To the Voters of Martin County:

On Friday, January 18th I announced my candidacy for the office of School Superintendent for Martin County.  I am inspired by the young people of this community and their potential for excellence.  I believe that our responsibility  as citizens is always to do better, and that in the elections of 2008 we shall again fulfill this responsibility.

Much is at stake in this upcoming election.  We will of course be electing a new President and Congress, but the local elections hold a special importance.  The results of local elections have powerful implications for the people of our community.  New policy will emerge.  This will have a profound impact for change for the people of Martin County.  In this election, change is inevitable, as the incumbent has chosen to retire.  Now the question is what kind of change will occur?  Can we affect progress for the children and residents of our community?  My campaign is in favor of change that builds on the success of the past while meeting the needs of students who face the challenges of the 21^st Century – globalization, changing demographics, rapidly advancing technology and shifting generational values.

My campaign theme is “Let’s work together to bring the Martin County Schools into the 21^st Century.”  This is a time of transition.  The old paradigm of increasing enrollment, new building construction, and rapidly expanding budgets is over.  The challenge now is to figure out how to efficiently meet the needs of the students and the community with restricted resources.  This new challenge will require innovative programs from people who are expert in the education process in close collaboration with all elements of the community, including non-profit organizations, businesses, other government offices, and social services agencies.  We must move quickly to restore confidence in the school’s financial accountability and trust in the collaborative ability of the school administration.  At the same time, reform of curriculum must continue.  As the International Center for Leadership in Education says, change is not required because the education system has failed.  Change is needed because our system is based on a model that is 100 years old. 

I have worked in education for 23 years.  I was trained in law and worked as an attorney.  I served our country in the United States Navy.  All of these experiences have prepared me to take on the challenges of the office of Superintendent of Schools.  I hope that you will join in my effort to provide Martin County with the public schools that will prepare our students for the challenges of our time.  Expanding the scope of our success in the public schools will establish a better economic base for our community, reduce welfare and criminal justice costs, and help maintain the high standard of living that we enjoy here on the Treasure Coast.  If you share my vision, please join my campaign!

Thank you very much.