Candidate: Allen Altman

School Board Member District 1 First let me thank you for viewing this website and educating yourself on the issues and candidates. I have lived in Pasco County since 18 months of age and personally attended Pasco county schools. My wife, Laura and I have two daughters, Michelle and Melissa. Both girls attended Pasco county schools from kindergarten through graduation. Michelle recently graduated from the University of Central Florida and Melissa is currently a junior at the University of Florida. For over 20 years, I have been actively involved as a volunteer in numerous areas of our Pasco County school system and as such have visited nearly all campuses in the county. My service includes the Pasco Public Schools Education Foundation Board from 1996-1998, and as a parent and business representative on the Pasco High School Advisory Board since 1999. I have also been an active participate in the Story Dads reading program for nearly 20 years and have given annual presentations on insurance and financial services to a variety of high school business classes since 1983. In 2003/04, I co-chaired the Pasco Citizens Committee that worked to provide much needed funding for the building of new schools and renovation of our existing schools. In 2004, I was recognized as the Pasco County recipient of the Education Commissioners Business Recognition Award for Outstanding Support of Education presented by the Florida Education Foundation. Also that same year, I was presented the CARE Award for Service to Children by the Pasco Pediatric Foundation. I am thankful for having been involved in a great variety of community activities. I have served as a board member and past president of the Downtown Dade City Mainstreet, member and past president of the Dade City Kiwanis Club, trustee member of the Pasco Regional Medical Center board and member of the Hardy Benevolent Trust Fund board among others. I am also involved in my church. Over the years, I have served as chairman of Deacons, member of the trustee board, chairman of the capital funds campaign, chairman of the Pastor search committee and I currently lead the welcome and greeting ministry. Over the past four years I served as chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee. This 25 member group was appointed by the Board of County Commissioners to conduct the appraisal and evaluation of our current comprehensive growth plan. Our group spent hundreds of hours studying the issues that affect our daily lives and recommended changes that will bring significant improvement to the growth process and ultimately our quality of life. These recommendations include the framework for the new education element of the comprehensive plan which will benefit our students and their families. As with any rapidly growing county, challenges are created when growth begins to outpace available resources. This places a strain on students, teachers, facilities, transportation and budgets. Preparing for growth and assuring adequate school funding are vital to the future of our school system. As a parent of two daughters who attended Pasco county schools, I became concerned with planning for needed school resources. In 2003, I joined with other parents and community leaders from across the county to form the Pasco Citizens Committee. Together we were successful in passing the Penny for Pasco, which provides funding for new schools and renovation of our exiting schools, along with significant property tax relief for our residents. I continue to be concerned about, and committed to, the future of our schools. Students deserve a school environment conducive to learning. Adequate classroom space is only a beginning. Each classroom should be staffed with a caring teacher who will help prepare our students for the competitive world they will enter after graduation. We must recruit and retain only the best teachers for our students. After all, our schools are only as good as the teachers that occupy our classrooms. We must develop the most effective recruitment strategies to attract quality candidates and innovative retention strategies to keep them. Our approach must be creative and involve more than a competitive salary package. Our schools must remain safe, secure places to teach and to learn. It is important for faculty and students to feel safe at school and to focus on curriculum instead of security concerns or classroom interruptions. I believe the experience and skills I\'ve gained from my years of service throughout our county and schools has given me the unique ability to make an immediate and positive impact on the school board. I greatly appreciate your consideration and would be honored to have your vote.