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 holmespeters@yahoo.com
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.”
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