Issues
Preparing Students for Success
During John's time serving on the school board, he has consistently supported policies to prepare our students to compete in a global economy with new courses in STEM, computer programming, biotechnology, engineering, career and technical education at the secondary level. At the elementary level, Spanish and Chinese immersion tracks are now available and every school now has a maker space for hands-on learning.
Safety
Safety is a huge priority for John. He believes that students must feel safe in their school building in order to learn. John has advocated for building schools with safety in mind, with seismic strengthening and secure vestibules in every school and secure entryways at every school.
Fiscal Discipline
Over John's term on the school board, he has helped build a surplus through wise fiscal management. With this money, John has helped the board spend wisely on schools and programs: all bond projects have been at or under budget, enabling the district to complete more projects than previously hoped. John believes that we must continue to spend wisely on programs, staff, and district buildings, especially with the rapidly shifting economy.
Expertise
The Lake Oswego School District has experienced some leadership changes in its superintendent roles in the past several years. John's leadership has helped the district onto a stable path that is critical to the future success of the district. He will continue to do so on the school board by utilizing his previous experience on the board when in the face of future challenges.
Success for All
Our district has moved steadily toward a 100% graduation rate by helping each student get the individualized attention needed to ensure they walk across the stage in four years. He understands that this goal needs to be reflected in the entire K–12 education system by providing more reading supports for elementary school students and adding more classes to the secondary schools.
Health and Belonging
Every child should feel safe in school and able to be themselves, and our libraries and reading lists should always offer windows and mirrors for students to see themselves and other life experiences. John prioritizes mental health and academic supports for students, especially as students are back in school five full days a week. John has also advocated for increased focus on improving student nutrition to ensure students are ready to learn with healthy and tasty food choices.
Community Leadership
Our students are also citizens of Lake Oswego. John has worked closely with city leaders to create opportunities for students outside of school, such as in the soon-to-open Aquatic and Recreation Center, by planning safe routes for students to go to school every day, and other community-based opportunities.
Student Voice
The school board is meant to serve students and John believes that student representation is key to the mission and vision of the school board. While serving in his previous terms, John added two student representatives to the board, which has strongly increased connections between the board and the student body.