WE DID IT!

The votes have all been counted and we were successful! I really appreciate all the support and am humbled that people trust me to make decisions that affect kids. If you see any of my signs, please help by taking them down and throw them in your recycle bin. Thanks again!

Last Updated: November 3, 2010 10:07 AM

Apple Valley Unified School Dist Gov Brd Mbr

60/60 100.00%

	Vote Count	Percent
TED BOHANON	1,234	3.35%
BARBARA BURNS	5,583	15.14%
LISA LAWRENCE	7,750	21.02%
WILSON F. SO	5,858	15.89%
RICHARD L. SAUERS	6,313	17.12%
TONY DE FABIIS	2,459	6.67%
JIM HOFFMANN	5,011	13.59%
DESTINIE LEE HOFFMANN	2,659	7.21%
Total	36,867	100.00%

The Home Stretch!

We are down to only a few days until Election Day! The last couple of months have been busy and I am optimistic that the hard work will result in a great result on Tuesday.

I absolutely could not have done this without both the financial and moral support of many people. I will never forget how my call for help to girlfriends Colleen and Jill was answered. Those special gals sprung into action and assembled an All-Star team to help. (Seriously, I get misty-eyed just thinking about it). Izz and Ann jumped in and coordinated an amazing fundraiser for the cause. There are too many people to thank here, but please know I appreciate everything more than words can say.

I have covered all my costs, except for the candidate's statement ($1509). Isn't it a shame that it costs so much just to put a statement in the Sample Ballot? If you'd like to help with offsetting that cost, any size donation is greatly appreciated. You can donate via the button on the right or send a check payable to "Friends of Lisa Lawrence" 12546 Highline Drive, Apple Valley, CA 92308.

By the way, I often do get calls and questions from people regarding our schools, and I welcome those calls. One thing I really love about Apple Valley is that our elected officials are so approachable and I want to be a part of that.

I look forward to posting some good news soon! Thanks again everyone for your support.

One Month Away!

The election is just one month away! Even a local school board election requires a great deal of time from the candidate and my calendar from this past week and next week is full of election-related events. I also have spent some time this morning tallying income and expenses for a report due to the Fair Political Practices Commission on Tuesday. There's plenty of paperwork associated with an election!

As of this morning, I have spent about $1400 more than I have taken in from campaign contributions. This is much better than last time when I spent about $4500 in personal funds, but I am still hopeful that this year's campaign will be fully funded.

For those who wonder about compensation for being on the school board, the stipend is $300 a month, before taxes, medicare, & social security. It was $400 a month, but our board voted for a 25% cut due to the budget crisis. Between board meetings, advisory meetings, phone calls, training, and events, I probably spend an average of 50 hours a month on school board business. I only put in claims for mileage when I travel far out of the area, and I try to use my own office supplies whenever possible. I also try to spend my stipend supporting our schools through donations to various fundraisers. I've always been an easy mark for kids selling anything. : ) The stipend does help cover some of the expenses associated with being a board member and I appreciate that it is available. Also, although I am eligible for the Health & Welfare benefits, I do not take them, which saves the District quite a bit of money over a four year term.

I am sharing this information for two purposes. First, to dispel the idea that there is a financial incentive for running for the board. In these "City of Bell" days, I think that is important for people to know. I serve on the board for the same reason I volunteer my time to other philanthropic efforts; a calling to serve. Second, it is why I am ok with asking you to help finance my campaign even if you do not have children in our district and/or do not live in our district. I believe it is important that we support regular citizens who are willing to take the plunge into the political arena, so more will be encouraged to do so. Most of the people I know support various causes far outside their own community in order to make the world a better place. That is the spirit in which I ask for your support. Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated and I would be thrilled with 140 ten dollar donations. You can donate via PayPal (credit cards work even without a PayPal account) by clicking on the Donate button right above the picture of Aidan and I.

Please feel free to call or comment.
Thanks
Lisa
760-887-2307

P.S. If you've requested a sign, they are being delivered this weekend. I still have more available and would be glad to deliver one to your Apple Valley home or business. Just let me know!

Rachel's Challenge Assembly

This morning I went to Granite Hills High School to attend a Rachel's Challenge Assembly. It is in honor of Rachel Joy Scott who was the first victim in the Columbine High School shooting tragedy in 1999. The assembly was very well-done with great messages for people of all ages. The 1000 or so GHHS students today were a very attentive and polite audience and I'm quite sure everyone was touched on some level.

There will be another assembly tonight in the GHHS gym at 7pm. If you can go, I highly recommend it and suggest you bring tissue.

There were assemblies held at Sitting Bull Academy yesterday and tomorrow they will be at Apple Valley High School. I am glad our kids are able to have this experience.

Here's a link to the official Rachel's Challenge site: http://www.rachelschallenge.org/

FUNDRAISER- SEPTEMBER 30th

You are all invited to attend my fundraiser. You can call and pay at the door or register/pay by clicking on the "DONATE" button on the right side of the blog.

This will be a fun and casual event and we hope to see you there!

CONGRATULATIONS to the students, staff, and parents of Sycamore Rocks Elementary School!

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/one-21669-apple-rocks.html

Click on the link for a nice story!

Why I'm Running

Before I start asking people for their vote or support, I want to explain why I'm running. The simple answer is that I have a servant's heart. Serving others is consistent with my values and I have a special place in my heart for children. This has been true for a long time, starting with volunteering for the Special Olympics when I was in high school. More recently, I have been both a worker bee and a board member for the Assistance League of Victor Valley, Footprinters, the High Desert Domestic Violence Program, and now the Apple Valley Unified School District. I also have served as a coach for six years with the little soccer players. My skill level doesn't allow me to go much higher. : )

I ran for this position in 2006 because I believed my experience as a parent and a law enforcement professional would add a beneficial perspective to the board. Four years later, I know that has been the case, especially as we have navigated severe and ongoing cuts in funding. The decisions have been difficult, often unpopular, and especially hard on employees as we have had to lay off committed and talented people. These are tough times for education.

It is because of these challenging circumstances I am running for re-election. It is more important than ever to have a board with members from varying backgrounds who work together to keep CHILDREN at the forefront of every decisons. And, while having the right motive is paramount, it is not enough to be effective as a board member. Having experience in personnel and confidential matters, labor relations, state budgets, resource management, law enforcement matters, and community relations has been very beneficial in my service to the board. Also with three older children through high school and one in elementary school, I've had a front row seat from a parent's perspective for almost 20 years.

There are many great things going on in our district and our kids are doing well. In my next post, I'll talk a little about student performance and some things happening around the district. Please feel free to leave comments!
Lisa