Q&A with Robert Stankus, Candidate for Walnut Creek School District Board

Walnut Creek Patch is featuring Q&A profiles with all five candidates vying for three seats on the Walnut Creek School District governing board. We will run one candidate Q&A each day this week in alphabetical order.  

This is the first contested election for this district in a number of years. Patch writer Lou Fancher submitted a series of questions to each candidate, asking a range of questions: their views on teacher tenure, how the district can cope with ongoing budget cuts and the emotional debate over bringing all K-8 Walnut Creek schools into one district. She also asked them to explain their educational philosophy and unique experience that would make them qualified for this important job.

Today's Q&A is with Robert Stankus 

Click on the names below to read the Q&As with candidates whose profiles have run. 

Monday: Angela Borchardt
Tuesday: Jon-Michael Johnson 
Wednesday: Tobias Lester
Thursday: Barbara Pennington

Robert Stankus has been a Walnut Creek resident for 11 years.  He attended Santa Clara University, where he received his bachelor's degree in philosophy. Born in 1960, he owns a small marketing communications firm in downtown Walnut Creek.

Stankus has been a trustee on the Board of Directors of the Walnut Creek Education Foundation for six years. He has participated on strategic planning teams at the district and school-site levels.  He served on the steering committee and as communications co-chairman for the Measure G & H parcel-tax campaigns.  Stankus is the age group coordinator and a board member for the Walnut Creek Soccer Club. 

His campaign expects to spend under $1,000.

Stankus is married to Karen and the father of two: Simone, 14, and Elise, 11.  The girls have attended only Walnut Creek schools.

Question: What is the role of the school board in relation to the school administration? 

The primary role of the board is one of citizen oversight – making sure that the district is well run and responsive to the priorities, values and beliefs of the community. It accomplishes this by first setting a direction for the community's schools – established by community consensus through the strategic planning process – that enables students to achieve their highest potential. While the board has responsibility for overseeing the development of and adopting district policy, in Walnut Creek this is done in a collaborative environment with the superintendent and professional staff in a way that best supports the students, teachers and the district's vision.

Question: How do you think the state should reform its process so that public schools are not left with an annual budget crisis?

Walnut Creek schools have a need for stable funding that is sufficient for the objectives and outcomes established by the state's educational standards and requirements. A lot is asked of our schools and teachers, and the state needs to provide adequate funding to accomplish those goals. The role of the board, in relation to the state budget process, is to keep local government representatives -- state Senate and Assembly members -- apprised of what is financially required to accomplish the task and let them know where funding is inadequate. That same information needs to be shared with the community so that people can communicate these needs to their elected representatives.

Question: What measures can the school board take to improve student achievement? 
Middle School: For both elementary and middle schools, the board's primary role is to monitor student achievement and program effectiveness, and then require program changes as indicated. Key to this district's academic success has been small class sizes, support for teachers' professional development to continually improve their skills, resources to support different types and levels of learners, and the overall community expression of a high value placed on education, our schools, our teachers and our children.

Question: What is your position on standardized testing, teacher tenure and allowing students who live out of the district to attend Walnut Creek schools? 

Standardized testing is just one tool in a much larger tool chest, available to teachers, the district, the board, parents and the community at large.  It is one way of knowing its students are on track, making progress, or encountering difficulty. While these tests can help inform instruction, they should not necessarily direct instruction.

Teacher tenure: In the best interest of our school children, the Walnut Creek School District is committed to helping teachers succeed. The current system, whereby new teachers are on temporary status for two years before being granted permanent status, also includes a variety of processes and programs designed to assist teachers in improving their teaching skills and performance as a part of their regular job, as well as when they may encounter difficulties. When parents have questions or concerns about a specific teacher, communication is key. Parents should communicate those concerns first to the teacher, then if necessary, to the principal and superintendent. Parents should receive appropriate communication in answer to their questions or concerns.

Allowing students who live out of the district to attend Walnut Creek schools: Requests for exceptions should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and approved or disapproved on the merits of the request. The district also has to weigh the role of these exceptions and its enrollment needs as it relates to the complex formulas of state-revenue limits and property taxes used to determine the amount and sources of district funding.

Question: What specific steps can be taken to deal with the achievement gaps in Walnut Creek schools, especially gaps related to students' socioeconomic backgrounds? 
Every family in the district has an interest in the achievement of every student. These students come together at WCI and at Las Lomas, and the better prepared they arrive, the better educational experience it will be for everyone. Narrowing the achievement gap first requires good data to measure and track student progress and success for identified target groups. Second, it requires interventions at the school site level -- small class sizes, resource professionals and further training of our teachers in best practices. And finally, it requires us to involve and educate the families of struggling students and target groups, encourage their participation in school activities and decision-making groups, and educate our community overall of the needs and importance of closing this gap.

Question: If you win a seat on the board, how will you listen to the people who elected you?
First and foremost, I listen with an open mind to all points of view. Board members are elected to represent everyone and give equal attention and respect to all. The current strategic plan includes a large communications component: improved communications tools and materials and a systematic community outreach program. I would like to see these components more vigorously pursued and implemented.  As a career communications professional, this is a unique skill set I can bring to the board.

Question: How will you work with parent groups and the Walnut Creek Education Foundation?
As an Education Foundation board member for the past six years, I am intimately familiar with how this unique relationship helps to support our students and schools. My wife just completed two years as the president of the Indian Valley PTO. These organizations are effective conduits of information from the parent community to the board, and from the board back to the parents. I would plan to attend these organization meetings and regularly communicate with these parent leaders.

Question: How will you work with other local organizations, such as the city of Walnut Creek, to bolster services provided to students and the school communities?
The district enjoys a positive and collaborative relationship with the city, which reflects the importance that the overall community places on our students and schools. Even during these tough financial times, the city and district have worked together to ensure school crossing guards, counseling services and maintenance of fields used by the greater community. For several years the education foundation had a City Council member in attendance at its board meetings; this type of involvement at the district level could help enhance this relationship.

Question: What is your view on the longstanding debate about merging all Walnut Creek K-8 schools into one district? 
While philosophically, I understand and generally agree with the concept that a single district encompassing all of Walnut Creek would be a desirable situation, I have not seen a feasible plan for accomplishing this, especially during the current budget crisis. Nor have I heard a compelling explanation of how this would be in the best interest of our school students and improve their educational experience.

Question: What is your educational philosophy?
I am the product of the "golden years" of the California public education system of the late 1960s and 1970s, when it ranked among the top in the nation. Open dialogue and collaboration among our entire community -- teachers, parents, administrators and community members -- can produce creative solutions to ensure our students receive the best that we have to offer.

Question: What unique history or challenge shaped your interest in education or in seeking this position?
My six years on the Walnut Creek Education Foundation board have given me great insight into the needs of our schools, the resources available to meet those needs, and the ability of our community to rally in support of our children and teachers. While it has been gratifying to work on providing a safety net for many of our essential academic and enrichment programs, I would now like to apply my knowledge and experience to the broader spectrum of issues facing our schools.