Randall Putz .com

I was invited to testify before the California State Board of Education on July 10, 2014, to share our Bear Valley Unified School District‘s experience creating its first Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) as mandated by the recent Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) legislation.

While I had been to Sacramento before to lobby our State lawmakers on behalf of our schools and Valley, I had never provided testimony before the State. It was quite a production – we were lined up and I was speaker #46, given just 1 minute to speak. It was a good reminder for me of how intimidating it can be to address a Board.

I wanted to let the State Board members know that it is important to keep the “Local” in the LCFF and LCAP, as I believe our local community knows what is best for its local children. (See my testimony below.) As an example of innovative work that can come from the local level, I also mentioned our District’s LCAP Infographic, to find out later that the State Board members specifically mentioned it during their discussion as a good tool to reach out to parents and the community. I must say it is gratifying when the State of California takes notice of your School District’s hard work.

Here’s my testimony:
Hello, I’m Randall Putz, a School Board Trustee from Bear Valley Unified, a small rural district in Southern California’s San Bernardino Mountains.
I urge you to keep the “Local” in the LCFF. As a result of our LCAP process, our District is energized and revitalized, with more latitude and money, to develop innovative education programs tailored to the needs of our local children.
I have here, and you should have in your materials, our District’s LCAP Infographic, one example of our unique local solutions that distills the State LCAP template down from 47 pages to 8. This infographic efficiently demonstrates the hard work and good things we do for our students, engages our stakeholders, and even communicates to the English-challenged.
We have a significant investment in the steep learning curve of our LCAP, over 1000 hours, and need a chance to capitalize on that investment, without excessive State tinkering.
Thank you for being brave enough to trust local elected officials and their communities to determine what is best for their local children.

I really do believe education is one of our best investments. Here’s a recent TV Interview I did on California’s Proposition 30 passage (fast forward to 19:53 in):

The following information summarizes what I have worked toward with my fellow Board Members over the last 4 years, how it has helped positioned our School District for forward progress in difficult times, and what I plan to do should I be re-elected on November 6th.

If you support my leadership, I’d appreciate your vote. Beyond that, however, I’d appreciate your help spreading this message. Please ask your friends to support the momentum we’ve gained by voting for me as well. I need you to help me help our Valley’s children.

I have and will continue to:

1.) MINIMIZE THE PAIN

I’ve always remembered that Bear Valley Unified School District, first and foremost, is about our children, keeping education cuts as far away as possible from students and essential programs, and making difficult financial decisions while still focused on children. I will continue to keep students the priority and minimize the direct impact on them.

2.) MAXIMIZE RESOURCES

We have successfully retained a very capable and engaged Superintendent who has embraced our Community and its children. As Board President and a former founding member of the Bear Valley Education Trust, I have worked hard to build consensus among the District leadership and foster support for our Schools among our Valley community. I continue to promote a District culture of empowerment and accountability that keeps the Board properly focused on governance, oversight, and strategic policy. I will continue to maximize existing resources, hold District employees accountable for great performance, and grow alternative means of support for our School District.

3.) LEAD CHANGE

With an updated District Strategic Plan focused on our children’s critical 21st Century Skills now in place, we are well positioned to tackle the education challenges ahead in a thoughtful, caring, and consistent manner. I will continue to advocate and lobby on behalf of our children at the local, County, State, and Federal levels, building consensus, and encouraging others to place a higher value on education. I believe “business as usual” will kill Public Education and that we must figure out ways to do an even better job with even less money. I look forward to helping lead our District toward a bright and innovative future.

By all accounts, Big Bear enjoys great schools, and does so through the dedication, hard work, and generosity of our District Employees, Parents, and Community. We have several California Distinguished Schools and have even been ranked as a Silver Medal school in the top 8% of all high schools in the Nation by US News and World Report. Personally you, like I, probably have benefitted from our schools, and I am grateful my children now flourish in college due to the Big Bear education they received.

I’d encourage you to help maintain consistent District leadership by also voting for Bev Grabe and Paul Zamoyta, both of whom have worked hard for our students and have been an important part of the District’s progress. Thank you for your consideration, for supporting our Big Bear students, and for voting Putz on November 6th.

Sincerely,
– Randy

While a 51% majority of Big Bear Valley voters supported Measure M, unfortunately the 67% needed to pass the Measure did not materialize. I am grateful to the many people who worked hard for the votes we did get. For those of you who voted in support of our students, for those of you who value investing in our Valley’s children, I thank you. See the final election results at the San Bernardino Registrar of Voters.

“No generation of educators in the history of the world has been asked to do what Americans now demand of their public schools.” This quote from Jamie Vollmer is dead-on. Motivated in part by Jamie’s presentation at the recent California School Board Association’s Annual Education Conference, I wrote and recorded the following Public Service Announcement for our local radio station, KBHR:

Listen to the PSA

Special thanks to KBHR’s Angela Meyers, and especially Rick and Cathy Herrick for their ongoing support of our local schools. The transcript:

BVUSD Radio PSA – 12/9/11

Hi, I’m Randall Putz, President of the Bear Valley Unified School Board of Trustees. Three years ago when the Valley elected me to the School Board, I was charged with advocating for public education. And if there was ever a time our local schools needed advocacy, it is now. As you know, our state of California, is remarkable in many ways. But unfortunately one way California is remarkable is in its lack of support for funding public education. California ranks almost dead last – 49th out of 50 states – in how much it spends per student on education. And even then, the state doesn’t pay the full bill, withholding funds through differrals, and when the State finally does pay, it pays late, putting a severe cash squeeze on schools. When the voters demand the State make good on its education responsibilities through Proposition 98, even that gets ignored, to the point where several organizations are currently suing the State to force it to meet its education obligations. Its a tough time for education – the worst since the Great Depression.

And yet despite these challenges, our local schools in Big Bear, our teachers, administrators, and staff, they do an extraordinary job under challenging circumstances. We have wonderful teachers and distinguished schools. This year Big Bear High School was 1 of just 2 high schools in all of San Bernardino County to receive distinguished school status. We have remarkable students and graduates. Maybe you noticed one or two in the Olympics or on top of Mount Everest. Chances are you, your family, or someone you know have benefitted from our Schools. Bear Valley Unified School District is one of the Valley’s largest employers, and frankly an important part of what makes our Valley the very special place it is.

Every year we ask our teachers to do more, and lately with less. But they have to, WE have to, keep teaching. Because public education is important, critically important. Education provides opportunity to children who otherwise would go without. Education makes better informed citizens. Education reduces crime. Education helps make sure that the doctor who takes care of you, the policeman who protects you, and the fireman who saves you, are all competent and capable. Education is always in our best interest.

Which is why I hope you will Join me, my fellow board members Bev Grabe, Ken Turney, Al Waner, and Paul Zamoyta, and our Superintendent Kurt Madden, in supporting our schools and our students. Please, visit a school, volunteer in a classroom, come to a Board meeting, or come to a student play or an athletic event. Come help us help our students. Thanks for listening.

Some of my favorite links collected during my recent travels on the BVUSD School Board:

• Jamie Vollmer – I had the opportunity to hear him speak live to thousands of California School Board members in San Diego and found his message to be the most motivating to date. His list of  The Ever Increasing Burden on America’s Public Schools really drives the point home. Watch Jamie’s CSBA presentation here.
• To Those Who Would Lead – A manifesto of sorts that does a good job of summarizing and contextualizing education, technology, and the 21st Century.
• Saddleback iEngage – Fellow Board Member Paul Zamoyta arranged for a question and answer session with a couple of Saddleback teachers who were doing some impressive things with iPod carts in their classrooms, further underlining the huge opportunity before us. Also see a related article about how iPods help ESL students in Escondido.
• The Kahn Academy – Another innovation in education with great potential that demonstrates how technology can better serve our learning minds. I enjoyed  hearing Sal sharing his remarkable story live at the 2011 CSBA Conference.

A sincere thank you to the many supporters who helped elect me to the Bear Valley Unified School Board. I want you to know that I’m excited about the challenges and opportunities ahead and will make good use of the responsibility the public has entrusted to me. As I have witnessed first-hand, our Valley’s schools are blessed with many fine educators and staff, and I look forward to helping them make sure we continue to put the needs of our children first and make our already distinguished schools even better.

Another heartfelt thank you goes to my fellow candidates who cared enough to run: Sharon Congdon, David Foltz, Jim McGowan, and Richard Weathersbee. The quality and quantity of candidates makes me proud of our Valley, and I hope each will still put their skills and experience to work for the benefit of our children. Congratulations are in order to Paul Zamoyta and Bev Grabe on their successful bids and with whom I look forward to serving along with continuing Board Members Ken Turney and Debra Sarkisian. Last but not least, I want to acknowledge the service of our departing School Board trustees, Phil Hamilton, Larry Poland, and Julann Warren. My own children’s extraordinary experience in our Schools is in no doubt due to the hard work of many caring individuals throughout our District, like them, who have come before me. As Superintendent Ferraud said, we have big shoes to fill. And I am grateful for that.

Please continue to let me know what about our schools is important to you.

Assuming you have already voted, here’s a link to San Bernardino County Election Results: www.sbcounty.gov/rovelectionresults/. To see the School Board race, click on Schools, and then Bear Valley Unified. They will start posting results around 8:30pm PST. First they post absentee ballots, then precincts ballots as they come in throughout the night. Election results aren’t officially certified until December 1.

Several people have asked what makes me unique as a School Board candidate. Here’s a few of them:

1. I currently have children in our School District. My daughter and son started in Big Bear Elementary and now are at Big Bear High. As a parent, I have a current perspective and first-hand knowledge of the impact our schools make on children and their families.

2. I am not retired and I am not an ex-educator. All of the other candidates running are one or the other, and many are both. My background is in business, communications and technology, which gives me a breadth of real-world experience I think will be refreshing and helpful on a well-balanced School Board.

3. I am strong in technology. I’ve bought, taught, fixed, and made technology solutions for many different organizations for many years. I understand computers, and the important role they play in preparing our children for careers after graduation. My technology expertise will helpful to our District as we increase technology proficiency among our educators and students.