December 6, 2024
Alpine: Thank You for
Your Confidence
2024 Was An Historic Election
I am so pleased to be able to say thank you to everyone that supported me and voted for me as your newest Trustee of the Alpine Union School Board. I sincerely appreciate your confidence in me. Your confidence in me is reflected in the polls. As the first non-incumbent school board member to receive the most votes in over 40 years, this is a statement that you believe in the messages I have been sharing. Whether your votes are a mandate for change or simply for us to do better for our kids, I take both seriously and sincerely appreciate your support. There was a time when Alpine schools were known for being among the best. When I walked Alpine neighborhoods and attended events this past year to meet with community members, I found parents whose kids are out of college now. They talked about Alpine schools in the past as some of the best schools in California. I think of this every time I talk about Alpine schools.
Education and Our Children Are Personal to Me
I am the mother of three teenage boys and the wife of a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy. I have a doctorate in educational leadership and have spent over 20 years as a teacher and school principal. I will be the greatest advocate for our students, parents, teachers, staff, and anyone that has a passion for our schools. I know many of the teachers, principals, and staff in Alpine schools and we have an extraordinary team. I am committed to working with school board members and the district as a team to drive positive change in our schools. I have spent time talking with parents in Alpine, listening to their concerns, and answering their questions. I have shared my vision for Alpine schools over the past 2 ½ years and how I can help bring Alpine schools back to being among the best schools in California.
My Focus
I have been consistent when talking to the community on what I will focus on as a school board member. There are three key issues that I will pursue and work with the board as a priority.
Fiscal Responsibility: We need to look at every dollar that we spend as a district and how each dollar directly impacts the education of our children. Successful schools have a clear focus on in-class instruction and focus on the success of every student.
Student Success: To be successful, we need to monitor the success of every student in our district. We can only improve as a school district when our children succeed. Studies show that when schools focus consistently on individual student success, there is a direct impact on individual students and there is a multiplier effect on the success of other students as well.
District Enrollment: Our district has consistently lost students over the years, which has had an impact on our school district budget. District enrollment determines the level of financial resources that our schools receive, which has an extraordinary effect on the success of our schools. Enrollment and students staying in the district is crucial to the success of Alpine schools. Each student represents over $18,000 per year in budget revenue from the state, federal and other government sources, which significantly impacts the education that our schools can provide to students.
My Commitments
I have committed to several issues as an Alpine school board member. Each of these are based on what I have heard from Alpine parents and the community over the past few years and the issues that I know will contribute to us being better as a school district.
Transparency: My first commitment is transparency with the community. When talking to parents and community members, the overwhelming request has been for transparency. Parents and community members want to know more about decisions related to our schools and how these affect their children.
Communication: I am committed to openly communicating what is going on in our schools and talking with the community. I will proactively communicate open session board discussions and issues that affect our children. I will always address the questions and concerns Alpine parents have related to our schools.
Availability: I will always make time to talk with Alpine parents and community members as a priority. Alpine parents want to be heard and want more access to the people that make decisions that affect their children. This is one of my top priorities. I will always make time to talk and answer questions. I invite parents, students, teachers, certified staff, classified staff, and everyone in Alpine that cares about our schools to reach out to me. I will make time to meet with you or have a call to address any topics you would like to discuss. You can follow me on Facebook at Erika Alpine School Board for updates and email me at erikatsimmons@gmail.com or call me at (619) 928-2581.
Leadership is Responsibility
I have learned what it means to be a leader from being a teacher, a principal, and now in my work as a Director in San Diego Unified School District, one of the largest school districts in California. I have also gained some important insights about leadership from watching and listening to my husband as he navigates leadership as an officer in the United States Navy. It is easy to be proud of him as a leader. Among the many things I have gained from his experience is that leadership means finding a way to accomplish what is truly important. For me, what is truly important is working to find ways to constantly improve our children’s education.
In schools, leaders have another level of responsibility. School leaders are responsible for children and their future. In education, leaders must represent students and look to parents to help understand the student’s needs. When we set up systems that are transparent and communicate with parents, issues can be addressed before there are problems. When we include teachers and staff in this process, education improves dramatically. I know this because I have seen this. True leadership is not about politics or about talking about results. Leadership is about achievement that is demonstrated through the academic success of our children and ensuring that our students feel safe. I would love to hear your thoughts. Please feel free to reach out to me to discuss this or any other issue. I look forward to hearing from you.
Becoming an Alpine Schools Board Member “The Why”
I dedicate time every week to meet with parents and community members in Alpine to talk about our schools. The most common question that I get asked when I tell people that I want to become an Alpine School Board member is “Why”? The simple answer is that we all want the best education for our children, and I am no different.
I’ve spent over 20 years in education, from teaching elementary students to becoming a principal, before moving on to lead a team of over 400 teachers, principals, and superintendents in the San Diego Unified School District, focusing on creating better education for children. As a team, we focus on how to improve and provide the best education for students. This is a passion for me and has given me experience to clearly understand what is important for successful schools.
The more I listen when meeting parents and community members in Alpine, the more I hear that the school board does not listen. The issue that I have encountered is that school board members will sit and listen when people in the community talk. The frustration is that there is never an indication if Alpine School Board members actually hear what parents and the community say. Alpine school board members do not communicate or openly engage with the community during school board meetings or regularly with the community.
There is no meaningful connection between the Alpine School Board and the community. This is the message that I hear repeatedly. The community is only left to read the minutes of board meetings to understand if they were heard and if anything will be done. This is not the norm among successful School Boards, and it is not a best practice for School Boards. In successful school districts, School Board members are actively engaged in the schools and openly engaged with community members. Parents need to be more involved with the school district and especially with the School Board. I want to create an even closer connection between parents and schools, and I promise you a voice in improving education for our children.
We all must clearly understand how our School Board is run and how decisions are made in the school district. Unfortunately, this is not always clear and, in some cases, I question decisions that affect the finances of our district, the education of our children, and decisions related to the overall well-being of children in Alpine schools. I welcome you to do the same. Always feel free to reach out to me with any questions. Please contact me if there is anything that you would like to discuss about education or our schools.
Challenging Problems
I began my career as a math teacher and later became a school principal. For most students, math is a challenging subject. There is memorization and rules and students must practice to be proficient. When one or more of these is compromised, the student faces one or more challenges. Over the years, I watched many students develop challenges. When a challenge arose and it was addressed effectively, the student made progress. When the student or teacher did not address the challenge, over time it turned into a problem. Once the challenge was established as a problem, it took significant effort to overcome it. Working with students and helping them with challenges and difficulties showed me that most problems arise as one or more challenges are not effectively addressed. The challenge is ignored or dealt with ineffectively, becoming greater and greater until it becomes a significant problem. The longer the problem exists, the more difficult it is to resolve.
The same is true in leadership, just as it is in our schools. When leadership ignores a challenge or does not make an effort to resolve the challenge effectively, it turns into one or more problems. Effective school districts have a systematic approach to identify challenges before they become problems. These systems are created by leadership and help teachers address the challenges before they become problems that need to be addressed by teachers, the administration, or the School Board. And this is where the irony begins. Preventing challenges from becoming problems starts at the highest level of school district leadership: The School Board. Policies and practices in a district that effectively identify and address challenges before they become problems are the difference between successful schools and average or even failing schools.
As I talk to teachers, staff, and parents in the community, I hear a wide range of feedback, including challenges students face in our schools. I also hear wonderful feedback about teachers and their efforts to help our children grow. We need to recognize teachers and staff that put forth that dedication, which truly has a meaningful impact on our children. At the same time, we must be deliberate in identifying the challenges our district faces, and we need to be open about this with the community. We need to include the community, and specifically parents, in understanding the challenges so we can address them before they become problems affecting our schools, and most importantly our children.
Please contact me if there is anything that you would like to discuss about education or our schools.
Alpine is Community “The Why” Part II
The most straightforward answer that continues to explain why I want to be an Alpine School Board member is that I love Alpine. I have dedicated my life to educating children. Committing time to the children in the town I love is the best thing I could do. I have worked to improve education for children by listening to parents and collaborating with teachers and staff that play a key role in childrens’ education. This is what I do now in my job as a part of the leadership team in the San Diego Unified School District.
I’ve always loved what Alpine is. The community knows each other, and when it gets down to it, just about everyone cares. This is unique. When a dog is lost, people truly care and rally to find the dog. When someone needs something, people reach out, and they help each other. I am passionate about the education of children in the town that I love. Probably the most significant reason for wanting to become an Alpine School Board member is that I know that experience truly does make a difference in education. Experience in education is one factor that can make a difference in our schools. We need perspective, experience, and best practices that lead to results. Teachers and staff will tell you that the issues they face are unique and understanding these issues makes the difference in educating our children. Truly hearing what parents and the community want for the education of children in Alpine is just part of creating better education for children. Our School Board needs proactive leadership that is better connected to the schools and the community to create better education for our children in Alpine.