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Tuesday, January 27, 2009
APS Board Candidate Questions
FOR THE RECORD: Patrick J. Marron's educational information has been corrected in this story.
1. What is the most pressing problem facing APS? What would you do about it?
2. How would you evaluate Superintendent Winston Brooks after his first six months on the job?
Map of APS Board member Districts
3. The APS board is supporting changes in the state funding formula for education that would give more money for district programs. APS stands to gain $57 million. If the changes are approved, how should the extra money be spent?
4. Have you or your business, if you are a business owner, ever been the subject of any state or federal tax liens?
5. Have you ever been involved in a personal or business bankruptcy proceeding?
6. Have you ever been arrested for, charged with, or convicted of drunken driving, or any misdemeanor or felony?
DISTRICT 3
ANNA ARMIJO
AGE: 58.
EDUCATION: Graduate, Valley High School, 1968; UNM, 93 credit hours, 1968-1988.
OCCUPATION: mother, grandmother, retired APS executive administrative assistant to associate superintendent.
FAMILY: Married to Daniel, retired teacher; five children (Marisol, Carlos, Santiago, Anamaria and Maya Felice); five grandchildren (Nicolas, Isavel, Ava, Maximo and Azuriah).
POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE: None (other than class officer in high school).
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: School volunteer, tutor, soccer coach.
1. Insufficient budget to adequately sustain or improve educational programs to address academic achievement and the achievement gap or to address school staff retention, recruitment and training. Strict alignment of budget with student needs.
2. The evaluation process would begin with a candid review of his progress in the eight goal areas.
3. Direct resources to develop, implement, and improve educational programs to advance student achievement and academic yearly progress with additional resources targeted at high-poverty schools.
4. No.
5. No.
6. No.
LORENZO GARCIA
AGE: 57.
EDUCATION: Bachelor's in University Studies, University of New Mexico, 1985.
OCCUPATION: Executive director, Youth Building Better Lives, Inc.
FAMILY: Married 36 years, three adult children, five grandchildren.
POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE: Employment for 10 years in criminal justice system, probation officer, Metropolitan Court; employment for 12 years, Public Health Division, New Mexico Department of Health, health promotion program manager.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Chairman of Rio Grande Community Development Corp.; past president for three terms, New Mexico Public Health Association; past member, Citizens Advisory Group, city of Albuquerque; past member, Carlos Rey Parent Teachers Association; past president, North Valley Area Council; past chairman, Hispanos Unidos.
1. The APS dropout rate is one of the key issues we face. This is an economic development issue. Build and implement a comprehensive plan to change these outcomes, starting with early intervention.
2. I am glad he has taken time to meet community members. Their voices must be heard.
3. Meet educational assistants' pay request. Livable wages are a fundamental principal of social justice. Spending priorities must be based on key issues bringing long-term results, like early childhood education.
4. No.
5. No.
6. No.
AGATHA "AGGIE" LOPEZ
AGE: 62.
EDUCATION: Valley High School, Western Business School.
OCCUPATION: Retired.
FAMILY: Married to Donald Lopez; daughters, Debra and Denise; grandchildren, Jodi and Max.
POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE: Albuquerque Board of Education, eight years.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: School volunteer.
1. The budget shortfall is the most pressing for the coming year. APS should take an audit of its programs and then eliminate the ones that are not working or are no longer needed.
2. Superintendent Winston Brooks seems to have done a good job in his first six months.
3. APS should adjust the educational assistants' pay, then look at adding music and art back into the elementary schools. These programs should never have been dropped.
4. No.
5. No.
6. No.
JEFFREY RICH
AGE: 39.
EDUCATION: New Mexico State University, Bachelor's in business-international business and Spanish, 1991.
OCCUPATION: real estate.
FAMILY: self.
POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE: Former board member of the Wells Park Neighborhood Association.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Finding waste and corruption in city services.
1. APS is extremely bloated, inefficient and top heavy with administration and always begging for more money while the educators are forced to deal with leaky roofs and discipline problems. Immediately institute an emergency public audit to find waste and corruption and use the savings to properly pay educational assistants and teachers while safeguarding their dwindling retirement pensions.
2. Brooks has the courage to shake up APS, which is exactly what it needs, especially at Rio Grande and Ernie Pyle. Let's see what he can do to improve APS.
3. Immediately institute an emergency public audit to find waste and corruption and then pay off our APS bond obligations with the $57 million. Citizens should demand APS be debt free!
4. I do not owe any back taxes and am current on all my state and federal taxes. I have never been summoned to court for any liens or tax issues.
5. No, because I don't owe any person any money. I am debt free. I have never been involved in a bankruptcy proceeding. E-mail me at: Pollworker@aol.com.
6. No DWI. A ferocious dog foaming at the mouth lunged at me and I defended myself. An inexperienced rookie APD cop thought the dog was a human and arrested me! Editor's note: The Journal could find no records related to this incident, and Rich could not be reached for further explanation.
DISTRICT 5
CAROLYNE DEVORE-PARKS
AGE: 56.
EDUCATION: Bridgewater College, Certificate of Graduate Studies-School Administration, 1994; Boston University, Master's of Science in Public Health Program, 1978; University of Buffalo, Bachelor's in health sciences, 1972, and Master's in Health Education, 1973; and candidate for a Doctorate in education; Harvard Medical School, Teacher Fellow, 2000.
OCCUPATION: retired biology teacher; school administrator-principal (Boston Public Schools); DeVore-Parks Consultants, self-employed, curriculum consultant/public relations.
FAMILY: Attended public schools in Maryland. Divorced, career Navy officer. One son who is a college student. Father was an attorney and mother was a teacher-entrepreneur.
POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE: Town representative, Brookline, Mass., elected to five terms; board member, Brookline Human Relations Commission, appointed by mayor; Massachusetts State Committee, elected five terms; presidential elector, Massachusetts, 2000; National Convention Platform Committee, 2000
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: APS-School Health Advisory Council; board member, Princess Jeanne Neighborhood Association; voter registrar, New Mexico; election official, Bernalillo County; League of Women Voters of Central New Mexico, former board member and PR director
1. How to prioritize educational policies, physical plant management, equitable employment practices, so that each school will be given the appropriate allocation in the budget.
2. Yes, I would extend his contract because six months is not an adequate amount of time to evaluate the position of school superintendent.
3. I would support all programs that promote professional education. Further, I would support all programs that assist in decreasing the school dropout rate and increase the graduation rate.
4. No.
5. No.
6. No.
PAULA MAES, incumbent
AGE: 55.
EDUCATION: Bachelor's in journalism, UNM, 1976.
OCCUPATION: President/CEO of the New Mexico Broadcasters Association.
FAMILY: Married to Doug Baker; four sons, Michael Baker, Evan Baker, Joshua Baker and Christopher Baker.
POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE: Eight years on the APS School Board.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: New Mexico PTA, Blue Star Mothers of America, Lobo Club, La Sala Grande Neighbor Association, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, NASBA.
1. The 2009 Legislature is the main funding source for APS. APS is supporting a change in the funding formula that would bring APS more than $71 million. Education needs to be funded, and our students and employees depend on this funding.
2. Brooks is doing well. He eliminated the cluster system, worked with the unions, created a strong administrative team and has created community support.
3. Teachers need to be supported. This funding would provide for more professional development, including more classroom support. Schools could receive more nurses and librarians. Our students would receive additional art and music in the classroom.
4. No.
5. No.
6. No.
RENÉE ROSALES
AGE: 27.
EDUCATION: St. Pius X High School, 2000, general diploma; UNM 2000-2001, South West Health Career Institute; 2001, certification as dental assistant; CNM, 2007 to present, elementary education.
OCCUPATION: Administrator, Jalapeño Corp.
FAMILY: Husband, Paul, and two children.
POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE: None.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Habitat for Humanity.
1. It is impossible to narrow the issues down to just one. I think most issues can be put into three categories — higher standards, budget issues and parental involvement. I want to work closely with the board and Superintendent Brooks to look at these issues closely to look into all available options.
2. It's been only six months and so far the record is showing some improvement; however, I also see areas that I feel are needing more work such as tutoring and after-school programs.
3. I think it should be put toward tutoring, after-school programs and pay raises.
4. No.
5. No.
6. No. Obtained speeding tickets as a teenager.
DISTRICT 6
MARY LEE MARTIN, incumbent
AGE: 70.
EDUCATION: Highland High School, graduated 1956; Colorado State University, two years; UNM, 1999 and 2000.
OCCUPATION: Currently retired; doing part time work as an NCAA Women's Gymnastic National Assigner for six universities.
FAMILY: Husband, George; son and daughter, Thomas Martin and Linda Martin.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Albuquerque Youth Symphony board of directors; Central Workforce Investment Board, executive board member; National Association of Women's Gymnastic Judges, national board of directors; New Mexico School Board Association, board of directors and past president; New Mexico Crime Prevention Association, treasurer.
POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE: Chairwoman of the Middle Rio Grande Council of Governments; chairwoman of the Urban Transportation Policy Planning Board; Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education, 1987-present; Central Workforce Region Workforce Investment Board.
1. Students dropping out of school. I would continue the work that we are currently doing with the new superintendent but add more emphasis on early intervention programs districtwide. I would increase the elementary summer academies to as many as we could afford.
2. Winston Brooks has worked hard in the last six months to learn more about the district and to begin to make the necessary changes to meet the goals of the district.
3. I would start with higher salaries for educational assistants, secretaries and all instructional support staff. I would extend our programs for the summer academies across the district. I would work with the administration to ensure continued services for gifted students.
4. No.
5. No.
6. No.
DAVID ROBBINS
AGE: 55.
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in economics, University of New Mexico, 1976; Master's of business, finance, UNM, 1990.
OCCUPATION: Project manager, PNM Resources.
FAMILY: Married 33 years to Jan Robbins, three adult children, no grandchildren.
POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE: First public run for office. Was a member of the APS Community Oversight Committee, 2003-2005; previous ward chairman, District 28, two years; six years with N.M. State Highway Department.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: President of the Oñate Neighborhood Association, 2005-2008.
1. Student proficiency has to be the top priority. This is the purpose of education. I would work to set high expectations and align personal accountability with responsibility for parents, students, APS employees and the board.
2. I would give the superintendent good marks for his team-building, communication and outreach efforts.
3. $28 million to $30 million will provide a 4 percent raise, health insurance costs and increased pay for educational assistants; $6 million to $8 million to cover transportation and utility costs. The remaining $20 million should go to art and music teachers, nurses, supplies, books and literacy and after-school programs for at-risk students.
4. None.
5. None.
6. None.
DISTRICT 7
DAVID E. PEERCY
AGE: 64.
EDUCATION: New Mexico State University, Ph.D., mathema-tics, 1971; New Mexico State University, Master's in mathema-tics, 1967; University of Colorado, Bachelor's in applied mathematics, 1966.
OCCUPATION: System/Software Quality Engineer/Scientist. Distinguished member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories.
FAMILY: Wife: Martha, married 40 years; two adult sons, Brad, Lane.
POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE: 35-plus years' experience in industry, either working with government agencies or employed by agencies such as Sandia National Laboratories that are associated with the government.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Youth soccer coach; APS Science Fair/Expo reviewer; NFIOA and New Mexico Athletic Association service awards; church accompanist/youth missions; Upward Basketball referee commissioner/Coach Foundation support for University of Colorado music and New Mexico State University mathematics.
1. Student competency: reading literacy. Students need more "time on task." Use evidence-based practices; reduce classroom interruptions; expand pre-K, K-3 services; increase facilities use; reduce testing; give teachers authority to achieve objectives.
2. Superintendent Brooks has begun to address community relations and the academic achievement gap; job to date is adequate.
3. (1) reduce instructional load on the teachers, (2) increase professional development funding, (3) support expanded Centers of Excellence; (4) improve compensation equity for teachers, educational assistants, secretarial staff.
4. No.
5. No.
6. No.
PATRICK J. MARRON
AGE: 31.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Manzano High School in 1995 and attended the Naval Corrections Academy in 1997.
OCCUPATION: Sales representative.
FAMILY: Single.
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: I am a community activist who follows current events, attends meetings when possible and works to support worthy candidates such as Dr. Ron Paul for president and Cindy Sheehan for Congress. I am active in my church and on Comcast Channel 27 Community Access TV.
1. One pressing problem is the lack of classroom discipline. Children are in control and teachers are helpless, because administration will not back them up. Board policy must support teachers.
2. Six months is not sufficient time to form more than an impression.
3. Until there is a transparent, independent audit done of where APS is spending its current funds, that money should be slated to the taxpayers. APS must prove itself.
4. No.
5. No.
6. I object to the question. Were I a felon, I would not be eligible. Good people are often falsely accused. I believe a person is innocent until proven guilty.
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