THE RACE FOR OCEAN VIEW SCHOOL BOARD

Angelique Flores

Educational consultant Jim Peters said the formula for school success

is small classes, supported teachers, updated technology and parent

participation.

“I am committed to listening to this community and representing the

concerns of its people,” he said.

Peters said he has participated in congressional campaigns and

testified before Congress to improve funding and laws pertaining to

education. He also served as an advisor to Judy Heumann, assistant

secretary of education, and numerous U.S. senators and congressmen about

educational issues, he added.

“Our schools are good, but together we can make them better with

programs that stress strong academics, art, music and values such as

honesty, compassion and cooperation,” he said.

He said the most important issue facing the district is overcrowding

in the portable classrooms.

“The class-size reduction to 20 students did not mean classroom-size

reduction as well,” he said. “I believe that instead of purchasing these

portables, we should utilize the free money from the state surplus and

matching grant funds to remodel an existing vacant school. This would

also assist in the goal of class-size reduction for all grades.”

Peters attended Irvine University’s College of Law, Eastern College

and Morehouse College.

BIO: JIM PETERS

* Age: 44

* Family: Three children

* Community Activism: Educational law instructor at California New

Hope University and children’s advocate

* Contact: (714) 266-2473 and [email protected]

JIM PETERS ON:

* THE DISTRICT’S BIGGEST CHALLENGES

“We employ above-average teachers who deserve above-average pay.”

Good faith negotiations with teachers and classified employees whose

contracts will terminate in the spring are essential to avoid distraction

from the classroom, Peters said.

“Developing a program for rewarding exceptional teachers, while

modifying the tenure system so we can remove incompetent teachers swiftly

is critical.”

Peters said sound financial decisions prioritizing school district

needs are necessary in allocating appropriate funds for certified

teachers, repairing and maintaining schools, and increasing technology,

art and music programs.

“This district had large numbers of retentions this past year. More

efforts must be made to ensure students are learning what they need to

know and teachers have the proper support.”

* PLANS TO BUILD GYMNASIUMS AT MIDDLE SCHOOLS

“How can we look our teachers in the eye and say we have no money to

bring their salaries to the average level of other Orange County

teachers, while at the same time announce we have money to build four

gymnasiums at a cost of $12 million, creating parking nightmares and

related problems?”

Peters recommends allocating funds to accommodate teacher salaries

first and build one large gym for all four middle schools.

“For less than $1 million, an Olympic-size swimming pool could also be

built, creating, along with the gymnasium, a sports facility for use by

all of the district students.”