, our children’s abilities. It did not make me popular at the time.

What other civic experience do you have?

See above.

What is the one book that every school kid ought to read before graduating from high school?

“100 Years of Solitude”

MARCY RUSTAD

Age: 48

Occupation: Small Business Owner of OMP Research Associations, which provides market research and consulting services to schools and businesses throughout California.

Number of years in the district: 12

How many kids do you have?

Two, ages 15 and 16

How many kids do you have attending schools within the district for which you are running?

Two. They are currently a sophomore and junior at Carmel High School. They attended River Elementary and Carmel Middle School as well.

What are the top two issues facing the district? If elected, how will you address them?

Ensuring that students are fully prepared as they progress through all levels of our educational system. The goal is for all children to be prepared for work, career or college when they complete their education in Carmel Unified. Establish and monitor district goals for educational excellence at all levels of education. Improve student performance in critical program areas, including math and foreign language. Ensure timely response to student needs when remediation is needed. Enhance student preparation for college admissions with stronger support in SAT and ACT exam preparation, college essay writing with faculty support, and other efforts in support of students’ college ambitions. Increase the use of technology, where appropriate, to enhance student learning and to support struggling students. Support faculty in its efforts to provide excellence in education to all students by ensuring that faculty needs are met in the areas of facilities, professional development, classroom materials and performance recognition. Encourage ongoing school district communication and outreach to parents and students in support of a strong school community.

Effectively and appropriately utilizing available technology to improve student learning and to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness throughout the district. Participate and monitor closely the upcoming district technology audit. Ensure students and staff have access to technology that would benefit them. Ensure web sites of district are properly managed and maintained.

What issue flies under the radar of the current board or the public?

First I want to say that our schools are achieving at a high level compared to most schools across California and our district has much to be proud of. I would say that the issue that flies under the radar of the current board and public is how insulated our community is from the rest of the education community and the bigger world that our children will be a part of. Our beautiful peninsula provides a serene environment in which to live and educate our children; however, it also creates a security blanket and a false sense that the rest of the world is like the world we live in. My work has given me the opportunity to engage with schools and businesses outside of this region. It is a very competitive and hard-driving world out there that our children will need to be prepared to succeed in. With this in mind, the board, school district, and staff need to challenge ourselves to find the best ways to successfully educate our children.

What will you accomplish that your opponents cannot?

I am a strong advocate for children, families, and faculty. Due to my very active participation in the district at all school levels, I am known and accessible to all who are interested in sharing thoughts and concerns with me. This helps to ensure the student/parent voice is included, along with administration and faculty, in all decision making.

What endorsements have you received, if any?

Please see endorsements page at www.marcyrustad.com/endorsements. There are over 100 endorsements at this time.

What is your education-related background (work, volunteerism, education)?

Professional Experience: Small Business Owner of OMP Research Associates providing market research and consulting services to schools and businesses throughout California (OMP Research). Experience in various corporate settings, including managing large groups of employees.

Masters in Governance (Awarded by the California School Board Association) B.S. and M.B.A. in Business Administration (magna cum laude).

Personal Experience:

Long-time Carmel Family.

Two children educated in CUSD since kindergarten; both currently attending Carmel High.

Twelve years of volunteer service and leadership in CUSD schools.

Long-time member and supporter of PTA, Music Boosters, Sports Boosters and Drama at all school levels.

Current Positions CUSD:

CUSD Board Member

Master Planning Committee Member (Bond Expenditures)

Hilton Bialek Habitat Advisory Member (CMS)

Padre Parent Club Member/Directory Committee (CHS)

Past Positions CUSD

Padre Parents Carmel High Executive Committee 2 years; President 1 year

Carmel Middle School PTA Executive Committee 3 years; President 2 years

River School PTA Executive Committee 5 years; Vice President 1 year

CUSD Strategic Planning, Parent Member

CUSD Measurements Committee, Parent Member

Room Parent, Team Parent, PTA and Parent Club Advisor

What other civic experience do you have?

Other Community Leadership and Activities:

SPCA Volunteer and Driver

National Charity League (mother/daughter philanthropy organization)

Girl Scout Past Leader

Cub Scout Past Leader

Boy Scout Volunteer

What is the one book that every school kid ought to read before graduating from high school?

There are way too many important books for me to give a specific answer to this question. The most important thing for a student is to develop strong reading skills and to find materials they enjoy reading. Reading opens the door for every child’s future.

You did not ask about accomplishment while on the board. Since three of four candidates are incumbents, I think this is an important set of information to be shared with readers. Voters need to select candidates that are bringing passion and commitment to their positions on the CUSD board and a candidate’s specific accomplishments really show what they are about and made of.

Accomplishments: I have…

Made a determined effort to ensure responsible allocation of “Measure A” bond and tax-payer dollars so that district improvements benefit students district-wide.

Participated in “Measure A” Master Planning Committee that prioritized which district-wide projects to pursue.

Secured funding for the replacement of antiquated, damaged lockers at CHS.

Secured funding to establish a CHS cafeteria/student union in existing space that becomes available after the gym expansion completion.

Advocated for improvements to district-wide lunch program, including upgrading quality and distribution, and monitoring program costs.

Advocated improvements to the core curriculum to ensure that CUSD students have access to the instruction and resources needed to rank among the highest-achieving students in California.

Lobbied heavily for district-wide expansion and improvements to the Foreign Language programs. Spanish added to grades K-5; Mandarin Chinese added grades to 6-8; Mandarin Chinese and American Sign Language added to grades 9-12.

Focused attention on math program district-wide. Improvements and remediation efforts underway with more to be done in this area.

Collaborated with administration and staff in support of a more results-oriented approach, giving special attention to expanding support services offered to students.

Served on the Advisory Committee for the Hilton Bialek Habitat, a CUSD award-winning educational resource, to ensure students receive maximum curricular benefit from the facility. I am a strong advocate for hands-on learning.

Supported changing the school day structure to enhance student learning. e.g. adding academic support to CHS study halls; increasing CMS day to 7-periods to expand opportunities for students to take foreign language, music, and other electives.

Brought renewed energy and dedication to district goal of providing each student with the knowledge and skills needed to open as many doors as possible upon graduation.

Galvanized district support for a fully-staffed CHS College and Career Center, providing resources to students for job, career, college, and scholarship pursuits.

Encouraged the development of a class for CHS seniors to support college application and essay-writing efforts. This one-quarter class was developed and announced on Sept. 6, 2007 at the CHS Back-to-School Night and will run Sept. 24-Nov. 30, 2007.

Supported the addition of a real-world Math offering that addresses the needs of students to understand its use in daily life, e.g. interest rates, mortgages, banking, etc.

Encouraged better communication among district staff, parents, and students through events and expanded use of technology to support students.

Served as board member volunteer to the high school re-accreditation effort, providing input to the process and working with the CHS faculty and staff to earn full accreditation.

ANNETTE YEE STECK

Age: 45

Occupation: I am a municipal finance investment banker. Over the past 23 years, I have advised over 100 agencies, including school districts, cities, counties and other local governments, on their budgets, bond issues and other types of financings to fund new schools, fire engines, city halls, police departments, water systems, computers, etc. I oversee the entire financing process that delivers the dollars that pay for these projects.

Number of years in the district: I have been on the school board for 14 years. I have lived in the district for 17 years.

How many kids do you have?

One, age 17.

How many kids do you have attending schools within the district for which you are running?

None

What are the top two issues facing the district? If elected, how will you address them?

In the Carmel Unified School District (CUSD), there are achievement gaps between different populations of students. I aspire to the goal of having all students learn and achieve at their highest levels. In order to achieve this goal, I am dedicated to the continued strengthening of specialized programs designed to support underachieving students of all ages and at all schools through individualized teaching. I will continue to search for additional effective programs to help close the achievement gaps through my own professional development and by studying other successful models. I will ensure that special programs designed to maximize all students’ success in learning are fully funded in our future budgets.

A second important issue is CUSD’s building program. It is imperative that we deliver state-of-the-art facilities that best meet the educational needs of our students, in a fiscally responsible manner. We will have to diligently monitor the projects at each of our schools in order to complete them all successfully.

Just as I have helped school districts throughout California set up their bond oversight committees, I have worked with our staff to create CUSD’s committee. I have monitored their meetings and made certain that the bond issue’s financial audit meets all of the most stringent legal and regulatory requirements.

What issue flies under the radar of the current board or the public?

Covering almost 600 square miles, CUSD is the second largest district in the state. Not only does this large territory bring with it challenges for transportation of our students – a very large component of our budget – but it also means that we have a very diverse group of students. As I stated above, although we have achievement gaps between different students, we believe that every student can learn and will succeed. Closing the achievement gaps is key to our district accomplishing its core goals.

What will you accomplish that your opponents cannot?

I pledge to continue to use my experience and expertise to make sure that our district funds our district’s goals and priorities through our annual budget. We must maintain effective, efficient and fiscally responsible schools in order to provide the best educational opportunities for our students. My expertise in analyzing budgets and in reviewing financial audits will allow me to continue to ensure our stable financial condition.

What endorsements have you received, if any?

Partial list of endorsements:

John and Patricia Bernardi

Milt Kegley

Jan and Rodger Langland

Meredith and Scott Manhard

Mike and Vicki McMillan

Alan and Nancy Perlmutter

Margaret Robbins

Glenn and Liz Robinson

Ken White

Christine and Kim Williams

What is your education-related background (work, volunteerism, education)?

Work: I own a financial advisory firm that specializes in bond issues and other financings for school districts. I have worked for over 90 school districts in the state of California. I have completed financings for a wide variety of school districts, including the Los Angeles Unified School District, the largest district in the state, and the Live Oak School District, a small kindergarten through eighth grade district in Santa Cruz County. I also am an instructor for the California School Boards Association, teaching board members all over the state in the areas of School District Finance and Collective Bargaining.

Volunteerism: I am the Treasurer of the Monterey County School Boards Association. Our focus this year is to provide training and professional development to all of the school boards in Monterey County. In addition, I served on our district’s selection committee for our new Chief Business Official. I am also the board’s representative for negotiations with our classified staff members (the California School Employees Association).

Education: Graduate of the California School Boards Association’s Masters in Governance Program. B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.

What other civic experience do you have?

I am the chair of the finance committee and a board member for Community Human Services, a local non-profit organization, which provides mental health and substance abuse services in Monterey County. I am also the Treasurer of Carmel Valley (Boy Scout) Troop 127.

What is the one book that every school kid ought to read before graduating from high school?

I believe there is not just one book that would be the perfect answer for every student – our students come from such varied backgrounds and are going to many different places in their futures. The important thing is to read.