LASD candidates: on healthy school lunch, online forums, GATE, and their speed of response (Part 2)

Tamara Logan, current LASD Board chair - response time 4days 18 hrs

www.ReElectTamaraLogan.com.

1. do you think that school lunch affects academic performance? Should schools role-model and provide healthy lunches? and provide healthy options?

Research clearly shows that healthy meals are very important to the well being of our children. The district follows federal guidelines for meals.

2. Should we push for a mountain view neighborhood school and how do we make that happen?

The district clearly needs another facility to accommodate our growing number of students (more than 100 more in just LASD already this year)), but its use will depend upon community input and the location.

3. Do you think the PTAs could/should be more inclusive by allowing online forums rather than just 8am meetings or in person meetings?

This is a site level question. PTAs are independent of the school board. Online forums sound like a good idea, but I know there is a considerable effort to set up required equipment and maintain web sites. Perhaps you could volunteer or help another volunteer?

4. Should the hot lunch vendor be decided by a democratic process (allowing all that use the system and/or all PTA members to vote) or by whomever the hot lunch chair is?

Again, this is up to school site PTAs. My experience is that getting volunteers for such time consuming positions is hard enough without adding extra requirements from the district.

5. What is the status with BCS? are we “resolved” at least for the next 5 years? no more lawsuits about land? What is your relationship with BCS and with those not at BCS?

The final action before the lawsuits could be completely closed is now passed: Santa Clara County Board of Education approval of charter change. Facilities disputes are required to go through mediation and binding arbitration for the next 5 years, if any such need arises.

6. What are your top 3 priorities?

Please see www.ReElectTamaraLogan.com.

7. How do we stimulate all of our kids, given that we have no GATE programming, we seem to be focused on bringing up the baseline but neglecting the top?

We do have GATE programming in Math. Other advanced work is provided by student grouping and differentiation within the classroom. On a personal level, my children performed very highly in our school and I don’t believe their needs were neglected.

Since then, the educational standards have improved with Common Core requiring more depth and our teaching staff has received significantly more instruction and practice in differentiating instruction and using technology tools to support differentiation. We have added the STEM labs and activities to encourage creativity and scientific exploration. Our children have many opportunities to be challenged. If you feel that your children are not challenged please speak with your teacher and site principal.

8. if you have/had kids in the district, how many days a week do you/ did you order lunch?

Most days. My kids did not like pizza and it was before more stringent Federal requirements were enacted.