Over the next nine (9) weeks the Gazette will be printing one question a week, which has been given to each Fillmore School Board candidate. They have been asked to provide one answer, 250 words or less.

Question #1: How will you make this a better school board? What personal, business or government experiences qualify you to be on the school board?

Mark Austin: I would make the board better by providing a fresh perspective to the District. For example, my belief is that the District should be concentrating more on the vision and goals of the District. That is to focus on making the school system better. I believe this is missing with the existing board and the status quo is the mode of operation.

My local government experience has provided me with decision making skills needed to be a board member. While serving on the Fillmore Planning Commission for the past eleven years, I have been placed in the position of making difficult decisions that affect the community. I have made decisions that required independent judgment and the ability to listen carefully to the public, to ask clear questions, and to decide issues fairly. These decisions have required that I consider the pros and cons of each decision and do what I believe to be in the best interest of the community. This experience will enable me to act in the best interest of the parents and children.

My business experience has provided me with leadership skills needed to be a board member. I handle the daily operations of my firm. This includes assisting the company management team to ensure that goals are met and with long-term strategic planning. This is the role of a board member in a nutshell — to attend to the daily details while carrying out the vision of the District: that of providing a quality education.

Tony Prado: I have a commitment to public education, and I want to contribute to this community. I bring experience in public education and an awareness of the long-range issues of education in our country, state, and in Fillmore. Being a board member is not dealing with a single issue but looking at the whole picture, understanding what students, teachers, classified, and administrators need to make the district successful. Most of all, I consider myself to be a good team player and team leader.

My history and experience in Fillmore makes me the most qualified candidate for the School Board. I have a B.A. in History from California State University, Northridge, an M.S. in Education from the University of Southern California and I am a retired teacher/coach from Moorpark High School. In the 1980's and 1990's, I was chairman of the San Cayetano, Sespe, and Fillmore High School site councils and chairman of the District Advisory Committee. Also, I served 4 years on the Parks and Recreation commission ( 2 years as chairman ) and served as President of Fillmore Little League for 3 years. From 1995-2003, I had the privilege to be elected to the Fillmore Unified School District Board of Trustsee's. I was again fortunate to be elected to the Board in 2006.

All children in the Fillmore/Piru community have an opportunity to receive a good education. My goal is to continue this opportunity, to adjust, adapt and be flexible, to be accessible, open and compassionate to all people.

Lucy Rangel: I will make this a better school board by stressing the importance of “teamwork.” If we are to achieve our goals, and face more budget cuts, we must unite together in a professional, respectful manner. If we are to move forward in a positive way, we must have input from all groups concerned in the education of our children. Our district has great students, a hard-working dedicated staff, and parents who want the best for their children. We need our leaders to step up and direct everyone in a positive, motivating manner, and understand that we are all here for one thing—to give our youth the best education possible.

I feel I am qualified to be on the school board because I have personally seen our district through the eyes of a student, parent, teacher, and a school leader. As a student, I attended and am a proud graduate of Fillmore High. As a parent, my late husband, Jim, and I raised five children, Kristen, Eric, Jason, Amy and Maria. All of them received an excellent education here in Fillmore. Now I have two grandchildren in our school system. As a teacher of 37 years, I am familiar with our programs and curriculum both at the elementary and secondary levels. Finally, as a leader in our schools, I have coached, been an ASB advisor, a GATE and Mentor teacher, a Sixth Grade chairperson, a member of numerous committees, and I also had some experience as an assistant principal.

Kimberly Rivers: I was inspired to run after watching several months of the School Board showing a general lack of respect to parents, teachers and those community members who came before the Board with questions, information and concerns. I was shocked to hear the Board defend the current state of the schools as “excellent”. It is clear to me that our School Board needs to take the leadership role that the law mandates in guiding the District in a new direction.

When elected I will compel the Board to work with parents, community members, teachers, staff, County and State experts to find solutions that work. In making decisions I will ask, and demand that my fellow Board members ask, “Is this in the best interests of all our students?” We must keep our resources in the classroom.

I feel that both my professional and personal history provide me with the tools, as well as the inquisitive, independent and open mind needed to work in and turn around the culture of our District. As a parent, non-profit Board president and someone who professionally supports families I feel comfortable and confident in listening and getting to the heart of the issue in order to find an idea that works. I know the importance of being in touch with what is happening in education statewide in order to bring cutting edge programs and opportunity to ALL of our students. Parents should feel confident that their children have every possible opportunity at academic success. www.votekimrivers.com.

Dave Wilde: Schools are all about providing the best instruction for our students. We must make every effort to do what you can to support that goal. To support that goal we must insure that we do all we can to provide teachers with the materials and knowledge to help them become successful educating their students. Support staff must be in place to assist both students and teachers at all times. Facilities, both indoors and outdoors, must be in top shape to provide the right learning environment for our students. That includes the school site, classrooms and co-curricular locations.

I have 37 years of classroom experience, mostly in the area of high school science. In addition to being a classroom instructor I have served in many other roles. I have been in charge of several extracurricular programs. I have been the student government adviser, head softball coach, head football coach, head golf coach, and athletic director. I was one of two PAR teachers for four years. That program was in place to assist first year teachers to Fillmore and to provide data which a panel used to retain or let teachers go. That program was in place to insure we did what we could to provide the best instructors for our children. I have also been part of the Ventura County Office of Education's BTSA program which assists new teacher in completing steps to secure their California Clear Teaching Credential. I am currently in my seventh year in that position.