Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below.
Name: Wendy Criner
Age: 50
Current job title: Public School Teacher
Incumbent: No
Other political positions held: None
City where you reside: Brea
Campaign website or social media: Instagram: @wendycriner4bousd
What are the top two needs of your school district, and how are you prepared to address them? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)
As we are implementing the funds from Measure H approved in 2024, we need to ensure fiscal responsibility while modernizing the learning experience. As a district, we must address complex challenges with integrity to ensure these funds provide safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students. Our Brea schools are the heart of our community, and our students deserve facilities that provide them with the best we can provide them. We need to ensure our oversight committee has the time and resources needed to provide the proper checks and balances to those projects.
Another need is to provide resources and training to support the whole child. As technology advances and students are gaining access to more information, the use of electronic devices becomes critical. It is imperative that we monitor use carefully, provide learning opportunities on cyber safety, and educate our students on appropriate technology use. Furthermore, the impact of students’ mental health by technology and social media cannot be underestimated. Although the district has already dedicated funds to alleviating some of these concerns, we need to evaluate their effectiveness to ensure that we are implementing the most impactful programs with our funding.
To you, what is the role of a school board in education? Is it driving policy, being involved in curriculum, something else entirely? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)
The school board provides oversight on items such as: program implementation, staffing, funding allocations, and school/classroom policies, to name a few. While it serves as a form of checks and balances to the functioning of the district, it is also the board members’ responsibility to ensure they have the whole picture prior to voting on decisions presented to the board. Decisions should be based on the collaborative input of district personnel, teachers, administrators, classified staff, parents, community leaders, and of course, the students. I believe wholeheartedly that we are better when we come together to share ideas, resources, and efforts.
As a board, we directly oversee the superintendent, her roles and responsibilities, and support her in how programs and policies will be implemented. It is then her responsibility to fulfill those needs by working with our staff within the district office, as well as each school site.
Finally, it is my job as a board member to maintain a pulse on the schools. I need to be present at the sites and speak to the people: administrators, teachers, classified staff, students, and parents. Staying connected to the people, their stories, and their needs, helps me determine important next steps.
How do you feel artificial intelligence is, or isn’t, safe in the classroom? In what instances should it be expanded in the classroom? What about when it should be limited? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)
We need to be especially intentional with how we incorporate AI. For student use, it must be extremely limited. Students must be educated on appropriate use of AI for learning purposes versus inappropriate exploitation that substitutes for authentic learning and assessment opportunities. We need to place emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking in our schools, while also nurturing the individual creative expression of our students. This is invaluable for student growth and global readiness.
When it comes to the use of AI for our district staff, there can be times when it can improve our ability to do our jobs well and serve the community. For example, annually our schools and district incorporate community input on their LCAP surveys, and some of the most valuable feedback is in the comments. But the number of comments can make the process of gathering and organizing that input nearly impossible.
This feedback can be collected and disaggregated using various AI platforms to show the frequency of concerns, as well as summarizing the comments by our district goals. A school-friendly AI platform is Google Gemini, which has many useful structures to ensure provided information stays within the system rather than the cloud.
How do you believe schools can better teach or engage students in civil discourse? How would you like to see your district tackle this issue? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)
This is always a topic that brings strong positions. I believe educating our students on the importance of well-rounded knowledge on a topic is an important first step. Students need to understand the different positions on an issue, why they are important, and what can be gained from each side. Additionally, providing curricular opportunities that exemplify the role of civil discourse and its value would prove beneficial.
Asking students questions tied to historical and literary examples within their subject matter, such as: How did this serve the people? How did this harm the people? What could have been done differently?
Schools should nurture students’ self-expression with causes that are important to them. Working with their parents, the community, and the school staff, support students (depending on age appropriateness) in developing a creative and positive opportunity to voice their position, while also allowing a similarly designed contrary position.
Some school districts around California are recruiting teachers by building subsidized housing. How would you suggest your district could better attract — and retain — educators? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)
It’s a great start to consider the living needs of our teachers, but it doesn’t tackle the issue as a whole. We need to recognize that our teachers must complete their college degree as well as receive a teaching credential, and enter the workforce at an entry-level salary. It takes years for teachers to earn an income that allows them to focus on their profession. Most teachers take on additional jobs to make ends meet, and these bills are even more profound once they choose to start a family. We need to provide teachers with a financial pathway that allows them to be part of the community they serve, rather than being stretched thin just to cover their bills. Cities and counties need to create grants or special programs that provide teachers with additional financial leverage to purchase property. Our teachers shape our communities and our future, and we need to provide them the respect and dignity they deserve.
What experiences and priorities do you bring to this role? What have you learned in prior leadership roles that makes you the person for the job? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)
I am a National Board Certified teacher in adolescent literacy and a California English teacher for more than 25 years. I understand the demands within a public school classroom and at a public school site. I have taught honors students, English learners, mainstream students, students with disabilities, students with 504 plans, students struggling at home, students with social-emotional needs, and on and on. You name it, I have worked with them. I see them, and I care about their opportunities to develop into the adults they want to be. I believe in them and what they can positively contribute to our community. They are our future, and we cannot take that role for granted.
I have also been a school leader and district leader as a WASC coordinator, department chair, curriculum specialist, professional development trainer, and member of our Site Leadership Team, all of which require intense and frequent collaboration among stakeholders. This will lend itself well to my role as a board member since my decisions will be made based on the needs of the students and how we support our students by providing resources such as facilities, materials, staffing, etc.
If your campaign had a mascot, what would it be and why? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)
It’s not a mascot, but more so a symbol: a tree.
Early on in my campaign, I felt a tree represented me well and my purpose in running. The roots of the tree are deep, just like my roots in Brea that were intentionally grounded before my oldest daughter entered kindergarten back in April of 2010. We have embraced the community and all it can offer: youth sports, community events downtown, the community center, and their amazing schools; these are my family’s roots. The branches have grown over time to represent the connections to the other families and experiences in Brea. As we have been involved in different programs and at the different Brea schools, our branches have become plentiful. Finally, the blooms are the fruits of the growth: the beautiful friendships, a warm and inviting home, high school diplomas, college and career skills developed through our school system, and the opportunity to be your next BOUSD board member. This is what I hope for every family in Brea to have the opportunity to experience, and that is why I am running.
Bonus question: What is the best book you’ve read this year? Explain why you found it compelling.
“Theo of Golden” by Allen Levi. It reminded me of the value of doing good for others for the sake of doing good. When you serve someone else’s needs, you don’t need recognition for the act. It’s not about you. It’s about doing what needs to be done to support and love someone else’s heart/healing.