Dear Editor,
Although there are many qualified candidates running for the
school board, we, as teachers working in the Gilroy Unified School
District, feel that Pat Midtgaard is the most qualified person to
carry out a school board member’s responsibilities.
For more than seven years, Pat was our principal, both at Rucker
and Antonio Del Buono Schools.
Dear Editor,
Although there are many qualified candidates running for the school board, we, as teachers working in the Gilroy Unified School District, feel that Pat Midtgaard is the most qualified person to carry out a school board member’s responsibilities.
For more than seven years, Pat was our principal, both at Rucker and Antonio Del Buono Schools. When Pat left Rucker to become the principal at ADB, we valued her leadership to the extent that we followed her there. We have always had a great deal of respect for Pat, both as a person and as an administrator.
She successfully shared her vision of education with her staff. She always brought to our attention that our main focus was to educate all children. To emphasize this she would place an empty chair in the front of the room at staff meetings to represent the students at our school. This was to remind us that students were our FIRST priority.
While she demanded a great deal from us as teachers, it was never more than she demanded of herself. She never came to a meeting unprepared, even when she was dealing with challenges in her personal life.
She also had high expectations for all children at her school. She required students to exhibit their best academic and social behavior, both inside and outside the classroom.
Pat was always a thoughtful, thorough leader. When she made decisions, popular or not, we respected the fact that she had investigated all sides of the issue and had not rushed to judgment.
Pat always showed great integrity. When we felt that we needed to speak to her confidentially, we could be certain that our trust would not be broken. The times that we felt compelled to disagree with her, we never had fear of retribution.
Pat has vision, integrity, knowledge, experience, and focus. She has our vote for school board trustee.
Barbara Wells and
Karen Chavez, Gilroy
