This video is unedited per League of Women Voters requirements. Below is the transcript – any errors in the transcript are due to Saskia Kennedy. Transcript lightly edited for readability: filler words, false starts and repetitions removed; obvious transcription errors corrected. Words in [brackets] were added for clarity or to mark inaudible passages.

Participants:
Jody Balma, Moderator, League of Women Voters of North Orange County
Marilyn Buchi, Candidate, Trustee Area 5 (incumbent)
Amy Dudich, Candidate, Trustee Area 5
Regina Quadra, Candidate, Trustee Area 1

Mathew Matias, Candidate, Trustee Area 1 was unable to attend due to other commitments.

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PRE-FORUM ANNOUNCEMENTS

MODERATOR: We’re going to start in one minute. If you in the audience have a question, please ask. We have an hour and a half dedicated to this, but at a League forum, the questions all come from the audience through these cards. So we will end early if you do not participate. It might be a very quick evening.

All right, we’re going to get started. If you need a card to write down a question, Sue has some, and she will be here with them.

WELCOME AND RULES

MODERATOR: Good evening. My name is Jody Balma, with the League of Women Voters of North Orange County. The staff at Fullerton Joint Union High School District has been incredible. Thank you to the candidates, and welcome to the audience and those viewing at home to tonight’s forum.

The League of Women Voters is a trusted, nonpartisan political organization active for over 100 years. While we never endorse a candidate or party, we are directly involved in shaping the important issues to keep our community strong and informed as voters. As a League member, it’s my honor to contribute to voter services events like this and other activities that have a great impact on local, state and even national issues. If you want to learn more, I encourage you to join our League. The table in the entryway has membership forms and more information, including information about Vote411, which has candidate information and League of Women Voters analysis, along with the Easy Voter Guide for the 14 state propositions we’re voting on this year.

Assisting us this evening are timekeepers and our question sorters. Our question sorters are combining duplicate questions and taking out personal attacks. We do not allow those. Otherwise, we’ll be asking your questions.

Now the rules. Everyone please turn off your electronic devices, except for the timekeeper. Each candidate will have two minutes for an opening statement. The candidates drew a random order, and we’ll be following that in a rotation. In order to have more time, please hold your applause until the end and refrain from talking during the forum. Disruptive audience members will be asked to leave the room.

Finally, FPPC rules and the League of Women Voters require that candidate forums not be edited if you are filming, and that they be broadcast in their entirety. The district is kindly filming for us, so we’ll have the entire forum for the community to view.

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OPENING STATEMENTS

MODERATOR Jody Balma: Starting with opening statements, our first candidate is Marilyn Buchi.

Marilyn Buchi, Incumbent

MARILYN BUCHI: Thank you very much. Hello, everyone. After college graduation, I was a research mathematician and computer programmer. I left that profession for an even better job: my family and working in service to children and education in our community and the state. My brochure and social media can tell you what I’ve done.

I’m running for the board for the same reason that I ran the first time. There is no more important thing that I can do than work for the education of our young people. My selfish reason: it is interesting, it is fun, and those who work in education are the nicest people to be around.

Our schools are safe. Our curriculum is broad and deep. Our budget is sound. Our facilities are amazing. The bonds passed by the community, because they trust us to use the money wisely, enabled new buildings, libraries, gyms, science labs, pools, theaters, stadiums, seismic mitigation and technology, among other projects. Because of our high Moody’s bond rating, based on our fiscally sound money management, the impact on our property owners has been minimal.

The six schools are in the top 5% in the nation. Our graduation rate is over 95%. Our students are challenged to be the best that they can be and given help when needed. Our amazing career technical education classes, like medical, engineering, digital arts, culinary, auto and EMT, prepare students for college and career. The list of great educational opportunities for our students is long. Students are engaged in the arts, athletics, clubs and more.

The board’s leadership and support share the credit with our wonderful employees, students, parents and community. Board experience matters. My knowledge of school governance, honed as a leader of the California School Boards Association, is of value. Let’s keep our high schools great.

MODERATOR: Our next candidate, Amy Dudich.

Amy Dudich

AMY DUDICH: Hi, I’m Amy Dudich. I’m running for Fullerton Joint Union High School District Trustee for Area 5. For those of you who don’t know, Area 5 is the largest of the five areas in the district. It includes Whittier, La Habra, La Habra Heights, Brea and, of course, Fullerton. It’s really big.

About me: I am a Korean-American immigrant who was adopted out of Seoul, Korea, with my identical twin sister at eight months old. We were brought to America with a chance to live the American dream, and that dream has always been to help others. I’m a mom of two children. I have a ninth grader at Sunny Hills High School and a fourth grader at Hermosa Drive Elementary School. In my private-sector job, I’m an operations manager, and I do payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, human resources and budgets.

As your next trustee, I will make mental health and student achievement my top priority. I have knocked on over 1,200 doors in the past two months, and I’ve met some amazing people: students, educators and proud parents. Their stories all varied, but two common threads continued to come up: mental health and student inclusion. To put it bluntly, making every student feel safe and included will be my platform. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Thank you. Regina Quadra, your opening statement.

Regina Cuadra

REGINA QUADRA: I want to thank the League of Women Voters for hosting tonight, and the candidates for attending, so that our voters can get to know us all better. Thank you to those in the audience for taking the time to come out and support this process.

My name is Regina Quadra, and I’m running for Fullerton Joint Union High School District Trustee Area 1. I’m a parent of three children who have all gone through La Habra public schools, all starting in the La Habra City School District dual immersion Spanish program. Two of them are currently enrolled at La Habra High School. I’m a special education teacher in the La Habra City School District, which is a feeder district to Fullerton Joint. I’m the current teachers’ union treasurer and a former PTA president at both the school and council levels, which included all schools within La Habra, Lowell Joint, La Habra City School District, and our two high schools, La Habra and Sonora. I’ve been part of numerous committees during my time in La Habra, including School Site Council, LCAP and La Habra Little Learners.

I received my bachelor’s degree in child and adolescent studies, my teaching credential in special education, and my master’s in special education from Cal State Fullerton.

My endorsements include the FSTO, the teachers’ union of this district; supporters of public education; the North Orange County Democratic Party; the current La Habra mayor; current La Habra City School District board members; and numerous parents and community members in La Habra.

I’m running for the school board to bring the parent and community perspective. Our schools deserve leadership that understands the daily realities of our district from every angle: in the classroom, at PTA meetings, at IEP meetings, and around the family dinner table, or in some cases, in the car ride between sports and band practice. I believe in the power of public education and in creating safe spaces for all students to feel welcomed and to actively engage in their education.

My promise as a trustee is to listen to parents and the community. As a parent myself and a longtime resident of La Habra, I want to represent you. I promise to advocate for all students by leveraging my experience as a special education teacher and as an award-winning PTA leader. I promise to support high-quality learning opportunities, including in career and technical education, and improvements in school safety. Thank you.

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QUESTION 1: VOUCHERS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS

MODERATOR: Thank you. We’re going to rotate who answers each question first. Starting with question number one, Amy, you will go first. What are your thoughts about school vouchers and charter schools?

AMY DUDICH: There are some problematic charter schools. I support public schools, and I want the tax dollars to go to the public schools. There have been problems with charter schools using money and then being in financial trouble after a year. So I want to keep our kids at the public schools, especially because [charter] schools don’t cater to the needs of children who have special needs; they only want to help kids whose parents are requesting what they want. So I believe public schools are better for our county and our district than charter schools. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Regina.

REGINA QUADRA: I support public education, and I believe that taxpayer dollars belong in traditional public schools. Those funds are held to strict public oversight and democratically elected school board governance, and come with an obligation to accept and support every single student. You don’t get to take a test and then be told there’s a wait list because you don’t meet their standards to attend. Additionally, private schools are not bound by federal IDEA mandates. They do not honor individualized education programs, and they can turn away high-need students. When funding leaves public schools, the fixed overhead costs remain, leaving traditional schools with fewer resources to serve the students with the greatest needs. So I support our public education. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Marilyn.

MARILYN BUCHI: Years ago, I think it was Proposition 187, I was one of the people in Orange County who fought against that. That was where they were going to offer vouchers to private schools as well as public schools. So I think my track record is against vouchers. I believe in public education. That’s where the public money should go.

In terms of charter schools, charter schools don’t belong in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District. There is nothing a charter school can do for this district that we don’t already do. Years ago, a charter school representative, one of those statewide charter reps, came and met with the superintendent. The superintendent listened to him politely and showed him the door.

On another occasion, someone I know who was affiliated with a charter school wanted to talk to me. I said, “Well, sure, I’ll talk.” And she said, “Well, we do this, we do this, we do this.” I said, “Yeah, we do all of those too. So we’re really not interested.” So in terms of both, not a fan. Thank you.

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QUESTION 2: VOLUNTEER CLEARANCE

MODERATOR: The second question goes to Regina. Do you support volunteers being allowed to volunteer before being approved by human resources? Why or why not?

REGINA QUADRA: I believe that all volunteers should go through the clearance system the district has provided, and once those requirements have been met, then they can volunteer in the classroom. We have safety protocols for a reason, so that our students and staff remain safe. We have an obligation to enforce those standards, and all volunteers should go through the district and school site checklist for getting cleared to volunteer in the classroom. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Marilyn.

MARILYN BUCHI: The safety of our students is always paramount in our school district. I’m not sure what that question exactly means, but I’m thinking of school dances, where they ask parents to come in and chaperone. Those are volunteers. I can’t imagine that the parents would have to go through some formal—

MODERATOR: I didn’t write the question.

MARILYN BUCHI: Yeah, so I think the question probably needs a little bit of clarification. Certainly, a full-time volunteer who is going to be with children on a regular basis would need to be properly screened and fingerprinted, I think, which is part of the process. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Amy.

AMY DUDICH: I believe that volunteers need to go through a clearance for safety if they’re working with children. Even at the high school level, I feel that they need to have fingerprints and Live Scan done before entering the school if they’re going to be in the classroom or on the field with students, for the safety of all kids. Thank you.

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QUESTION 3: CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

MODERATOR: Marilyn, this question is for you. I’m going to read it, and I can repeat it. The district shared a confidential investigation report with a member of the public containing several employee names and statements, despite the report stating it was confidential. Do you support releasing confidential information in the name of transparency? Why or why not?

MARILYN BUCHI: No.

MODERATOR: Okay. Amy.

AMY DUDICH: I think once it’s confidential, it’s confidential. It should not be talked about. As an operations manager, I deal with a lot of confidential matters, including payroll and job performance, so it should not be discussed at all.

MODERATOR: Regina.

REGINA QUADRA: Confidential is confidential, and it needs to go through proper channels if information needs to be released or reviewed. Thank you.

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QUESTION 4: MOTIVATION FOR RUNNING

MODERATOR: Amy, the next question is for you. What is your motivation for becoming a member of the Board of Trustees of the Fullerton Joint Union High School District?

AMY DUDICH: My motivation to become a trustee is to be a connected parent: talking to the community, listening to students’ needs, listening to parents, and being a voice for them if they cannot communicate what they want or need. Finding ways to help with things people can’t understand from the internet or the website, and giving them information or presenting it differently, is very intriguing to me, because there are different ways we can communicate with all the students of the Fullerton Joint Union High School District. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Regina.

REGINA QUADRA: I’m running as a true act of service. I’m a firm believer in the quote from the movie “Robots”: “See a need, fill a need.” There’s a need for a La Habra voice on the school board and in my area. So I’m running as a parent and as a special education teacher because I see the real-world, day-to-day impact of funding decisions on every type of learner. I want the city of La Habra represented in these funding decisions in a way that continues to support public education and continues to teach critical thinking in our high schools. That requires a robust, well-rounded environment, a low student-teacher ratio and certified educators- things this district is already doing really well. I just want to keep that going and have La Habra’s voice be a part of it.

MODERATOR: Marilyn.

MARILYN BUCHI: In my opening comments, I stated why I’m running for the school board. Anyone who knows me will know that as a school board member, I am very visible and very active. In my closing remarks, I’ll tell you about my student connection with the district. In terms of listening to the community, the teachers and the kids: we need to listen to the kids, because they tell us a lot of information that we need to know. So I am engaged, and as I said at the beginning, that’s why I’m running. Thank you.

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QUESTION 5: WORKING WITH BOARD MEMBERS WHO DISAGREE

MODERATOR: Regina, this question is for you to answer first. How will you work with board members who strongly disagree with you?

REGINA QUADRA: As a special education teacher, I am part of the IEP team process, and a lot of that involves contentious moments, maybe disagreement on services or challenges the student is presenting. Part of my job is bringing everyone together in a collaborative way. So I am for civil discourse. If we disagree with something, we should have a conversation about it and bring the critical thinking skills that we want our students to have. I am very confident in my ability to hold a conversation with someone who disagrees with where I stand, and to listen with the intent to listen. I would expect the same respect from other people. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Marilyn. Do you want me to repeat the question?

MARILYN BUCHI: Would you repeat it?

MODERATOR: Absolutely. How will you work with board members who strongly disagree with you?

MARILYN BUCHI: I’ve been on the board a while, and I have worked with many different board members. There’s been a lot of stability on the board, with members serving for a period of time. From time to time, board members have had disagreements, and we have always worked them through with civility. Ultimately, the majority rules; it takes three votes to pass anything. Whenever you’re one of the two, if that should happen, everybody works together, and the decision is the decision. I think disagreements and a variety of ideas make us all stronger. There’s nothing wrong with that.

But it’s interesting, at our board meetings—[to timekeeper] Was that “stop”? I thought it was just 15 seconds.

MODERATOR: It’s red.

MARILYN BUCHI: We have often been criticized: “Why do you have a 5-0 vote so often?” Well, we do a lot of work in the background. We do a lot of reading. We have a lot of conversations with the superintendent. So when we take that vote at the board meeting, we know exactly what we’re doing and where we expect the district to move forward. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Amy.

AMY DUDICH: I’ve been on the PTA board and worked as a PTA chair, and I’ve worked with lots of different personalities. When someone disagrees with me, I stop, I listen to what they have to say, I observe and write down pros and cons, and then I discuss where I’m coming from. I’m open to ideas and opinions so we can work together as a team, because in the end, it’s for the kids. In my job, I also talk to coworkers about their budgets and why they have a certain budget. When I get pushback from them, there’s a reason. By having them listen, and listening to them for their reasons, we can get on the same page. Thank you.

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QUESTION 6: PARTNERSHIPS WITH K-8 AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES

MODERATOR: The next question starts with Marilyn. How do you ensure that the district is building the right partnerships with K-8 districts and community colleges to ensure clear pathways to college and careers?

MARILYN BUCHI: That is one of the priorities the district has put forward with the superintendent. For many, many years, I think the district has taken the lead in that interaction with the elementary districts and with the community college. One of our assistant superintendents was a big mover in the program at the college that provides free tuition for students going to the community college. I know she has worked very hard to hold meetings with her counterparts in the elementary districts.

It’s interesting: people think this is harder to do when you have a high school district and separate elementary districts, but I’ve been told that even in a unified district, this is something you need to work hard on, because the high school in a unified district has its own curriculum and operations as well. So I think we do a fine job. We can always get better. We’re still working on it. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Amy. It was a long question, so if either of you wants me to repeat it, I can.

AMY DUDICH: Can you repeat it?

MODERATOR: Absolutely. How do you ensure that the district is building the right partnerships with K-8 districts and community colleges to ensure clear pathways to college and career?

AMY DUDICH: I think the district has done a great job so far of working with K-8 districts and community colleges, but I feel the collaboration with K-8 could be better. I’ve had more experience with K-8; I’m more familiar with the Fullerton School District than with the Joint Union district. But I’m willing to learn what Fullerton Joint Union has to offer in the years to come, hopefully while on the board.

MODERATOR: Regina.

REGINA QUADRA: When elected, I believe I can help build that bridge with the La Habra City School District, coming in as a teacher in that feeder district as well as a teachers’ union representative. I live that day-to-day. I see what kind of kiddos we have in our elementary schools and what is coming to Fullerton Joint Union High School District.

And yes, Fullerton Joint is doing an awesome job with career readiness. My oldest is taking Firefighter Academy credits right now, so that when he graduates, he’s going to go to Santa Ana College and will already have certain accreditations right off the bat. He’s in the dual enrollment program with college-level classes, so he actually earns the units, versus AP, which doesn’t always transfer to college. So I believe Fullerton Joint is doing an excellent job. As always, communication can get better, and having someone who is in the La Habra City School District day-to-day will definitely bring more insight. Thank you.

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QUESTION 7: HANDLING CRITICISM

MODERATOR: Amy, this question goes to you first. How do you handle criticism?

AMY DUDICH: I handle criticism by first listening to what people are criticizing and asking why, because there has to be a reason for the criticism, maybe a real-life example of something that has happened to them or someone they know. So I handle criticism by listening, being able to communicate clearly, and not getting upset.

MODERATOR: Regina, how do you handle criticism?

REGINA QUADRA: Deep reflection. Sometimes I’m much better after the moment, coming back and saying, “I need a moment to reflect on this,” and really looking at my own bias in the situation. If there is something I need to work on, I might ask for more clarification. But it’s always about coming to an understanding with the person who has the conflict or criticism, and how I can do better.

MODERATOR: Great. Marilyn, how do you handle criticism?

MARILYN BUCHI: If you try to do the right thing, maybe you’ll avoid a little bit of criticism. Actually, when you do get criticism, sometimes it makes you stronger if you’ve done something that should have been done a different way. I belong not only to the Board of Trustees but to a lot of different organizations, and everybody has different ideas and different ways of doing things. Sometimes my way is not as good as someone else’s, and then we jump on board and do what the other members of the group want to do.

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QUESTION 8: SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

MODERATOR: The next question starts with Regina. In your leadership position on the board, how would you support students with special needs?

REGINA QUADRA: To support students with special needs, I would ensure that there is enough support staff and that teachers have proper training. With any student with an individualized education program, you want to make sure that you’re in compliance with their needs, that the services are things they actually need, and that their accommodations are up to date. So I would work with the teams on the school sites, and I would listen to families, the community, our educators and our support staff in order to support all students. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Marilyn, in your leadership position on the board, how would you support students with special needs?

MARILYN BUCHI: The Fullerton Joint Union High School District has an amazing program to serve every student in our district, including special needs students. I’m thinking in particular of one program that just touches my heart. Students with special needs can remain part of the district until they’re 22 years old, so we have a program for adult students. One of the favorite programs is at La Sierra High School. They call it Cafe DDT, and the students learn to be baristas. They’re trained for jobs. They’re trained in how to get along in society and how to live independently. At the end of the year, they have a talent show, and the students in that adult program are amazingly talented. They’re on the stage performing better than any of us in this room would be able to do.

MODERATOR: Amy, in your leadership position on the board, how would you support students with special needs?

AMY DUDICH: I would support students with special needs by supporting the staff, for sure, and making sure they have the proper resources to help students with special needs. I would also support the families of special needs children, because I feel that’s important; they need motivation and encouragement for their child. And treating every student the same as every other student is important, so they don’t feel left out. Thank you.

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QUESTION 9: TERM LIMITS AND STAYING RELEVANT

MODERATOR: This question starts with Marilyn. As a board member, when is it a good time to transition off the board? There’s a concern regarding the board not having term limits. How do you ensure you stay relevant and innovative?

MARILYN BUCHI: Would you repeat the question?

MODERATOR: Sure. As a board member, when is it a good time to transition off the board? There is a concern regarding the board not having term limits. How do you ensure you stay relevant and innovative?

MARILYN BUCHI: [Partially inaudible] …when you lose the enthusiasm and you lose the support for the district.

It’s interesting when people talk about term limits. I have a brother who lives in another state, and he says, “We should have term limits. We should have term limits.” And I said, “Yeah, look at the places where they do have term limits. What often happens is they get rid of really good people because they’ve been termed out.” So I think we do have term limits, and it’s the ballot box. If the voters decide that it’s time for me to be termed out, that is the choice they will make. But as long as I have the enthusiasm, the will, the desire and the energy to participate for the benefit of the children of this community and this district, I intend to try to do that. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Amy, the same question.

AMY DUDICH: I feel it’s up to the individual. I think it’s primarily parents who would want to be on the board, since they are active in the community and have kids in the high school or elementary district; they’re the connected parents. Being on the board while our kids are active in school is important, since we know what we’re going through, because we have an active high schooler.

MODERATOR: Regina, the same question.

REGINA QUADRA: Ensuring relevancy means being an active part of the community: talking with families, students and staff. You don’t necessarily have to have kids at the school to be a good advocate for the school, as long as you’re listening to the school sites and to the people who have boots on the ground. That’s what keeps you most relevant.

As for term limits, that would be up to the ballot box, as things can always change. That’s how school districts got divided into trustee areas for voting. If term limits are something our community really wants, they can actively engage in that process and get term limits on the ballot. I think there is something to be said for the knowledge that comes with background, but there’s also something to be said for new people coming onto the board.

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QUESTION 10: SURPRISING ENCOUNTERS WITH VOTERS

MODERATOR: Thank you. The next question starts with Amy. When speaking to voters this election cycle, what are some encounters you found surprising?

AMY DUDICH: First of all, they’ve asked me how old I am, because they say I don’t look old enough to be a high school parent. I tell them I’m 48 years old. I don’t care about my age, so I tell them plainly, and they can’t believe it. I’ve also had good conversations with parents. I haven’t had anything else surprising. The only thing that surprises me is that some think we’re rewriting history books for the high school students. I tell them we’re not. But that was surprising to me. Nothing else I can think of. Thanks.

MODERATOR: Regina.

REGINA QUADRA: This election cycle, it’s always telling people in La Habra that the Fullerton Joint Union High School District does include La Habra. That’s always the biggest selling point. La Habra is very much a part of it.

Also, an interesting and fun fact is how many twins are involved in this cycle. She has a twin sister. I have a twin sister. My opponent has a twin brother. So it’s the year of the twins. But my twin’s not running for city council, though. That’s something interesting.

MODERATOR: Good. Marilyn.

MARILYN BUCHI: What was the question? Surprising encounters?

MODERATOR: Yes. When speaking to voters this election cycle, what are some encounters you found surprising?

MARILYN BUCHI: I would say I’ve not found surprising encounters. Basically, what I’ve heard from people I’ve spoken to is, “We’re glad you’re running again. You’ve been a good advocate for the district for a number of years, and we want to keep things going as well as they have been.” I actually considered not running, and I decided to run because so many people encouraged me to do it.

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QUESTION 11: CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION

MODERATOR: All right. We start this one with Regina. Fullerton Joint Union High School District has strong academies. Are there any specific career technical education programs that you would champion or expand?

REGINA QUADRA: I’m a big fan of the pathways at La Habra High School. My oldest is going down that firefighter academy route, which I never in a million years would have thought he would choose as a career path. But because of his exposure to medical careers through that pathway, that’s what he has chosen. So I would just like to continue having those options for students, so they can actively engage in their educational experience, try things out, get to know certain programs and see whether they’re a fit. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Marilyn.

MARILYN BUCHI: In my opening comments, I made a remark about career technical education. I also serve on the North Orange County ROP board. The ROP is a joint powers collaborative of the Fullerton Joint Union High School District and several other districts, and I’ve served on that board for a number of years. They have amazing career technical education programs. Some of the CTE programs are provided by the North Orange County ROP, and some are provided by the school district.

My grandson, who’s at Fullerton High School, is in the culinary program and absolutely loves it. He started in the elementary district with Mrs. Montoya, whom everybody loved. In fact, I think he chose Fullerton High School because of the culinary program and the friends who were going there. Wonderful programs. I support them all. The programs have to have job relevance. In other words, they’re not going to offer something where the students would have no opportunity for future employment. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Amy. The district has strong academies. Are there any specific career technical education programs that you would champion or expand?

AMY DUDICH: I like the career technical programs mainly because there are students who like to work with their hands and be technical, and maybe aren’t suited to just sitting in a classroom all the time. They like moving around and doing different things every day. So I’d like to continue the career technical programs.

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QUESTION 12: DECLINING ENROLLMENT AND BUDGET PRIORITIES

MODERATOR: Okay, we start with Marilyn. In a time of declining enrollment, how do you balance the increased costs of running a district with decreasing funding? How do you decide what’s important?

MARILYN BUCHI: It is true that enrollment is declining everywhere throughout the state. However, the decline in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District is much less than in any of our neighboring districts, and I think that’s to the credit of the quality of the programs we offer. Our fiscal status is so robust that we’ve never been in a position where we had to cut programs or lay off people. Even during the 2008 recession, when districts all around us were laying off people, we sent no pink slips. The financial security of the district has enabled us to maintain our programs even with a slight decline in enrollment.

MODERATOR: Okay. Amy.

AMY DUDICH: Can you repeat the question?

MODERATOR: Absolutely. In a time of declining enrollment, how do you balance the increased costs of running a district with decreasing funding? How do you decide what’s important?

AMY DUDICH: Since I’ve been present at the last four board meetings, I know there aren’t financial problems at the Fullerton Joint Union High School District. If there were a decline, I would ask for donations, ask for more parent involvement and help, partner with different organizations, and even approach large donors to see if they could financially help specific programs we would need money for.

MODERATOR: Regina.

REGINA QUADRA: Luckily, we don’t have as big a decrease in numbers as some other districts. I think we just need to keep our classrooms as tight as possible, continue programs and staffing, and keep opportunities for students to learn and the extracurriculars, so that kids and families want to come to our schools.

Another thing that would help is funding for schools in general. At the state level, there’s ongoing discussion about funding based on enrollment versus attendance. Right now, a lot of the time, what counts is how many kids show up to the classroom rather than how many are enrolled. If we can change state funding so we’re funded based on enrollment as well as attendance, that will help with fewer kids coming into our classrooms. Thank you.

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QUESTION 13: SUPPORTING THE WHOLE STUDENT

MODERATOR: The next question starts with Amy. Beyond academics, our high school students are dealing with mental health, bullying, social media, safety concerns and pressures at home. What do you believe the district should be doing differently, or doing more of, to support the whole student?

AMY DUDICH: I believe the district should have more time with the kids in the classroom, like 10 minutes once a week to get to know their students, a homeroom session, so teachers know what’s going on with each kid. Have a class meeting to see if it’s something at home or stress from schoolwork. And have educators be more available to students who are struggling with anything. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Regina.

REGINA QUADRA: Mental health is always a concern for a parent, for a staff member, for a teacher. You want to build a sense of community with our students. It’s not always English or math class that’s going to get them to come to school. Sometimes it’s that art class, that cooking class, that engineering class. For some kids, math is their jam, and that will get them there, and they have a special bond with their math or chemistry teacher. As long as there’s that sense of community, they feel safe to reach out and ask for support. That’s the big thing that will help: kids feel safe coming to school, they feel represented on their campus, and they have a safe person to talk to, whether that’s a teacher, another staff member or other students who can help steer them.

MODERATOR: Marilyn, the same question.

MARILYN BUCHI: We are always concerned with the academic, physical and mental health of our students. On all of our campuses, we have counselors, mental health professionals and school psychologists. On every campus, we have, for lack of a better term, a calming room. If a student is feeling stressed, they can ask to leave their classroom and go to this room, and a mental health specialist will be there to meet with them. It’s not an opportunity to go talk on their phone or text people. I’ve been in the rooms. They all have cute names that go with the themes of the schools. When I was in one, I thought, “Gee, I think I’d like to just sit down and stay here. This looks really nice.”

Also, every week, the principals send out a principal’s newsletter. In addition to all the on-site support, there are organizations we collaborate with so families can access outside agencies.

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QUESTION 14: ENGAGING FAMILIES, BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

MODERATOR: Okay, thank you. The next question starts with Regina. How would you engage families, businesses and community organizations to benefit the programs and students of Fullerton Joint Union High School District?

REGINA QUADRA: A lot of that is community outreach. You drive by La Habra High, and you see all those banners from sponsors of football, volleyball and other sports. A lot of our extracurriculars depend on community support and parent funding beyond what the district provides. So it’s about being connected to the community and having people who are active in it, whether through the PTA, a local restaurant or donations. It’s about getting involved in the community and being part of it. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Marilyn.

MARILYN BUCHI: I would say they are engaged with the Fullerton Joint Union High School District. We’re very connected with the Rotary Clubs and the Chambers of Commerce. La Habra just had its Lions parade, and both Sonora and La Habra had their bands in the parade. The Rotary Clubs support the Top 100 banquets at our schools, where we honor those who have excelled in academics. Our administrators and others go to meetings with local business groups. Tomorrow, I’m attending the State of the City in La Habra. I try to go to all of those; all the cities have a State of the City. I feel that our presence, along with our administrators and others, is an important part of this connection with the community. As I said initially, I’m very active on the board, and I believe going to these community events shows that we are part of the communities. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Amy, the same question.

AMY DUDICH: I believe being in the community and being connected is so important. As a PTA board member at Hermosa, I’ve been connected to our vendors, making them feel important and inviting them to our events, since they give so much to our students and our school. It helps them feel important and shows how much we appreciate them.

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QUESTION 15: EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS

MODERATOR: Thank you. Question 15, we start with Marilyn. What are your beliefs regarding the role of employee organizations?

MARILYN BUCHI: Our administrators often refer to the employee organizations as our labor partners, and I think that’s a good way to describe them. It’s very important that our employees have the best working conditions they can have, and that they’re well paid for the very difficult job they do. If we didn’t have our teachers, it wouldn’t happen. It all happens in the classroom. So I think they are valuable colleagues to everyone who works for the Fullerton Joint Union High School District. As I said at the beginning, I can’t think of a better group of people to associate with than those who work in education, and that certainly means the teachers as well. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Amy.

AMY DUDICH: I believe it’s important to have employee organizations. They do so much, not just for the students but for the staff and the school. Treating them with respect and making sure they’re paid well matters. It gives them job security and keeps them there.

MODERATOR: Regina.

REGINA QUADRA: As an active teachers’ union member, I’m very pro-collective bargaining, for teachers’ unions and for our classified staff, working together. What happens to classified staff impacts the teachers’ union. If you don’t have enough support staff, that impacts your own classroom and your teaching. When we all come together collectively, it’s like our democratic process: you get together and fight for the rights that everyone needs in their classroom, so students and staff can be successful. Thank you.

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QUESTION 16: IMMIGRANT AND MIXED-STATUS FAMILIES

MODERATOR: The next question starts with Amy. With the uncertainty many immigrant and mixed-status families are experiencing right now, what would you do as a board member to make sure students feel safe coming to school, and families feel safe participating in their child’s education?

AMY DUDICH: Telling them that they’re safe is one thing, but actively showing them is another. Families are still scared to come to school. I saw that at Ladera Vista last year, when my son was there. Kids weren’t coming to school because they were scared, even though families were assured their kids would be safe. Having a mentor from the school or a counselor reassure them that their child will be safe at school is one thing, but showing them, and having the school community come together to support them, is what helps each family. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Regina.

REGINA QUADRA: For those families, it’s definitely a scary situation. What we’re going through right now is unprecedented. There are families who don’t feel safe letting their high schoolers ride their bikes in the neighborhood, for fear that ICE is going to come and pick them up. With my privilege, that’s not something I know firsthand, but I’m very much aware of it in the neighborhood and for our students, staff and families. The best we can do is be present, communicate with them, show them that we support them, and provide safe spaces where they know they are safe coming to school. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Marilyn.

MARILYN BUCHI: I would say that our campuses are safe. I don’t think this has been a big issue in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District, and I think that’s because we accept every student as they are. We love them all. Perhaps it’s an issue out in the community, but I really don’t get much input from campus leadership that this is a big issue.

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QUESTION 17: EXPERIENCE WITH A COMPLICATED EDUCATIONAL ISSUE

MODERATOR: Thank you. The next question starts with Regina. Please share how your past experience helped shape or guide a decision on a complicated educational issue.

REGINA QUADRA: I have plenty of experience as a parent, a PTA leader and a special education teacher. Many moons ago, before I became a stay-at-home parent, I worked in preschool. One thing I really value is that I listen and really advocate for those around me. I may not see a concern myself, because I’m privileged enough not to have that concern, but if enough people around me see a concern, I’ll bring it up and open a dialogue about it. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Marilyn. Please share how your past experience helped shape or guide a decision on a complicated educational issue.

MARILYN BUCHI: I think communication. There was a question earlier about disagreements. If you talk, communication is something we could use throughout the city, the state and the country: talking about differences. I would say there has not been a difficult decision in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District that was not solved by collecting information and communicating. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Amy, please share how your past experience helped shape or guide a decision on a complicated educational issue.

AMY DUDICH: I think the important thing is to listen first before you react, and to communicate to others how you feel, but in a calm manner, and to advocate for what you feel is important for you, or for someone close to you, on a specific topic.

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QUESTION 18: CAMPUS SPACE AND CO-LOCATION

MODERATOR: Okay. Our last question before the closing statements goes to Marilyn. How do you plan to help public schools keep their campus space and avoid co-location?

MARILYN BUCHI: I’m not sure I understand that question. What is co-location?

MODERATOR: I didn’t write the question. My understanding is that some neighboring districts have had to share building space with charter schools.

MARILYN BUCHI: Not an issue. We talked about charter schools previously. Not an issue in our district.

MODERATOR: Okay. Amy.

AMY DUDICH: Since we haven’t had charter schools in the Fullerton School District or the Fullerton Joint Union district, I wouldn’t think sharing public space would be a problem in the future.

MODERATOR: Regina.

REGINA QUADRA: I wouldn’t support sharing space, because we need to keep our funds for public education. Any time we allocate space for a charter, it takes away funds from our current public education system. Thank you.

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CLOSING STATEMENTS

MODERATOR: Thank you. That’s all the questions from the audience. Incredible thanks to everyone who wrote a question. For closing statements, we start in reverse order. Regina, one minute to you.

REGINA QUADRA: Thank you all for your time this evening. I’m so proud to be running for school board, and I want to thank my family for going on this journey with me. They’re the reason I’m running and am able to do so much. I also want to thank my community for their continued dedication and support. It truly takes a village, and I’m so blessed to be part of such an amazing La Habra community. I know we can win this November, bring our La Habra voice to the school board and continue to support public education.

Our high schools should continue to prepare young adults to enter a complex, diverse world. When we fully fund public education, we ensure our high schoolers learn alongside peers of all backgrounds and abilities, building the critical thinking, empathy and citizenship required for life after graduation.

Please check out my website, quadrafjuhsd.com, for more information on endorsements, volunteer opportunities and contributions. Remember to vote November 3rd: Quadra for Fullerton Joint Union High School District Trustee Area 1. Yes on Prop 3 to support funding for our schools. I know I’m the best candidate for this job, and I’m looking forward to representing Trustee Area 1. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Thank you. Amy, your closing statement.

AMY DUDICH: I believe this is a pivotal moment for the Fullerton Joint Union High School District school board. We owe it to our community, educators and students to once again make transparency and accountability the cornerstone of everything we do. As your trustee for Area 5, I will bring a fresh perspective and a renewed focus on mental health and student achievement, while making sound fiscal decisions. Serving my community is both a privilege and a responsibility, and I ask for your vote as we build a stronger Fullerton Joint Union High School District. Please visit my website, amydudich.com. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Thank you. Marilyn, your closing statement.

MARILYN BUCHI: My children are district graduates with successful careers and wonderful families. My granddaughter Rachel just graduated from Sunny Hills High School, and her brother Mason is at Fullerton. Michael is in medical school, and Claire, my ballerina scientist, is at Columbia.

I have worked for years for the needs of children, locally and at the state level. I think I’ve missed only a couple of school board meetings over the years. One of those times, I was trapped on a tarmac flying back from Washington, D.C., where we had lobbied members of the president’s cabinet. I take this job very seriously, because it’s such an honor to serve the wishes of our community for the education of their children.

Thanks to the League, and to you for coming and for considering a vote for Marilyn. I hold this job with no personal or political agenda, and I hope to continue to serve with integrity, as I always have. I won’t let you down. Thank you.

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CLOSING REMARKS

MODERATOR: On behalf of the Fullerton Joint Union High School District and the League of Women Voters of North Orange County, I want to thank the candidates for running and participating in democracy. I think we owe them applause.

[Applause]

I also want to thank the audience for being so wonderful, for participating and for showing up in your community. Tonight’s event will be available to watch on Vote411.org, the League of Women Voters’ site for ballot information. You can type in your address and get information about candidates. Candidates, you should fill that out.

I want to thank the team of volunteers, everyone behind the scenes, and the audience for showing up and being respectful. For more election help, visit Vote411. There are bookmarks on the tables to help you remember. You can also access the Easy Voter Guide for information about the 14 state ballot propositions. Thank you all.

[END OF FORUM]