I am the married father of five children, four attending school in Ramona Unified School District and one that just graduated from Ramona High School in June. For 22 years I have been an educator at Poway High and was a founding teacher at High Tech High. I am currently the Engineering Academy Coordinator at Poway High School and the Head Coach of the award winning and internationally known Robotics Team Spyder 1622. I hold a BA in Mathematics and Art, an MA in Educational Leadership and a Masters in Governance from the California School Boards Association. I am in the Sunday School Presidency and Ministry in my church.

Rodger Dohm

Governing Board Member (Trustee), Ramona Unified School District
/Educator/Parent

"Rodger Dohm's track record demonstrates that he's always done what's right for children. His experience as an educator and school board member is what our community needs. I am proud to support him for school board."
—Senator Joel Anderson|38th Senate District

As the father of 5 children (4 in RUSD) serving on the Ramona Unified School District Board for the past 12 years, I believe a conservative approach should be maintained. Being an educator for the past 22+ years has increased my view for community volunteerism and less government.

Sound Fiscal Management

I am driven to work with all community stakeholders to remain fiscally responsible, stable, accountable, and focused on students.

High Expectations for Students

A proven record of high expectations, award winning success, and safety, excel in RUSD. I encourage innovative teaching, curriculum, programs and leadership supporting Ramona values through social and emotional learning, values and patriotic education, college and career, athletics, AP courses, STEM, project based learning, vocational and fine arts through continued teacher support, empowering all for unprecedented results.

I am passionately committed to excellence for every child socially and academically in Ramona.

Accountability

I am committed to efficient management, innovative teaching and leadership throughout RUSD, with a focus on the latest technology to increase student test scores. I am committed to RUSD working together with all community stakeholders.

It would be my honor to serve you.

Endorsed By

—Senator Joel Anderson|38th Senate District

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A TRUE CONSERVATIVE

1. Reasons for seeking office and my goals as trustee:

I serve because I care about kids. I believe that our children are the most valuable asset in Ramona as well as our future. I am passionately committed to excellence for every child socially, emotionally and academically in Ramona. With more local control, I am actively determined that policy, curriculum and instruction will fit our community patriotic, moral and ethical values. I encourage innovative teaching, college and career preparation, sports, athletics, AP courses, band, project based learning, agriculture, dance, vocational and the fine arts, through continued teacher support and accountability. I continue to support the integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for our students to develop 21st century skills for innovation and invention. I believe that Ramona Schools can go from good to great becoming the top schools in the nation. I have High Expectations for Students and Staff (which yield award winning success), plan to maintain sound fiscal management, add sustainable energy (solar) to reduce expenses, and support new and continued safety practices in RUSD. I am grateful for our Ramona community and wish to continue making a positive difference in the lives our Ramona children, their families and our Ramona community.

2. What are the school district’s strengths and how can it improve?

The district values the family and parent as an integral part of the child’s education. College and Career readiness from elementary to high school with the understanding that students can be successful through a vocational pathway as well as a college focus is essential. In order to foster students ways of learning and provide choice there are non-traditional school options such as MVA, RCS Montessori, Montecito Continuation and Future Bound, since one size does not fit all. Our Palomar College classes where students can dual enroll, plus AP and PLTW engineering courses are other strengths. The district has many high quality programs such as NJROTC, automotive, agriculture, band, robotics, engineering (STEM), construction, sports, athletics, and so on. Other strengths are specific high quality teachers, classified staff and leadership. Our local PTA’s, parent volunteerism and community support is essential. I would like to see more community members at board meetings to receive their perspective and input. I would like to see art programs which were lost due to the recession restored. I would like to see more community partnerships with Ramona businesses.

3. Am I satisfied with the quality of education Ramona Unified students receive? What suggestions do I have to improve it?

I am proud of our students, staff and schools as they continue to receive many awards. Students receive an overall academically 'good' education and test scores are better that the county and state averages. Teachers are doing a good job and some teachers a great job, but there needs to be continual improvement, accountability and refinement to go from 'good' to 'great'. We need to ensure all kids are learning by individualizing their education to fit the needs of each student. I do see the need for common approaches but not unilaterally imposed by the state, instead influenced by our community. I see a love for American patriotic values by our children. I see potential for construction, bioscience, performing/visual arts, engineering academies within RHS, MVA, and Montecito. I support bringing STEM into every grade level K-12. We need to move forward with students learning innovation at all grade levels. As our society is changing, students going into STEM careers will improve our economy and provide a better quality of life for our kids in the future. I support a RUSD safety committee and a foundation both raising money to improve our schools and making them safer.

4. How are the Common Core State Standards working in Ramona classrooms? Have they changed how students learn and teachers teach? How?

I have heard from many that Common Core is not working. Some are doing fine and others struggling, especially in mathematics. Teachers have changed their teaching style and strategies so students learn multiple ways to solve problems. Common Core is a set of Anchor Standards that all subjects follow with specific standards to mathematics and language arts. Common Core was imposed by the State of California to every school district in 2012 to implement in 2014-15. Since Common Core has been implemented, nationwide test scores have been down. Every school has been encouraged that test scores would dip and then come back up five years later, but across the nation test score remain lower than before. In Ramona we are experiencing the same low test scores and at the end of this year they are supposed to rise as it will be five years since implementation. Prior to Common Core our test scores ranked us low globally. Something needed to change, however I hope that it is not another New Math or Whole Language failure. Schools like RCS that teach the Montessori program have a deeper learning experience, providing a successful choice for education in Ramona, however not one size fits all.

5. As a trustee, how would I balance student needs, maintenance/facility needs, and employee salaries, health benefits and pensions?

Our greatest district asset is our staff which include teachers, support staff and administration, constituting the bulk of the district budget. Student needs come first in the district, with a focus on classroom needs, in which we need to keep the funds close to students. To maintain a healthy balance with a focus on student needs, priority needs to be given to teachers in the classroom, then support services (i.e. custodians, bus drivers, etc.), then supplies and books, maintenance/facility needs and then administration. Providing employee salaries, health benefits and pensions should not compromise what is best for students. Since I have been on the board, the cost of health benefits and pension costs have doubled. I am grateful that employee groups have taken on paying for part of their health benefits and increase to their pensions. I will also put priority on safety concerns and address them immediately. Students should feel safe in school and have clean, updated and maintained facilities.

6. What challenges does the district face? How would I deal with them?

Declining enrollment has been a 10+ year problem in which RUSD receives less funding each year and there is a continued increase to pension costs statewide to school districts. RUSD can conduct greater branding and marketing so more students attend all district schools. I see our programs being more aligned with 21 Century skills, STEM implementation and the development of prestigious programs like academies to stimulate growth to the district. We are currently working on bringing in sustainable energy (solar) to reduce our electric expenses. Additionally, I support a RUSD Foundation that works on writing grants and receiving funding to support schools. Our COP debt is a continual draw to our expenses. We have recently refinanced our COP at a lower fixed rate and term saving the district $6 Million dollars, after following the community wishes of no new taxes. Health and benefits continue to rise each year. RUSD continues to find and offer cheaper plans to employees with similar benefits. The district faces safety concerns and outdated facilities. My plan is to create a RUSD Safety Committee applying for grants to bring in additional safety strategies and equipment to strengthen our safety districtwide, with a focus on kids first!

7. What qualities do I bring to the board?

For 12 years I have followed through with my promises to Ramona without excuse! Senator Joel Anderson says it best, “Rodger Dohm's track record demonstrates that he's always done what's right for children. His experience as an educator and school board member is what our community needs. I am proud to support him for school board.” -Senator Joel Anderson

I have a personal conviction for living my values with integrity and honesty. Together we can help our Ramona children achieve excellence and reach for success.

Votedohm.com

Rodger Dohm