Gilroyans clearly know a good school bond proposal from a
mediocre one. Discerningly, eight months ago the community rejected
Measure D and Tuesday, what some derogatorily called the
”
son of Measure D
”
passed with flying colors.
Gilroyans clearly know a good school bond proposal from a mediocre one. Discerningly, eight months ago the community rejected Measure D and Tuesday, what some derogatorily called the “son of Measure D” passed with flying colors.
Voters made the right choice – on both occasions. Measure I, a bond proposal that includes a substantial commitment to a new high school, is head-and-shoulders a better proposition than the original. By rejecting the first bond, Gilroyans forced school district leaders to re-evaluate their plan and craft a new blueprint based on the criticism of the first. Because of that voter diligence, there is a rock-solid maintenance plan in place and a clear direction on which projects are necessary.
Our schools are now pointed and poised to march toward improvement both physically and instructionally. There will be no more excuses. The community has given the schools full support – $69 million and a ringing endorsement for the leadership direction of our schools. The responsibility on the part of Gilroy administrators, teachers and staff members is to match that with results.
The school bond has won. Now the hard work begins – turning our school district into a consistently achieving machine. There are great challenges in that, but it can be done. Test scores at many of our schools, most notable Antonio Del Buono, have risen and there’s a commitment to look at best practices and replicate. Gilroy’s incumbent school board members – Jim Rogers and TJ Owens – easily won re-election. They deserve both congratulations and kudos for setting the district on the right path. Two new members, David McRae and Tom Bundros, figure to be solid additions to a Board that is functioning well.
A new day has dawned in the Gilroy Unified School District. There is an opportunity to seize that day and change our community’s reputation for its public schools from mediocre to achieving.
Passing the bond and electing good people to the school board will help that effort.
Gilroyans did their homework Tuesday.
