Yeah, you go back, Jack, do it again. - Steely Dan, 1972

As the election cycle of 2011 closed in, I had decided that I was not going to seek a second term on the HSD2 School Board. Life, as it sometimes happens, had gotten quite a bit busier and my ability to multi-task was suffering.

But a strange thing happened on the way to the election. Only one person, current Board Member Victor Torres, had turned in the required petition signatures to get his name on the November ballot. Since there were two seats up for election this meant that there was, essentially, an open seat.

I'm not a big believer in 'signs', but I do believe we are sometimes presented with opportunities that require quick and simple decisions. At the eleventh hour, I entered myself into the race as a write-in candidate. Since Victor and I were the only candidates running for the two available seats, we were declared the winners and the election was cancelled. By cancelling the election the District was able to save approximately $25,000.

I still have concerns about my workload and have made it clear to the other Board Members that I will resign if I ever feel that I am not meeting my own requirements as a Board Member. I have also asked each of them to be honest with me and let me know, at any time, if they feel I am not fulfilling my duties adequately.

That being said, I have thoroughly enjoyed serving the District over the past four year, and I look forward to continuing that service, and doing all in my power to make sure our kids are getting the best education they can.

The District has made great gains over the past six years, and continues the trend of increasing student achievement every year. It's hard work that requires the best efforts of everyone involved. The members of the Board make no apologies for expecting the best for our students. High expectations yield high results and that philosophy will not be changing any time soon.

So why do I do it? A simple (and generic) answer would be "for the kids." Well, of course you do it for the kids. I hope that everyone involved is doing it for the kids. I also do it out of a sense of public duty. I'm never going to be a firefighter or a police officer, but maybe I can help a little bit by bringing some common sense, leadership and critical thinking to a place that can use it. I have tried to make it clear that, despite the position, I am not a politician. Never have been, never will be. I think our Board President, Deborah Hendrix, puts it best when she says (and I paraphrase), "We need to be concentrating on kid issues, not adult issues." What she said: twice!

Finally, I do have some self-interest in this position. My two children attend school in the District. It gives me great pleasure knowing that, it some way, the work we are doing as a Board positively impacts the lives of over 10,000 students.