Next step after volunteer career

Mary A. Castillo

Betsy Jenkins began her career in education as a community college

and high school teacher after earning her master’s degree in

literature from the UC Irvine. But when her boys Christopher and Kyle

were old enough to attend school she made a career change, becoming a

parent volunteer in Laguna Beach.

Even though her oldest is now a junior at Laguna Beach High

School, Jenkins plans on getting deeper into area schools by running

for one of the seats on the Laguna Beach Unified School District

board of education.

“I’ve done so much in the district,” she said. “It’s a logical

step to run for the board.”

Since her first Top of the World Parent Teacher Assn. meeting in

1990, Jenkins has been a classroom volunteer, PTA president at Top of

the World and PTA Council Parent Education chairwoman. She also

served as PTA council president and liaison to the school board.

However, one of the most rewarding experiences of her career was

helping organize the School Bond Measure last March. Her work as

chair for the telephone banks led to an appointment to the Citizen

Oversight Committee that acts as a watchdog over the current school

construction projects and budget.

“I’ve kept my finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the

schools,” she said. “The oversight committee is the most important

committee in the district. I don’t want our district to end up the

same place it was years ago when we nearly went bankrupt.”

She credits the experience on the oversight committee as giving

her an intimate look at all the details that play into the

construction process.

“I am in a good position to oversee the continuing modernization

of our schools,” she said. “The construction is on time and on

budget. They’re doing a very good job.”

She foresees that the inconveniences of the projects will be paid

for by major environmental gains for students and teachers down the

road.

Jenkins approves of the district’s whole-student approach,

including its emphasis on service learning and the revised misconduct

policy approved by the board.

However, she hopes to explore reducing class sizes and introducing

more advanced placement courses into the high school and middle

school curriculum.

“We need to raise the bar academically because there’s such a

competitive climate among colleges,” she said. “The larger schools

offer a greater choice of AP honors classes, and I’d like to see that

happen in our schools.”

Another issue Jenkins hopes to focus on is looking at ways to

recruit and keep excellent teachers.

“One of our most fundamental responsibilities is to make our

teachers happy,” she said. “We can do this by being competitive in

salary, keeping class size down and keeping open lines of

communication with the district and parents.”

If elected, Jenkins plans to continue working with the PTA Council

and maintaining her close ties to some of the district’s teachers.

“I care very deeply about education, our schools and about open

communication between all levels,” she said.

* MARY A. CASTILLO is a news assistant for the Coastline Pilot.

She covers education, public safety and City Hall.