NEWS!

October 13, 2004 The San Jose Mercury News endorses John Leyba for Alum Rock.

"...with some seasoning, one candidate, John Leyba, has the potential to become a new leader the district urgently needs..."

October 3, 2004 The New Neighborhood Voice endorses John Leyba for Alum Rock.

"...John, too, will put all his many strengths into bringing a new vision to our district..."

August, 2004 View the commercial of me with my nephew Joe. He's four years old:

For Windows (Windows Media 9) click here File size 2.4MB
For Macintosh (QuickTime) click here. File size 14.5MB

July 24, 2004 Cecil Lawson, candidate for East Side Union High School District Board of Trustees
walks with John near McCollam School in Alum Rock.

Vision

Let's chart a course for our children's future from kindergarten to college. Let's give those who have abandoned Alum Rock a reason to return.

Some people say Alum Rock is too poor to teach our kids to do more than just read and write. When I went to school here, we had sports, arts, music, home economics, and computer labs. Let's bring them back.

With honest and independent leadership we can and will educate the whole person and raise test scores in Alum Rock. Let's change the "Alum Rock Way."

Independence

Have politicians ever taught your kids something you wanted them to learn?

Our schools should serve to educate our children, not as stepping-stones for aspiring politicians.

I bring non-partisan support, financial expertise, and integrity back to Alum Rock. We need teachers, policy experts, and financial analysts, not more politicians.

Accountability

Do the right thing. Be ethical. Students pay the bill when our leaders make bad decisions and engage in legally questionable practices. Last year our district spent $815,000 on legal fees alone. Comparable districts spend a quarter of this.

Such waste could have paid for after school sports, choir, classroom music, field trips, homework centers, computer labs, classroom aides, library books, cleaner schools, tutors for English, or field maintenance.

Be respectful. Leaders and staff must be held accountable for the tone they set across the district. Teacher, student, and family friendliness affects enrollment, attendance, and the quality of the education our children receive. Kids deserve better.

About the candidate

John Leyba is a financial analyst for Agilent Technologies, Inc. following previous experience in software development at PeopleSoft and banking at Washington Mutual.

In 1993 John graduated with honors from Alum Rock Schools (Lyndale Elementary and Joseph George Middle) after receiving the district's highest commendation, the Golden Apple, for his academic achievement. An alumnus of the award-winning Alum Rock Jazz Band, John now performs with the Alum Rock Alumni Jazz Band.

In 2003 John graduated from Dartmouth College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Economics (with specialties in public economics and finance.) John is fluent in English and Spanish, and he speaks German, which he taught at Dartmouth, receiving the Assistant Teacher of the Year Award.

John is secretary and a board trustee for the Alum Rock Educational Foundation, a non-profit corporation dedicated to improving Alum Rock Schools. He also serves on the board of trustees of the Dartmouth Alumni Association of Silicon Valley as Young Alum and Philanthropy Chair. A resident of East San Jose for 25 years, John is a member of East Valley Kiwanis and the St. John Vianney PACT LOC.

John comes from a large family (seven siblings) of Alum Rockers, including the newest one: Next year his nephew Joe will enter Alum Rock Schools.

John's nephew "Joe Joe"

John is running for school board because he believes in Alum Rock Schools and wants to work toward changing the Alum Rock Way. This community is our responsibility, and John wants to be part of the solution.