Candidate Q&A: Shirley J. Hoch, School Board

There will be no election for School Board in the upcoming Nov. 2 election, as only the three incumbents filed to run for three open spaces. Patch asked the incumbents, who will each automatically serve another term, to answer questions regarding their prior service and goals.

Name:  Shirley J. Hoch

Age:  61

Occupation:  Executive Director, South San Francisco Foundation for Youth; former Director of Private Post Secondary College in Silicon Valley

Prior public office:  Trustee for 20 years; incumbent

What's your personal involvement with South San Francisco public schools?

I have been an active member of the SSF Public Schools since 1975, when my daughter was enrolled at Foxridge School. All six of my children graduated from South San Francisco High School.

I was an active PTA mother and volunteered daily at their school sites, working in the office without compensation to ensure students had the mother's touch in their school day.  In 1990, when the school district needed someone with a financial background, I decided to run for the school board against the three incumbents.  Supported by the community, I was  the top vote getter and have since been re-elected by the people in our community five times.

Why do you want to serve another term on the school board?

I feel I bring experience and sound fiscal judgment to our board. 

My six children may have graduated but I have seven grandchildren that now attend the SSF Unified School District schools.

 What are your greatest accomplishments on the board?

No one board member can claim an outstanding accomplishment as what we do we do as a team, but one thing I am extremely proud of is that our district still has an elementary music program and high academic standards.  As a team we continue to put children first.  I do feel as a team, we have listened to our community and their desires for the schools, and we have had to make difficult decisions to keep our budget balanced.  We have been able to increase the compensations of employees and have seen test scores increase.

Our community should expect us to work as a team.  Just think how much better government would work if our state leadership could come together and provide for our students first.

We continue to keep class sizes at 24:1 in grades K to 3 and use a formula of 29:1 in our other grades.  We have met and continue to improve our delivery of services to the changing demographics of South San Francisco.

What do you see as the greatest challenge this coming school year?

Money, money and more money...or should I say less money.  Schools have been hit hard with the sluggish economy and the inherent problems that a poor economy has on our families.

Despite a loss of funding, we will continue to keep our budget balanced, and despite the need to reduce expenditures we will look at additional ways of generating more income.