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Mission: Education

My Commitment to Enhancing Academic Success

I’m the parent of four children who’ve attended SVUSD schools. I’m a business owner and 27-year Lake Forest resident who decided to run for school board when a district administrator shockingly stated, “Don’t worry, your daughter only needs Ds to graduate.”

This mindset is pervasive in our district’s leadership, undermining student potential, minimizing academic excellence, and delivering negative outcomes. I will change this environment.

Every student should have the chance to succeed with a high-quality education, and parents should be able to choose the best schools for their children — public, charter, private, or home.

I’ve successfully led organizations and non-profit boards (including at El Toro) through crises and delivered excellent results. I will lead the district through its current crisis of administrative apathy by undertaking a “back-to-basics” and safe school environment approach.

Thank you for your vote!

A Return to Back-to-Basics Education

My seven key pillars are designed to foster academic excellence and ensure a focused learning environment. Each strategic area is essential for making our schools safe, academically rigorous, and responsive to the needs of all students and parents.
Remedy COVID Learning Loss
The response to the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant learning loss, with the abrupt shift to online learning and lowered educational standards. As your school board representative, I am dedicated to addressing these gaps. I will focus on comprehensive strategies to ensure every student receives the necessary support to catch up and excel academically. Together, we will work to elevate our standards to pre-pandemic levels and beyond, ensuring all students have the resources and guidance to succeed in their educational journeys.
Accelerate Academic Growth
By strategically allocating resources and employing targeted educational strategies, we can improve learning outcomes and ensure every student has the opportunity to excel. Let’s work together to create an environment where our students are well-prepared for future challenges and successes.
Promote School Choice
I recognize that every family’s needs are unique. By promoting a variety of educational options—public, charter, private, or home schooling—parents are empowered to select the best learning environment for their children. This commitment to choice ensures that our educational system caters to diverse student needs, fostering a more dynamic and adaptable community of learners.
Maximize Classroom Teaching Time
Teachers enter the classroom driven by a passion to educate our kids. However, they often contend with undue administrative tasks and frequent changes to curriculum standards, which can distract from their primary mission. These challenges, combined with the pressure to cover extensive material within limited time frames, can lead to overwhelming workloads. To effectively support our educators, we should minimize these undue tasks and provide stability in curriculum demands. Enhancing our support systems will allow teachers to focus on what they excel at: educating and inspiring our next generation. This approach not only acknowledges their hard work but also reduces stress and enhances job satisfaction, significantly enriching the educational experience for our students and educators.
Uphold Parental Authority
I firmly believe in upholding the constitutional right of parents to have decision-making authority over their children’s education. It is crucial that parents are fully informed and actively involved in all aspects of their students’ lives. By ensuring transparent communication and respecting parents’ rights to guide their children’s educational paths, we create a more accountable and supportive school environment that honors family values and choices.
Create Safe & Effective Learning Environments
I am dedicated to fostering safe and structured learning environments where students feel proud and motivated to succeed. By prioritizing security and an atmosphere that supports academic excellence, we can ensure our schools are places where students are excited to learn and prepared to excel. This approach underscores my commitment to education as the fundamental mission of our schools.
Prioritize Budget for Learning
I will prioritize budgeting that directly enhances learning outcomes. It’s essential to allocate funds where they will make the most impact—directly in our classrooms. By focusing our resources on educational tools, teacher training, and curricular development, we ensure that our financial decisions support the primary mission of our schools: providing top-notch education to every student.

Endorsed by These Trusted Leaders

OC Superintendent of Schools

Dr. Stefan Bean

OC Board of Education Trustee

Ken WIlliams

OC Board of Education Trustee

Tim Shaw

OC Board of Education Trustee

Lisa Sparks

OC Board of Education Trustee

Jorge Valdes, Esq.

OC Board of Education Trustee

Mari Barke

U.S. Representative

Young Kim

Orange County Supervisor

Don Wagner

Lake Forest Councilman

Scott Voigts

Lake Forest Councilman

Doug Cirbo

Lake Forest Mayor (Retired)

Dwight Robinson

OC Auditor Controller

Andrew Hamilton

Connect & Get Involved

Lend a Hand

I’d love for you to join me in this effort to bring positive change to our schools. Whether you can spare some time to walk neighborhoods, make calls, or send emails, your support means the world to me and helps spread our message of academic excellence. If you’re interested in displaying a yard sign, that’s another great way to show your support and help us reach more people in the community. Every bit of help makes a difference, and together, we can create a lasting impact.

Your Input is Welcome

If you have any questions about my campaign, my platform, or just want to know more about how you can get involved, please feel free to reach out. I’m here to listen and value every opportunity to connect with fellow community members. Your thoughts, concerns, and ideas are important to me, and I’m committed to engaging in meaningful discussions about the future of our schools. Let’s work together to ensure our children have the best opportunities for success.

Reach Out

Call: 949.427.7658

Email: michael@stannard4svusd.com

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Contribute

Your support is critical to having a voice that stands up for high-quality education in our schools. Your contributions help me reach more parents, teachers, and community members, ensuring everyone is heard. Whether it’s for educational resources, outreach, or community events, your contribution truly makes an impact. Together, we can work toward a brighter future for our children.

Donations by check can be mailed to the following address, or please text or email me and I’ll be happy to drop by and pick it up.

 

Make Checks Payable to: Stannard for School Board 2024
Mailing Address: 22365 El Toro Rd Ste 2011, Lake Forest, CA  92630
Call: 949.427.7658
Email: michael@stannard4svusd.com