CANDIDATES ADDRESS CLIMATE, CURRICULA
Bibiana Garcia and Trista Kennedy are seeking the Area 3 position on the Woodland School Board
The Daily Democrat, working with the Woodland League of Women Voters, is hosting a series of questions posed to candidates for the Woodland Joint Unified School District. This format was taken for the Nov. 3 general election instead of the League’s usual “in-person” forums due to concerns about spreading the coronavirus. This is the first in a series of two stories and will feature candidates Bibiana Garcia and Trista Kennedy, who are seeking the Area 3 position on the board. Both are answering the same six questions.
Should the district have a Climate Action Plan and a climate change curriculum to prepare students to live and work in a changing world?
Bibiana Garcia: I believe, Woodland Joint Unified School District needs to adopt a solid climate action plan that includes a promise to our community that we will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and state clear preventive measures to address the negative outcomes of climate change. It’s important for our district to present resilience strategies, state clean energy targets, and economic and social goals in regards to climate, while also adopting a curriculum that prepares students to live and work in a changing world.
Trista Kennedy: Yes. The reality is our changing world needs our attention. In line with the City of Woodland, our district should have a Climate Action Plan and continue steps in reducing our use and waste. A Climate Action Plan can provide evidence-based measures to reduce energy use and waste, conserve water, and reduce fossil fuels used for transportation in the district. Our district should incorporate climate change curriculum at all levels to help students understand what climate change is and how they can individually and collectively conserve. The focus should be on providing knowledge for students to make informed choices.
Discuss district programs for unhoused students and families that provide equal access to school, including outreach, remedial learning, and tools required for classroom and distance learning.
Garcia: WJUSD provides all students in grades TK-12 with a laptop device and access points available for students in need. Outreach and support services are available to non-housed and foster students and their families through WJUSD to ensure that they have all the resources available for their success. However, I believe there is work to be done to
inform the community that these resources are available to them even if they eventually need them. The challenge in today’s world is to make sure that our nonhoused foster students have the same resources available no matter what learning platform we are on.
Kennedy: Fostering feelings of safety and security through cultivating supportive school climates and connections is important for our unhoused students. There are 150 families in our district that are unhoused. The district has a Special Project Program Manager who works directly with unhoused students. The district provides each student with a chrome book, internet hotspot and helps to arrange a daily plan. The Manager meets with each family and helps to fill those needs for distance learning to be accessible. Having this service and connection has been proven to enhance the mental health and academic outcomes students face due to housing instability.
What do you identify as the underlying issues leading to juvenile referrals to the justice system and how can schools address these issues?
Garcia: I believe our Woodland schools can address the issue of juvenile referrals to the justice system by having more career counselors and social workers at all school sites. Counselors and social workers are able to provide our youth with resources that can help them better their situation and prevent or reduce juvenile referrals in the future. Today, students should already have access to virtual sessions with counselors and social workers.
Kennedy: There are many underlying issues that can lead to juvenile referrals such as socioeconomic factors, a child’s home life, and substance abuse, to name a few. Schools can address these issues by encouraging parental involvement, educating families on warning signs and positive courses of action, and by providing a safe environment with mental and emotional support. Our schools need to provide all students with an encouraging and accepting environment where positive behavior is recognized and rewarded. Utilizing restorative justice practices and working with appropriate stakeholders can help students get the help they need to stay out of the justice system.
What proposals do you have to balance the 2021-2022 district budget if funding is cut next year?
Garcia: As a board member, student success is my top priority and I will defend students and teachers from any cuts. Current board members have advocated to re-introduce the Budget Advisory Committee, and I agree. The district BIC composed of community members is critical in the formation of a wellbalanced budget that upholds the ideals of the community. If I am elected, I will advocate for the reintroduction of the BIC and would value their budget recommendations.
Kennedy: School Board budgets help bridge the gap between the district’s goals and resource allocation. Our board and district need to be more transparent providing detailed explanations for policies and decisions affecting the budget. I believe our board needs to ask the district to take a hard look at consulting contracts and see what we can bring in-house to help save money. Additionally, the board needs to take a critical look at the effectiveness of current programs resulting from previously passed policies. The two things that I want to avoid the most are layoffs and cutting programs/curriculum for our students.
What is the district plan to obtain feedback from students and parents regarding the difficulties faced using distance learning and monitor student progress?
Garcia: WJUSD district office has sent students and families a variety of surveys via email to obtain feedback about distance learning. They have also held meetings through the district Community and Family Engagement (CAFE) program, a program created by the district to help empower families in the education of their students. At the school site, teachers have been in communication with families and given access to parent portals to monitor their student’s progress through distance learning and inperson learning.
Kennedy: The district plans to survey students and parents in late September or early October regarding the effectiveness of distance learning thus far. They are monitoring their progress through attendance and the new online platform, Canvas. Distance learning has not been without its growing pains and challenges for students, families, and teachers. Everyone has been giving their best and is rising to the challenge, for which I applaud. However, the reality is all students need to return to physical classrooms as soon as it is deemed safe to do so. This is especially important for our special needs students.
How can the district improve the quality, safety, and sustainability of cafeteria meals which many Woodland children rely on for breakfast, lunch, and after school snacks?
Garcia: I am an advocate for healthy food choices for students that promote healthy behavior and brain development. Many of our students depend on the daily nutrition of our schools, it is imperative that we promote balanced meals. Most of our schools have community gardens where fruits and vegetables are grown, it is important to offer students the opportunity to grow and cultivate their own fruits and vegetables to learn about quality food, food safety, and sustainability practices. Lastly, it is also important that WJUSD continues to provide our students with free breakfast and lunch meals during the distance learning phases.
Kennedy: For many children, the meals they get at school is the only healthy food they will eat all day. It is important for our district to provide quality meals that are full of nutrients as it is critical to student health and well-being, especially for low-income students. The district can continue to educate themselves on best practices, apply for grants that can increase spending in this area, get feedback from families, and continue to partner with the Food Bank to create collaborative processes for keeping healthy meals in front of students who need it. Having healthy meal options ensures that students have the nutrition they need throughout the day to learn.