Rosemary Saylor

Name: Rosemary Saylor

Age: 58

Birthplace: Geneva, N.Y.

Residence: 330 Crest Ave.

Occupation: incumbent governing board member, Huntington Beach City School District (HBCSD) and local business owner

Education: bachelor of arts, Anna Maria College, Paxton Mass., specializing in graphic arts and art education

Experience as an educator: two years Instructor, Coastline Community College; one year instructor, Adult Education Huntington Beach Union High School District (HBUHSD); three years substitute teacher kindergarten through eighth grade HBCSD, four years governing board member HBCSD

Previously elected or appointed positions: Appointed member of 2005-06 HBCSD Asset Management Committee and 7/11 Committee; 14 years elected member of Huntington Beach High School (HBHS) Site Council; four years elected member of Smith Elementary School Site Council, appointed member HBUHSD Measure C committee; appointed member Parent Advisory Committee (HBHS site reconfiguration) and Strategic Planning committees, HBUHSD; elected PTA president at Smith Elementary, Dwyer Middle School, Huntington Beach High School, and Huntington Union Council.

Community organizations you belong to: PTA

Why should constituents vote for you?

My three children all attended our district’s schools, and having been a PTA president at all levels as well as holding many other volunteer positions, I believe this has made me an effective and concerned trustee of the HBCSD for the last four years. The board is strong in its leadership in a district that continues to hold high test scores and attract the best teachers, despite the state budget situation. It is in our children’s best interest to keep in place the leaders that are making education work in our community.

What do you think is the biggest problem facing your district and how do you plan to address it?

The overwhelming issue now for HBCSD and for all school districts is lack of essential funds from the state. These are education funds that are required by our state constitution, yet we are not being provided with the per-pupil funding that comes close to what we need. Nor do we receive most of the legally required compensation for categorical and other mandates, requiring further depletion from the general funds that should go to basic classroom needs, as well as towards equitable teacher and other staff compensation.

As a trustee, I continue to address these situations as part of the board, and will continue to do so to the best of my ability in order to retain both the programs our students need and deserve and the exceptional staff members employed throughout our district. As an individual, I believe we need to push for local funding. Sacramento has proven that they do not know what is best for students in Huntington Beach. We need to regain local control of the taxes that should go directly toward the education of our own children.

In the last year, what is one issue that you think the sitting board members handled well and why?
Given the unimaginable fiscal depletions as a result of Sacramento’s budget fiasco, I believe the HBCSD Board, with the invaluable assistance of our administration, did a great job of implementing the millions in cuts that we needed without severely impacting students.

In the last year, what is one issue the board got wrong and what would you have done differently?
I can’t think of anything we “got wrong,” but an area where we have so far been unsuccessful is in resolving some property issues, which must be addressed for the good of our school district and local community. However, we certainly continue to look for best solutions and intend to come to conclusions during this school year.