THE MORGAN FAMILY
Name: Chad Morgan
Age: 37
Resides: Sycamore Creek, Temescal Valley
Family: Married; two daughters, ages 8 and 10 and two nieces, 13 and 14, who are very close to us.
Occupation: Attorney
Education: BA, Business Administration, CSU Fullerton; JD Western State University College of Law
Community Involvement:
- Corona-Norco AYSO Board Member
- Temescal Valley Little League Coach
- Riverside County Bar Association
Learn More About Me: Website: www.ChadMorganForSchoolBoard.com; Email: morganchad@gmail.com; Telephone: 951-667-1927
Why are you seeking election?
I’m running for school board because I think the district needs a better long-term vision. We have great schools, and I want to make sure they continue be great for many, many years.
I am an attorney and focus primarily on government law and am a member of the State Bar’s Public Law section. I’ve worked with and advised government officials and agencies for most of my professional career. I understand the regulatory environment the district operates in and have the experience and relationships needed to make sure CNUSD parents get the new high school we need.
What are the predominant issues facing the Corona-Norco Unified School District and how would you address them?
CNUSD has great teachers and schools. We could (and should) be better, but when I look at schools around the state, I’m very happy that my kids attend schools here.
At the school board level, the predominate issue I see is that we need a better long-term vision.
In 2008, the district cancelled plans to build a southern high school even though there were 920 high school-age students living south of Cajalco. CNUSD said at the time that Sycamore Creek was “built out” and growth had stopped. Of course, Sycamore Creek was not built out and development had only paused. It’s started again with renewed vigor, and today, everyone in the district is suffering the consequences of that decision. A new school would not only be convenient for Temescal Valley residents, but would also ease traffic and crowding at every other CNUSD high school.
Long term budgeting is another issue. In 2006, CNUSD passed Measure U, a $250 million bond measure. In 2016, Measure GG authorized another $396 million of bonds. Over 10 years, this is nearly 2/3 of a billion dollars. A lot of these borrowed funds will be used to pay for maintenance that CNUSD should have been saving for over the last 10-20 years. Saving is hard and might not be popular when every stakeholder wants money now, but it is the responsible thing to do.
As a school board member, I will look at decisions with a long-term perspective. What will the effect of our actions be in 5, 10, or years into the future? We’re doing pretty good in the present, but I want to make sure we do great tomorrow.
What are the predominant school issues facing Temescal Valley and how would you address them?
The issues facing Temescal Valley schools aren’t that much different from the rest of the district with one exception: Temescal Valley residents have the longest commutes to middle and high schools.
The addition of 7th and 8th grades at the “new” Todd Academy has given many Temescal Valley residents the option of staying closer to home for middle school rather than commuting to El Cerrito. I’ve heard mostly positive feedback about the change and we should look at expanding this program. Of course, anyone who prefers a more traditional middle school experience should not face any obstacles to an intra-district transfer to El Cerrito (or other middle school) if that is their desire.
While adding middle and high school capacity to Temescal Valley will have an immediate impact on local families, this is not a Temescal Valley issue. Adding capacity here helps everyone. It would be a positive change for the entire district.
Another predominate issue for Temescal Valley schools is the day-to-day challenges of operating in a district with 50 other schools and 55,000 students. CNUSD is huge, and virtually every Inland teacher I talk to wants to become a teacher here. CNUSD hires the best and should trust our teachers to do what is best for their students, their schools and the communities they serve. While this is true district-wide, Temescal Valley’s remoteness compared to the rest of the district makes it doubly true here. As a school board member, I will work to implement policies that will give more local control to our teachers. The district should oversee, not manage, our schools.