As trustee for the community's schools, the School Board is responsible for:

1. Representing the community... accurately respond to the needs of the community.
2. Adopting policy that will guide the district towards compliance with federal and state statutes, rules and regulations...
3. Controlling expenditures by approving the district's annual budget and approving expenditures pursuant to the budget.
4. Resolving disputes, complaints, or grievances brought by students, staff, or patrons... School Board Policy 1720
5. The successful operation of schools requires a close, effective working relationship between the board and the superintendent. The relationship must be one of trust, goodwill, and candor. As the legally designated governing body, the board retains final authority within the district. The superintendent is the board's executive officer empowered by the board to operate the school district.

Why I am running for the School Board:

1. As a parent I want my children to have the best education we can afford in a safe and secure learning environment.
2. As a taxpayer I want my tax dollars to be spent responsibly to maximize the value returned on each dollar.
3. As a homeowner I want to live in a School District with a great reputation for excellence to increase the value of my property.
4. On behalf of the business community I want our children to be well educated so that they can be productive leaders and employees.
5. On behalf of our society I want our children to become well-informed voters.
6. As a member of the community I want our voices to be heard by the School Board so that all of the above will happen. We deserve nothing less. Many in the community agree with me and asked me to enter the race.
7. Our children are our future, and they deserve better!

My personal and business qualifications:

1. North City resident for 24 years
2. Two children in Shoreline schools
3. Bachelor's in Economics and Master of Science in Industrial Technology
4. 29 years with The Boeing Company, including 10+ years as an Associate Technical Fellow providing corporate-wide technical advice for database technologies

Work experience includes:

1. Teaching Assistant in Graduate School at the University of Wisconsin
2. Extensive experience in Industrial Engineering (including budget analysis and business case development)
3. Senior Systems Instructor in Boeing Education and Training
4. Product and Project Management and Systems Analysis
5. Database Administrator and consultant to many Boeing systems
6. Currently leading a team of senior specialists performing advanced computing-related special assignments to improve systems and employee productivity.

It's time for a change:

At a time when most local school districts are seeing increased enrollment, we must stop driving away our customers - the students - and their funding. We need a thorough external audit to identify where all the money went in the previous years. We must continue to reduce unnecessary spending, cut overhead costs, streamline processes and implement proper controls on expenses. We must verify that we comply with state law and district policy on competitive contracting. We must pressure the state for better funding and actively work with the Shoreline Foundation, PTAs, and others to raise additional funding. It is WRONG to balance the budget at the expense of the teachers!

You can't please everyone on every issue, but you can respectfully invite and consider different viewpoints before reaching a decision. You can also explain the rationale behind your decisions so that the public can feel confident that they were heard. We have a large community of highly skilled and concerned parents and businesses who can all offer valuable insights and suggestions. I would value their input as my own "personal staff of advisors". I intend to increase the openness and transparency of the decision making process to increase the community's confidence in the direction our district is moving.

"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." - Albert Einstein
I would therefore appreciate your vote for me for the Shoreline School District, position 5 in the upcoming election. Thank you very much for your consideration and support!

You can contact me, Richard Potter, at:

18400 15th PL NE, Shoreline, WA 98155
(206) 367-5477 email: Vote4Potter@gmail.com

You can support my campaign by:

> Hosting a "Meet the Candidate coffee" party in your home for friends and neighbors,
> Displaying a campaign sign on your property (call or email me for signs),
> Distributing campaign flyers to friends and neighbors, Click here to display my flyer
> Encouraging your friends and neighbors to also VOTE on November 6, 2007,
> and please contact me with any other ideas you might have. I'd love to hear from you.

I welcome your endorsement and/or campaign contribution. Please show your support by sending your endorsement to me at: Richard Potter, 18400 15th PL NE, Shoreline, WA 98155
or emailing me at: Vote4Potter@gmail.com

To donate to my campaign, please send a check made out to "Citizens to Elect Richard Potter" to:
Richard Potter, 18400 15th PL NE, Shoreline, WA 98155

Thank you for your support! Together we can make a difference!

Links to my responses to community and other surveys and questionaires:

Links to other school-related web sites:

Paid for by Citizens to Elect Richard Potter. Thanks for taking the time to learn more - your support is crucial to our children!