JIM CUNNINGHAM POWAY CITY COUNCIL

When you mention that you live in Poway, invariably the response will be, " Great schools ". Poway is synonymous with great schools. Virtually every house for sale notes as a selling point that the home is in the Poway Unified School District. Our school system draws great families and businesses to Poway. The result is an increased tax base, or income for the City of Poway, which translates to better services and facilities for our citizens. The designation as one of our nation's best school districts is a result of years of vision and hard work by the Poway Unified School District Board. Their success and our great schools are also due in part to the strong partnership between the School District and the City of Poway. The partnership and commitment the City has shown to the School District is evidenced by the City putting the Performing Arts Center adjacent to Poway High School for use by the school, by assisting in the rebuilding and remodeling of many of Poway's schools and by working with the schools to provide a safe and secure learning environment. These are a few examples of the type of mutual benefit planning that assures the success of the School District.  The mutual use and benefit system that is in place is a perfect example of a strong, well thought out, partnership that benefits both partners. The community gets to use the school facilities for meetings, sports, and various events and, in return, the School District get assistance from the City for their critical needs. I applaud Poway's commitment to our schools and students. I have seen first-hand schools that have to partnership with other entities to fulfill their essential needs. A few years back, I spearheaded and collected, with the help of law enforcement personnel, thousands of new and used books in a book drive to fill the shelves of a school library where their budget could not supply the books for their kids. I will be a strong partner of the School Board on the City Council. With my oldest daughter recently graduating from Poway High and going on to college and a son there as a freshman, our family is a direct recipient of Poway's excellent school system. A good education system helps our kids, our property values, and provides the framework for a great community. Working with School Board member, Todd Gutschow, and the other members of the Board, I am confident that our partnership will result in the continuing of Poway's reputation as one of our nation's greatest communities and school districts.