SYV Star Local Candidate Voter Guide: SYVUHSD
By Santa Ynez Valley Star Staff · Tue Mar 17 2020
*Update 10/4/18*
The Santa Ynez Valley Union High School's Board appointed Tory Babcock at their meeting on Oct. 3, to fill the vacancy of Steve Foley who still had two years left on his term. Babcock will remain on the ballot, and if she is elected then the board will have to appoint her term. If she does not win in the election, the top three vote getters will get the seat.
1. Why are you a candidate? What issues are important to you?
2. Campus safety is on the minds of many parents and students. Is the campus safe at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School? If not, what policies, procedures and student services would you support to make the campus safe?
3. The district is developing a 10-year master plan for improvement and maintenance of facilities. What should be the priorities of that plan?
SCHOOL BOARD, SANTA YNEZ VALLEY UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT (VOTE FOR 3)
Tory Babcock
Retired teacher
Question 1: Education has been my profession for 34 years; I spent 25 years as a classroom teacher at Santa Ynez High and prior to that taught for UCSB and Allan Hancock College. Currently, I am a Cal Poly University supervisor of new teachers and volunteer at Oak Valley School. My sons are former Pirates and my grandsons will be Pirates as well, thus both my intellect and heart are heavily invested in our local schools.
Curriculum directly impacts the students, thus a key issue for me is to provide rigorous academics geared to fit all students at all levels, a flourishing fine arts program, and strong vocational classes. We must have multiple ways to elicit kids’ interests and talents. Sports have the same powerful function.
Teachers and coaches guide and mentor our students through this process; when they are valued, they are empowered to effect tremendous positive change in our kids’ lives. Making sure we are taking care of the people who are critical to the mission is a hallmark of good leadership, and it is an important issue for me.
These issues rightfully put students at the core of what should be our focus.
Question 2: Campus safety is an issue that concerns all stakeholders. Three ways to improve school security would be to bring back a Resource Deputy to our campus, to install classroom interior door locks, and to have a mental health counselor on campus. Fire, earthquake, and intruder drills are repeated throughout the year. A few years ago we had an event in the community that led to a campus lockdown. Thanks to the drills, it took under three minutes to secure the entire campus, per law enforcement. Parents would be pleased to see how competently these procedures are handled.
SY has a zero tolerance for violence on campus, which is reflected in the discipline reports. Less than 2 percent of the students engage in fighting or weapons incidents, per the 2018 WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) report. In 2017 there was a fight resulting in a felony charge and subsequent expulsion. Since that time, a Restorative Justice program was initiated and counseling made available in order to further develop a positive school climate. Additionally, the school is monitored eight hours daily by three campus supervisors who patrol the campus perimeter and ensure students are in their classrooms during classroom hours and safe during breaks and lunch.
Question 3: The district will be developing the new School Strategic Plan over the next few months with the idea of improving the campus and the facilities. The priorities of that plan should reflect the changing face of education, such as offering more online learning, more blended learning (combination of digital and traditional learning), and increasing the number of Concurrent Enrollment (college credit classes taught on campus). Additionally, Career/Technical Education (CTE) classes are vitally important ways to prepare students for future careers. Many of these ideas are reflected in the 2018 WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) accreditation report, of which I was co-coordinator with English Department Chair Peggy Kelly. To produce the report, the faculty and administration engaged in a rigorous self-evaluation in which many of these issues were identified as areas of potential growth, earning a stellar rating from the WASC Visitation Committee.
Thanks to the vision and generosity of local voters, our school’s physical plant is undergoing much needed rehabilitation and should be completed by the beginning of 2020; however, it should be a priority to carefully maintain the new facilities so as to save money down the road and ensure the school’s longevity.
John L. Baeke
Surgeon
Question 1: SYV has a fine high school. I just believe it could be better. There is no greater opportunity to positively develop our youngest generation into virtuous parents, skilled workers and noble leaders than through excellent secondary schools. Our children are faced with distractions and obstacles, which threaten to prevent them from achieving greatness. School boards are on the front line in this battle. The board needs to provide our young people with excellent teacher-mentors; necessary learning tools; and a safe environment; all while using taxpayers' resources in a responsible manner.
I am a medical doctor. Much of my academic success was due to parents and teachers devoted to helping me achieve my dreams. I want nothing less than these same opportunities for the students of SYVHS. My youngest child is a Junior. I have been actively involved in all of her academics and extracurricular activities. I have witnessed first-hand the changes happening; some are good. I do not claim to have answers to all the issues for which the board is struggling, but it is my belief that I might offer a different perspective, which would be of value to the board and make our high school even better.
Question 2: SYVHS is a (relatively) safe campus; however it faces internal and external threats to the safety of our children and staff, which need addressing. Our school should never be in a position of reacting to problems, which could have been anticipated. Here are a few:
a) H.S. parents know about the "gasser." This is the PE exercise requiring students run down the wooded path from campus to Jim's gas station, and back. This route is 100 percent unchaperoned. There are many stragglers running alone through areas totally out of public sight. I need not elaborate.
b) Student v student; student v teacher. The attack of a young girl last year by another girl should alarm us all.
c) The drug problem on campus is more pervasive than some are aware, largely due to student reluctance of reporting. A priority of the board MUST be School Resource Officer funding. Students and parents overwhelmingly support this.
d) Better nighttime lighting for teachers' security.
e) Development of a volunteer Parent Safety Patrol.
f) Improved school parking lot design and traffic flow. (Measure-K funding should address this).
g) Consideration of new strategies for protecting an open campus from an active shooter.
h) Reducing traffic flow on Highway 246.
Question 3: Fortunately, much of the money annually withdrawn from the Deferred Maintenance Account has been (or will be) eliminated by Measure-K funds. Many of these expenditures were for items of deteriorating infrastructure (e.g. collapsed plumbing, alarms not to code, leaking roofs, wood rot, crumbling concrete, etc.) which previously received temporary (and expensive) band-aids and have now been properly addressed and should reduce stress on the budget. Unfortunately, other Measure-K items for which the district has already committed are demonstrating cost over-runs. The school budget will be expected to sustain that shortfall.
Due to the successful fundraising efforts of the Aquatic Center Foundation, full implementation of the new pool facilities are expected to eliminate the need for tax-dollar support of this wonderful asset.
$463,000 has already been reserved for construction of the new baseball field bleachers.
Thus, with a newly upgraded campus, modern stadium/tennis courts, soon-to-be completed aquatic center and steady enrollment, I cannot foresee any single major expenditures (e.g. new construction). Any ten-year plan should involve routine maintenance and necessary custodial staffing.
Elizabeth S. Breen
Association executive, Santa Ynez Valley Association of Realtors
Question 1: I am a 25 year resident of the Santa Ynez Valley with adult children who attended local schools. I have served on People Helping People’s board and others in the Santa Ynez Valley and have a history of volunteerism in the community.
Our high school district is facing challenges including: prioritizing and completing construction, long range master planning, negotiating teacher contracts, budget concerns and school safety. I have the professional background to contribute and do not have a personal agenda.
I have 15 years’ experience in school construction, providing services to school districts throughout Santa Barbara county. I served as chair of Solvang School’s Construction Oversight Committee and as a private construction consultant for the district.
I was an accounting technician and interim business manager for Solvang’s District for one year. I understand school finance, which has its own set of rules and regulations.
As a long term private business owner and in my current role as an association executive I am responsible for budget and finance of an entity. I am a fiscally conservative person.
Finally, I work closely with a board and understand the role of a board, as compared to the role of the administration and staff of a school district.
Question 2: Campus safety should be a top priority for all schools. I have talked with parents and heard concerns about both safety on campus and pedestrian safety around the campus. While many seem to feel the campus is relatively safe, more can be done. One component is physical safety. The district has been working with CHP and just recently conducted a checkpoint which resulted in 29 tickets, mainly for excessive speed around the high school. I applaud those efforts. The incoming board will be working with the district and stakeholders on a new long range master plan. Campus safety should be an integral part of that plan, particularly in terms of facilities. I would advocate studying the feasibility of sidewalks around the perimeter of the campus, and of physical barriers towards a more closed campus. Pre-identification of students who are having emotional and social difficulties also has to play a role in school safety. According to the 2017-18 Local Accountability Plan, the district has a full-time psychologist and has increased counseling efforts through partnership with People Helping People. Restorative justice and peer mediation programs have also been implemented. I would support maintaining and broadening those efforts.
Question 3: I was present at the August board meeting where a presentation was made by Santa Barbara County Schools on the master plan. It is my understanding that the plan will be developed with a variety of stakeholders including parents, teachers, staff, administrators, and community members. I support this approach and would advocate that the priority of the plan should be in keeping with the board bylaws, which state that board members will “Keep learning and achievement for all students as the primary focus.”
As a board member I would prioritize three areas.