By KATHERINE PETERSEN
Bill McDowell, the newly elected president of the Sunnyvale Elementary School District Board of Education, said the board will have its hands full over the next year with class-size reduction.
"If we decide to do it, then we will have to make boundary changes and open a new school," said McDowell, who was elected president by fellow board members last month. "We also want to learn what other major concerns the community has about education in Sunnyvale through community forums."
The district is poised to begin renovations at Sunnyvale Middle School and other campuses, thanks to the passage of a $34 million bond measure last June.
McDowell served on the board as clerk and vice president before taking over the president's position, said SESD Superintendent Doris Wilson, who came to the district a day before McDowell took office.
"He brings true commitment to public education. He's a product of public education and has the perspective of a parent and a board member," she said.
Wilson said McDowell has a wealth of knowledge of the business world, which helps him understand the financial side of the district.
"And he believes strongly in being held accountable to the constituents," she said.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, February 12, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.