Dublin School Board Candidates Discuss Local Education Issues and Priorities

Dublin voters have many important decisions to make on Tuesday November 6, 2012. One of those decisions is to select three members for the Dublin Unified School District Board of Trustees. School board members that win the 2012 election will serve a four-year term. In this election cycle there are four candidates vying for three seats on the Dublin School Board – Dan Cunningham, Amy Miller, Austin Ogden and Greg Tomlinson. The field of candidates present voters with diverse backgrounds and capabilities.

To help voters get beyond the sound bites OneDublin.org offered each candidate the opportunity to respond to five questions:

• Question 1: What inspired you to become active in Dublin education and run for a Dublin Unified School District Board of Trustees position?
• Question 2: Dublin is a diverse community in ethnic and socioeconomic terms. What challenges does Dublin face in maximizing learning opportunities for all students?
• Question 3: What is the role of the Board of Trustees vs. the role of the District Staff / Administration / Teachers in ensuring our students are ready for college, a career or public service?
• Question 4: Dublin voters have supported multiple bond measures and a parcel tax in recent years. What role do Board Trustees play in ensuring that the money will be spent in the most efficient and effective way possible and what are your priorities for recently approved bond funds?
• Question 5: As an existing Board Trustee or as a candidate you have likely spoken to many parents. What are the key issues you’ve heard and how do you plan to address those issues?

All four candidates agreed to participate and their responses are presented below. Even if you have already decided on your election choices, take a few moments to read the candidates’ responses – they are thoughtful and provide an excellent platform for debating Dublin education issues.

There will also be a Dublin School Board Candidates’ Forum on Monday October 22 starting at 7:30pm in the Dublin High School library, hosted by the DHS PFSO.

So, grab a coffee and your notebook PC, Mac, iPhone / Android phone or iPad / tablet, sit back and get to know your candidates for the Dublin Unified School District Board of Trustees.

• Candidate Dan Cunningham: “I have always had a passion for helping young people as well as giving back to my community… being on the school board gives me the opportunity to have an impact on the larger community and, more importantly, the community that I live in.
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• Candidate Amy Miller: “I love Dublin, the people in Dublin and the schools in Dublin. Through my volunteer work in the schools (PFC President, Room Parent Coordinator, etc.) and then at Dublin Partners in Education (DPIE), I developed a very strong connection to this community.
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• Candidate Austin Ogden: “Throughout my education in the Dublin Unified School District, I often felt that students were being prepared more for success on state tests than being able to use their own skills in ways that would transfer to experiences and responsibilities after high school.
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• Candidate Greg Tomlinson: “I have two children in school, a freshman at DHS and a 7th grader at Fallon. Like any parent, there is little I care more about than our children’s education, and I knew I could bring meaningful skills to the schools from both an education and facility construction perspective.
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