Two newcomers to school board politics promising to shake up the status quo are challenging incumbents on the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Board of Directors. The races, coming on the heels of a tumultuous spring for the district, are quietly generating heat in an otherwise sleepy election season.

Trustee Area 1 (Marina, parts of unincorporated Fort Ord)

The Newbie: Tom Jennings

Occupation: Fire Security Technician/Electrical Contractor

School Street Cred: Past President of 20th District Parent-Teacher Association; Past President of Seaside High PTA; coached various youth sports

Endorsements: California School Employees Association, MPUSD Chapter

Talking points:

“Over the past several years, Marina High School’s academic performance scores have been dropping. The base Academic Performance Index score was 787 in 2007; it was 707 in 2011. The board has failed to address that decline in scores.

“What the board has been doing hasn’t been working. We need to rebuild the trust they’ve lost over the years, and the best way to do that is to collaborate with the community and create a more welcoming environment.

“We need to be televising board meetings. That would allow the mom with the kid in second grade and one in the crib to attend the board meeting even if she can’t physically be there.”

The Incumbent: Diane Creasey

Occupation: Registered Nurse

Years on MPUSD Board: 4 (2007-2011)

School Street Cred: Current MPUSD Board President; Marina High Booster Club Treasurer; Past PTA President, Olson School; Past PTA Board Member, Los Arboles

Endorsements: Helen Rucker, MPUSD Trustee; Jane Parker, Monterey County Supervisor, District 4; Curt Parker, MPUSD Trustee, Retired Teacher and Principal

Talking Points:

“There are perceptions that academic achievement isn’t what it could be, but Marina High and other Marina schools have shown significant improvement in certain subgroups. And Seaside High’s API scores went up 58 points.

“There’s been a lot of talk about people leaving our district. Well, our state funding has been cut by almost 20 percent in the last four years. Carmel gets more than twice as much money per student as MPUSD. [Actual stats: Carmel Unified: $17,451; MPUSD: $5, 191] That’s one reason people are leaving our district.

“But in the last year, we haven’t laid off any teachers, we’ve had no furlough days, and we’ve spent over $1 million in professional development for teachers. Even though we’ve increased class size, we’re adding an intervention teacher at every MPUSD school to be able to assist students who need extra help.

“One of the reasons I want to be on the board is to further the relationships with nonprofits in the community. In Marina, we’ve got Marina Youth Arts, which funds drama and music at Los Arboles [Middle School]. The Marina Foundation can support the recreation department and assemblies at schools. I can use my connections to build more relationships.”

Trustee Area 3 (Most of Monterey)

The Newbie: Jon Hill

Occupation: Human Resources Analyst, Monterey County

School Street Cred: Past principal, superintendent and teacher in California, Oregon and Washington schools

Endorsements: California School Employees Association, MPUSD Chapter

Talking Points:

“I’m a veteran of education, so I know my way around all of the jargon. I also have experience working with boards, and the driver for me in running is the belief that I can make some contributions to the board process.

“I’ve been attending MPUSD board meetings regularly since April. I haven’t seen a strong focus on setting educational goals—and I even went to the goal-setting meeting. The board should be talking about, how do we regain students we lost to other districts?

“My most obvious concern is the April raises for the superintendent and her cabinet.

[see http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/news/2011/apr/28/fear-factor/]

I will push colleagues on the board to ask questions about how we’re spending money, and making sure the priority is educational programs, not administration.

“People have run for the MPUSD board on a change agenda in the past and have not been successful. But I floated the idea of running with a few people, and they were very supportive. I feel optimistic about my chances.”

The Incumbent: Richard G. Glenn

Occupation: Redevelopment Project Manager, City of Seaside

Years on MPUSD Board: 1 (March 2011-present)

School Street Cred: Current MPUSD Board member; Regional MathCounts program co-chairman; Graduate of MPUSD elementary, middle and high schools

Talking Points:

“I see being on the MPUSD board as an opportunity for public service. It’s something I’d never done before, being on a school board or elected body. I think it’s kind of fun: the strife, the struggle of the give and take.

“Our school district is a microcosm of the state’s diversity. We’ve seen a number of demographic shifts, especially in Marina with an influx of Hispanics, that have affected test scores. English language learners are the kids who don’t do as well on the state tests, and and those are a lot of the new students coming into the district.

“Dr. Marilyn Shepherd [MPUSD Superintendent] has done quite a good job of continuing work and getting ahead of the game. As a result, we have a slight budget cushion that will probably carry the district through next year.

[for more detailed budget information, visit http://www.mpusd.k12.ca.us/districtsite/business_services]

“I’m an anti-establishmentarian. For example, Dr. Shepherd and I don’t agree on her raise. I abstained from voting on that last April. I had expressed earlier to members of the board that I couldn’t support it. We have to get used to a new kind of economics, and fiscal restraint is part of that.”