OCTOBER 25, 2024
Dear Fellow Santa Ynez Valley Resident,
My name is Chris Johnson, and I am running for re-election to the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School Board.
Two years ago, I ran because I love our school and our community. As a third-generation alumni and with a family full of future Pirates, I was concerned by the direction the school was headed and the fiscal cliff the district was approaching due to chronic deficit spending.
Whether they are college bound, pursuing a trade, or eager to develop a business, I am working to give our students the best education possible and make their campus a safe and engaging place for all students.
What excites me most about my next term is working in tandem with the highly recruited new Superintendent/Principal, Dr. Kimberly Sheehan. Our shared goal is to make Santa Ynez High School the number ONE public school district in the State of California. As board President, I intend to ensure that she has the resources and support to do so.
Santa Ynez High students are incredible; they are creative, diverse citizens of our valley. I am continually encouraged by the vast array of clubs and extra curricular activities that we support. The students’ voices — and yours as community members — are always welcome at our board’s table.
Santa Ynez High is on a path to excellence. My passion for the school and my successful leadership on the board and in business make me the right choice to continue working with Dr. Sheehan to deliver the greatest benefits to our kids.
With gratitude, I ask for your vote.
Sincerely,
Chris Johnson
Incumbent Santa Ynez Valley Union High School Board President
Please see below for a summary of key accomplishments we’ve made together…
Under My Leadership ...
• Data Driven for Student Success By the end of the 2024-2025 school year, all teachers will be integrating cycles of inquiry and common formative assessment practices into their teaching. Data analysis will support students’ academic progress while determining where improvement can be made. In addition, Santa Ynez High has joined the California Guidance Initiative, a state and county-wide effort to smooth the path to college and career for all California students, especially those who have been under represented in higher education.
• Dual/Concurrent Enrollment We now have 24 Concurrent Enrollment courses offered on campus and are excited to have students taking AP Physics online. In addition, the school is developing a Computer Science Pathway with the Golden State Pathways grant award and will have 46 Concurrent Enrollment sections offered.
• Pirate Academic Center Opening this month, the Pirate Academic Center will provide students with a safe environment for after school tutoring, English study, homework assistance, study groups, and academic counseling.
• Deficit Reduction Our Board successfully adopted a plan to discontinue deficit spending and refill the general fund minimum balance within three years. In addition, we recently completed successful negotiations with the certificated and classified staff, increasing their salaries and benefits while holding the limits of the deficit reduction plan. This was one of the smoothest negotiations in years due to our school’s new leadership.
• Stand Up to Outside Political Agendas
- Encourage school culture where all students and all staff members feel safe, welcome, and a sense of belonging.
- Shield students from adult-driven political agendas — left, right, or center. Politics should not be a factor in School Board business.
- Mitigate costs to district incurred to defend the school from outside divisive agendas.
• Pirate Pride Dr. Sheehan and our Board have initiated Student of the Month Awards to celebrate our many talented and diverse Santa Ynez High School students. The campus has hosted staff appreciation days, an all-team academic year kick-off event, and a back-to-school-night taco party for all school families. Lastly, the school is now hosting regular assemblies to honor the accomplishments of every student and student/athlete, helping to build bridges to a brighter future for all.
I will embrace the opportunity to contiue to work with my fellow Trustees, parents and faculty to ensure our children have the best possible opportunity to be successful in whatever they pursue.
Endorsements
Kyle Abello
Tracey Cassidy
Julio and Colleen Estrada
Santa Ynez Valley Common Sense
Diane Mazur
Laurie Huarte
Greg Huarte
T.J. Barrack
Austin Condit
Darlene Bayer
Damien Kriteman
Mark Herthel
Julie Kennedy
Mike Burchardi
Holly Delaney
Pete and Kristen Thompsen
Joe Comé
Chris Urquidez
Carey Kendall
Robin Serritslev
Carlee Fernandez