Last year was an exciting time because of the tremendous changes in the political dynamics of public education here in Los Angeles. The election for board members ended up with two incumbents deciding not to run. In the election process there was one incumbent who retained her seat, and one who lost after an extended fight in a run-off election. Both seats that were vacated were won by candidates supported by Mayor Villaraigosa. So what we end up with is a reformed board where 3 are from the old established order and 4 are noted as candidates who will support Mayor Villaraigosa's view about changes that need to be made to improve education. We'll keep an eye to see how it all plays out.

 In the meantime, my focus is to stay on a path that was set last year, the time I began working as education counselor at Hooper Avenue Elementary School. My areas of concentration this year are:

1)  Collaborate to set up a functional reporting system to keep better track of student discipline.  The swis.org offers a very affordable system to schools that makes it worth the effort.   Check it out for your own school at www.swis.org .

2)  Collaborate with staff to provide the integration of anti-violence, anti-drugs/alcohol/tobacco in school curriculum .

3)  Form collaborating alliances with counselors at local secondary schools receiving our students in order to better assist with transition issues and remain proactive about Hooper students as they go through their secondary school experience (6-12).

4)  Collaborate to actualize formal elementary school aged sports programs from the community level.

5)  Collaborate to identify and strengthen community based programs of service to Hooper families.

6)   Collaborate to increase the number of Hooper family homes having a computer

7)   Collaborate to increase the number of students enrolled in the College & Beyond after school and Saturday program.

8)   Collaborate to provide more and higher quality services to at-risk students and their families.

9)   Collaborate to achieve greater parental participation through the College & Beyond monthly meeting.

10)  Collaborate to fulfill the ideas adopted by Hooper Avenue Elementary from the book written by Mike Schmoker titled "Results".