Patrick Lucy for SSFUSD Board of Trustees Q&A

South San Francisco, CA    September 8, 2014

Patrick Lucy

Everything South City would like to extend our thanks to Patrick Lucy as he shares more information on why he is running for School Board and what he would bring to the table if elected.   There are 3 open seats on the School Board. Please remember to vote in this November election.

Everything South City Questions for SSFUSD Board Candidates

1. Do you have, or have you had, children that attend(ed) our SSF public schools? If yes, what was the best experience your child(ren) carried with them after that course/teacher/experience?

I have two daughters, Megan (Class of 2007 El Camino) and Melanie (Class of 2015 South City).

The best experience Megan carried away with her was the yearning to learn. She had some very good teachers at Buri Buri, Alta Loma and El Camino. Megan is a very bright young lady and every teacher she had would challenge her to her full potential. Each one of the teachers gave her the tools to be a successful college student, graduating the top of her class at UC Santa Cruz. Megan’s strive for life and excitement came from within herself, fostered by many of her teachers over the years in South San Francisco Unified School District.

The best experience Melanie is carrying away with her as she planning to leave high school this year is the experience of being herself. Melanie, like her sister, is very smart too. She works hard in everything she does and usually does well. Teachers she had in Ponderosa, Alta Loma and South City have taught her how to be herself while working hard on her education. Melanie’s drive to be her best comes from within her and the teachers she has worked with over the years.

2. Why should the community at large vote in this election for SSFUSD Board members?

The community at large needs to vote in this election because first of all we have not had this many candidates in many years. It is time to look at each candidate and see what they can bring to the table to make the South San Francisco Unified School District the best district on the Peninsula. The voter in South San Francisco, San Bruno and Daly City need to understand voting is a privilege and each vote counts. These are their schools and the school district only manages them. Who they, the voters, put in place is what’s going to either make or break their schools. We need everyone to get involved in their children’s schools. One way is getting involved with PTA, another is by volunteering at your child’s school and the last way is to VOTE.

3. What is your number 1 concern about our schools and what is your plan of action to address this?

There are a few #1 concerns, but the one that is important to me right now is “transparency”. Transparency to me is clear, easy and accessible information to the public. It is a “yes” or a “no” to a “yes” or “no” question. Understanding there is probably more information out there than any one person could comprehend we need to make it accessible to the people (parents, students, teacher and staff) when they need it. The bottom line is that South San Francisco Unified School District should be for the students and their families. I plan to address this issue by requesting to be very clear and open with information and follow up with questions to the Cabinet in open session so they could clarify it to the public. We need to have clear, accurate and simplified information for the parents and Board to read and then answering question directly, not with a bunch of words to confuse them.

4. Our community has been upset over the lack of retention of good teachers and principals. What do you see as the problem and how would you rectify that?

The lack of retention goes directly to three things. The first being salary and benefits, the second being morale and clear direction, and the last being affordable housing. South San Francisco Unified School District is not the highest paying district in the County; we also don’t have a lot of “new” money coming in at the same time. We need to find out and maybe look at our salary structure of system and our staffing. Is there a way we could do more with the people we currently have. Understanding that most of our current budget goes to salary, the question would be why? We need to find the “pot of gold” in our district and get our teachers and staff more money.

The second issue is morale. I’ve worked in retail many years prior to working for the Sheriff’s Office. Morale is tied with salary, work place conditions, friendship among peers, supervisors treating people who work for them respectfully. There are a lot of different aspects that come into morale. The bottom line with morale is that as a supervisor; don’t ask your staff to do something that you won’t do. Work beside your staff, not behind them. It all starts from the top and works its way down to the bottom. In the work force we have forgot how to treat our peers, supervisors, co-workers, etc. In retail and in law enforcement, we focus on the customer service what about customer service to our team. Hopefully we all have the same goal, our students.

In regards to affordable housing, I would really like to see us take some of the property which isn’t being used and make it affordable housing for first our teachers and staff and then for our law enforcement officers and firefighters. This is being done in other areas, why not here?

5. What is the #1 thing that makes you best qualified for this position on our School Board?

Patrick Lucy and the St Veronica Youth group

I am not a politician; I am not using this to climb to another position in government. I only have two personal agendas, one is to be re-elected and two is to work with the students, parents, teachers and staff. I look at issues with an open mind, like to listen to what the people in the “trenches” say try to understand what they are feeling and then direct them to where they need to go to get something fixed or explained. Any person, who knows me and knows what I have done over the majority of my life, is working with the youth in giving them every opportunity possible. By being on the Board will give me the opportunity to hopefully convince the majority of the board to do the right thing for the youth.

6. There has been much controversy over the electives being offered a tour High Schools. What courses do you believe to be the most beneficial to our students?

First classes should always be Reading, Writing, History, Language, and Math. Every student needs these classes to succeed in life, not just work. The other classes that are beneficial are the classes that give our students some life skills, such as “Music/Drama, home economics, auto shop, wood/metal shop, computer classes, programing classes”. If there are enough students to fill a class and there is space and the class will be able to continue then we should be able to find the way to make it happen.

7. Due to limited space, Candidate Statements may not express all that you would like our community to know about you and your goals.What else would you offer? What makes your platform different from the other candidates?

All I want people to know about me is I have lived most my life in South San Francisco. My wife is a product of the district. I am the product of parochial schools. I entrusted South San Francisco with two of the three most precious items I have, my daughters. They both are amazing young ladies who are what we need in this world. Parents have a lot to do with who they are but the second part is the teachers and staff we have here in South San Francisco Unified School District. The teachers and staff in this District are the ones who helped my wife and me, make our daughters the intelligent young ladies they are.

I am going to continue to offer my ear to students, parents, teachers, staff and administrators who are going to talk to me and tell me the good and bad about our district. I going to praise the good and find a way to fix the bad. I am going to continue to look at the big picture in regards to the students, teachers and staff and the district as a whole.

What makes me different than the other candidates is simple; I have for many years worked with the youth and families of South San Francisco. Actually, teaching and helping them to hopefully be better people. So, my actions, over the many years I have lived here, in my local church, my daughter’s schools, the Alternative to Expulsion Program, STAR Camp, AYSO Soccer to name a few, will speak on their own. I am active in helping any person, who wants help, be the best person they can be. My heart is for my family first and then the students, teacher and staff at the South San Francisco Unified School District.

For more information visit on Patrick’s campaign CLICK HERE