CASEY RABOY
Why are you running for school board?
Because I care deeply about my community and particularly about our young people.
Why are you the best candidate for the seat?
I am highly qualified because I have raised six children in this district and have seen it grow and change as our city has grown. I am knowledgeable from a personal perspective and have much to contribute to making our district the best that it can be.
If elected, what do you hope to accomplish?
If elected, I hope to assist the district in making solid financial decisions; increase parent participation in determining the direction our of district; and making all of our schools equitable in educational opportunities, physical accommodations, and access to parental supports that help children to thrive.
How can the district better serve the community?
Galt Unified can better serve the community by listening to parents and teachers regarding their ideas for filling learning gaps, utilizing district resources, and improving learning outcomes. I believe it really does take a village to raise a child and I would like to think that Galt is still a closeknit community that cares about our neighborhood schools and is willing to be part of that village.
Your thoughts on:
Educational inequality: Every child deserves the same opportunity for success and I will fight hard to ensure that each school in the district lives up to this promise. Although our education system cannot be responsible for every aspect of society, we owe it to all of our children to provide safe, positive places to learn.
Student-teacher ratio: Student-teacher ratios have long been proven to be indicators of educational success and therefore must be a high priority for our district. We will need to prioritize our resources to ensure that our classes do not become overcrowded which will shortchange our students.
Local Control and Accountability Plan expenditures/transparency: The LCAP provides more flexibility for funding based on the students’ needs. I support the priorities of LCAP. The district has the current plan on their website open for public review.
School safety: Having just passed a bond that includes improvements to school safety, I will assist in all ways that I can to ensure that the taxpayers’ trust in us is respected by ensuring that bond money is used appropriately to make the safety improvements voted on by our community.
Technology in education: Our students must be prepared for high school and college. This means that all students need access to high speed internet and the district must continue to improve its investments in technology for our students. I will be an active participant in sourcing grants to improve our district’s technology capabilities so that our students will enter high school with the foundations they need to be successful in our digital world.
Charter schools: Parent choice is important and I respect families who wish to have their children attend charter schools. However, I am concerned that these entities could drain resources from our district if they do not hold high standards and students exiting them back to our district are in need of “catching up.” I also believe the innovative and creative teachers and administrators of our district can build new learning opportunities to compete with charter schools if supported by our board and community.
School discipline: Philosophers have said, “Give me a child until he is 7 and I will show you the man.” This is because early childhood experiences shape the character of an individual to a great degree. Having children who understand that rules are required so that people can respect one another, reach goals as a team, and that there are consequences for disobedience are keys to a person’s success as an adult. Raising six children has given me a tremendous appreciation for the need for compliance, caring, and respect for all to prosper in an environment.
Accountability to taxpayers: Having a large, child-centered household means making sacrifices and finding every penny to stretch a budget. I would expect our district to perform as my household does — simply put, to live within its means. I will strive to ensure that the citizens are aware of the district’s finances, even when times are troubled and resources are thin.