Vantage point: Making a difference—together
By:
CSBA President Cindy Marks
Published: June 1, 2013
I’m sure that many of you were as delighted as I was to read Dan Walter’s syndicated column regarding the governor’s budget and his reference to “the influential California School Boards Association.” That term has been well-earned through the work of not only association leadership and staff but all of you. Here are of few of the many ways CSBA is asserting statewide leadership and working to expand its influence:
Education Coalition: CSBA is an influential member, sitting at the table with the state superintendent of public instruction and leaders of the state’s education associations. In that capacity, we are leading and shaping the policy priorities of the state and working with our counterparts to unify messaging and advocacy.
Cities, Counties and Schools Partnership: We assert our leadership by bringing organizations together to strengthen public education. CSBA’s immediate past president, Jill Wynns, chairs the Partnership this year, which is working to identify and implement best practices to ensure safe, high-performing schools.
Regional and county meetings: Region 23 Director Bob Cruz (Charter Oak Unified School District), Region 18 Delegate Bill Newberry (Corona-Norco USD/Subregion 18-A) and Region 10 Director Susan Markarian (Pacific Union Elementary School District) are among our leaders statewide who have taken the initiative to organize regional meetings on critical topics ranging from work-force training and Linked Learning to virtual learning, safety, budget and legislative priorities. If a regional meeting is taking place in your area, try to attend. These events are not only great opportunities for learning, they can be invaluable for building your regional network.
Board Member Action Day: While our CSBA staff is busy working with the governor and Legislature on advancing our Governance First agenda, I’m delighted that 160 members across the state conducted 83 legislative meetings on May 10. My heartfelt thanks to all of you who gave up all or a portion of your day to visit your state legislators in their local district offices. Advocacy is critical to securing and sustaining appropriate funding and resources for our schools. Your efforts were critically important to helping our lawmakers under our statewide and local legislative priorities.
Region 9 Director Chris Ungar (San Luis Coastal USD) and Region 7 Director Laura Canciamilla (Pittsburg USD) were among the Board Member Action Day champions who worked especially hard to ensure broad participation from members in their regions. Region 5 Delegate Alisa Green MacAvoy (Redwood City ESD/Subregion B) attended state Sen. Jerry Hill’s education forum and spent time afterward to talk with the senator about CSBA’s Governance First agenda. Region 3 Delegate Pat Shamansky (Fairfield-Suisun USD/Subregion C) led her group’s discussion of CSBA’s priorities with Fairfield Assembly Member Jim Frazier.
Together we are Team CSBA, promoting CSBA’s mission and vision throughout the state. Thank you for your commitment to our association and to public education.