Masters in Governance

Good schools have good leaders. And those good leaders have to make many decisions, not always an easy task when the future of children is at stake.

Now, a statewide program called Masters in Governance is helping elected school officials to make the best possible decisions for their districts, and local educators are eager to take advantage of it.
“I feel that this will really help me as a board member,” said Joan Campbell-Garcia, the District 3 trustee of the San Benito County Board of Education. “The things we have learned are not things you just pick up for a while and then never use again. These are techniques we’ll use in many different instances.”
Campbell-Garcia, Mike Sanchez, Director/Principal for Alternative Education Programs, and Dr. Susan Villa, Assistant Superintendent of the San Benito County Office of Education, have been participating in Masters of Governance for almost two years, and are nearing completion of the program. The regional training program is being done in coordination with the Monterey County Office of Education, and County Superintendent, Tim Foley, is hoping other local administrators and board members will participate as well, by offering the incentive of having the county office pick up 50 percent of the cost.
Although the state has always provided training to elected board members, Campbell-Garcia says the Masters in Governance program is different, it’s a comprehensive program that focuses on five major responsibilities that board members face: setting district direction, establishing structure, providing support to teachers, administrators and staff, ensuring accountability and providing community leadership.
“It’s very intensive,” she said. “This has been recognized across the nation as a model for these types of programs, and is based on 10 years of research. It’s very exciting to be a part of it.”
The program consists of 60 hours of instruction and participation, and participants receive a diploma of achievement at the end of the two years. There are nine different modules, on areas such as school finance, policy and judicial review, collective bargaining, and effective governance.
“The modules are taught by very skilled and experienced board members and administrators who go over all sorts of different problems that you may face over the course of time,” Campbell-Garcia said. “It’s an opportunity to get together with people from small and large districts all over the state and learn from their experiences.”
Although the program is geared towards educators, Campbell-Garcia says the techniques taught could benefit anyone who deals with others in a leadership capacity.

“I think if more of our public institutions responsible for community leadership, such as councils or boards, took part in seminars such as these, the relationships between the community and its leaders would be better in general,” she said. “Governing bodies which are elected, whether councils or supervisors, or other local groups, serve different functions based on the constituency they serve. But the kind of training we receive can benefit anyone.”
Campbell-Garcia says she is excited about putting her newly acquired skills to use on the board.
“As a board member, I feel like the depth of my knowledge will be translated into a more effective and efficient membership on the board,” she said. “There’s an opportunity for immediate application of what you’ve learned.”

Kids need a place to play. And two Hollister organizations are hoping that by working together, they can give them one.
The Hollister School District is working with the local chapter of the YMCA to provide land for a brand new facility. HSD trustees recently authorized district staff to negotiate a deal for the purchase of about 7.5 acres for the facility, which could include a pool, gymnasium, and basketball courts.
And while the project is most likely still years from completion, local officials are excited at the prospect.
“We are still on Fifth Street, where we started five years ago, in a tiny, little 3,500 square foot building,” said Lou Bettencourt, head of Hollister’s YMCA. “It’s what we call a storefront operation, where we do a few programs and handle mostly administrative stuff. For other programs, we have to lease facilities from the Hollister Recreation Department.”
Currently, the YMCA building is home to activities such as yoga or karate classes, hip hop dance classes, and a dance/exercise program geared for toddlers.
“We are looking at building a full facility,” Bettencourt said. “We have done feasibility studies as to the needs of this community, and a full facility will allow us to provide a lot more to the people here. It would be nice to have things like a pool or gymnasium of our own.”
The land in question is a parcel right next to Ladd Lane School, near Southside Road, Bettencourt said.
“This would be a wonderful partnership,” he said. “It can help both a school and the YMCA if they are located close to each other, because the school can use the facilities and students might become interested in the programs we offer.”
Although the negotiations have just begun, Bettencourt says he believes a deal will happen, and early indications are that the community would be receptive to the plan.
“This is all fairly new information, but certainly, those who have heard about it have responded with positive comments,” he said. “The principal at Ladd Lane is very excited.”
Once a deal has been reached, Bettencourt says the group will come to the public for help with funding for both the land purchase and the building’s construction costs.
“If a deal is struck, then we’ll begin a capital campaign to raise the necessary funds,” he said. “That takes time. But we’ve been trying to jump this hurdle (of finding a location) for a long time. And even though this will have to be done entirely through donations, I’ve found this to be a very generous
community, both the businesses and the
individuals.”