Monrovia School Link

Monrovia School Link ~ Number 162 ~ March 14, 2006

Following is a letter from Monrovia School Board President Clare Chesley about the bond issue. Because she indicates the matter is urgent, I thought I’d send it out right away.
~ brad@sacklunch.net

To All,

Well, the rest period is over and the MHS bond campaign must get started. The bad news is that we have less than 90 days before the election. The good news is it will be over before we know it. So, we must start NOW and work fast and furiously.

There will be a MHS Bond Campaign Organizational meeting at the home of Kris Mariconda on Monday, March 20 at 5:30 pm. Her home address is 123 E. Greystone. It is on the corner of Greystone and Encinitas. Please mark your calendars and spread the word!

Susan Goff has agreed to chair the campaign committee. Susan is a strong, well-organized and enthusiastic parent who graduated from MHS and worked at Santa Fe. Her children went through Monrovia schools and she has been the Executive Director of the California Teachers Association and is fired up about the bond campaign. Joanne Spring, former Monroe principal, Monrovia Reads Director, Iris citizen of the year award recipient, etc. has graciously stepped up to the plate to offer her wisdom and insight to the MHS Bond campaign and will serve as honorary campaign chair. We are very grateful for their support.

But the campaign is a big job and we NEED many volunteers.

I've agreed to serve as the Volunteer chair - that is the person who people go to who want to help. My office email, phone, fax, copier etc. will be the central distribution point for volunteers. So, if you want to help, contact me and I'll direct you to where your passions lie and where the needs are.

We need volunteers for the following campaign chairs and related areas (you may think up more areas but this list will get us started):

1.) Public Relations (We need a Chairperson. Gloria Crudgington will serve as advisor to the PR chair using her Foothills campaign experience - Thank you, Gloria!)
Mailers (Design, printing, mailing) (Cleve Crudgington has offered to be the voting database guy - Thank you, Cleve!)
Signs (Billboards and yard signs)
Website (Design and hosting)
Video (To be aired at events and on KGEM)
MHS Tours
Speaking Bureau (Kiwanis, Rotary, Quota, Lions, Senior clubs, etc...)

2.) Fundraising
Cash Donors
Donors in kind
List of Endorsements
Treasury, FPPC filing, etc. (Steve Baker has volunteered to do the paperwork - Yuck! This is not a fun job so a big Thank You to Steve!)

3.) Get out the Vote (Chairperson = Debbie Elliott-Penzer)
Phone bank (Tom Adams has volunteered his offices at Adams & Barnes for the phone bank - Thank you Tom!)
Walking Precincts
Register Voters!

4.) Also, we need to plan a Kick-off Party. We need a "Party Planner" to take care of the Kick-Off Party. I know there are several party planning types out there.

Here are some important campaign rules and parameters which we reviewed with our legal counsel.

1.) School District Staff and Resources
School district staff and resources including facilities cannot be used for the MHS bond campaign. District staff can provide information about the bond measure but cannot advocate for the bond during work hours or on work premises or use school equipment. So, we would love to have teachers and staff help with the bond campaign but they must do so on their own time, using their own computers, phone, etc. As long as they are on their own time, a staff person can identify themselves as a district staff person and say that they support the bond. For example, on the weekends, a teacher can call and talk to people and let them know they are a teacher and that they support the bond. Please do not tempt a staff person (teachers, Dr. Taylor, office staff) by talking to them during the school day or sending them an email to their work email address about the bond campaign! If you have a fact question about the bond itself, how bond monies will be spent or MHS facility needs, the staff can answer those types of questions, but make sure to not discuss the bond campaign.

2.) PTAs
PTAs can campaign for the bond. The only question we had was whether the bond campaign can be discussed at PTA meetings on school property. Our counsel said that school board members and staff cannot advocate for the bond at the PTA meetings but we can discuss the facts of the bond. The PTA board members and parents, on the other hand, have much more latitude and can discuss the bond at PTA meetings and can pass a resolution in support of the bond if they so choose. And we need the PTAs! (I can advocate from my computer. :-))

3.) School Board Members
School Board members can campaign as individuals and as school board members as long as we don't use district resources. So, for example, as the campaign volunteer chair, I can and will use my office phone, email, copier etc. As board members, we do have to be careful about the Brown Act. More than two board members cannot attend a campaign meeting without violating the Brown Act unless it is publicly noticed. So, we will try to keep the number to 2 at any one campaign meeting. Board members are entitled to express our opinions with respect to the campaign and report feedback from the community and discuss facility needs at board meetings. And, finally, we may solicit support using our names and board status.

4.) Professionals
We can use outside professionals with expertise in campaigns. But remember, they cost money and we believe a grass-roots, Monrovia-based campaign will be most effective. So, we will delegate to professionals when we have the money and the need, but the lion's share of the campaign will depend on YOU ALL.

Thanks in advance for all of your hard work and remember - The MHS Bond is for the kids!

Respectfully,
Clare Chesley, School Board President

Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com