About Diane! (Mensaje traducción está disponible en Español en la parte inferior de la página).
Diane is a fifth generation Californian and third generation
Orange County family. Her maternal great-grandfather and great-grandmother came to California in 1851 from Europe via a ship through the Straits of Magellan into San Francisco. They were gold miners north of Nevada City and made their way to their new homeland from San Francisco on a horse-drawn wagon...a tough route by any means of transportation!
Her maternal grandmother was a high school teacher in Arizona, and earned a teaching credential from the Arizona Normal School in 1910 where present day University of Arizona is located. Ruth and William came to California in a covered wagon in 1921 during the "oil rush" at Huntington Beach, CA. They raised their family of nine children in Huntington Beach. When William was killed at the Richfield Refinery in Wilmington, CA in 1944, Ruth bought real estate and later used some of the money to buy a church in Santa Ana. The transition from teacher to pastor was a natural transition for her. Two churches exist today in Orange County as a direct result of her efforts.
Diane's paternal heritage dates back to 1619 when her ancestor W.J. Benge, Esq, attorney with the London Company came from Kent, England on the ship Marygold to Jamestown, VA. He owned 200 acres of farm land on the Potomac River. He grew tobacco, a staple during the early years of the development of America. Upon his death, he freed all slaves except one who was to stay with his wife until her death. Upon her death in the 1600s, in the spirit of Christianity and the mindset of many early Americans, all slaves owned by him had been set free. He was a leader in the New World that set the example of equality among all people. Some of his descendants later moved west to Kentucky where they eked out a living farming the land. Thomas Benge married George Washington's niece Susannah Lewis in the 1770s; thus the connection to the Washington family. Thomas was half Indian. Today there are thousands of W.J. Benge's descendants throughout America.
Diane's paternal grandfather, a descendant of W.J. Benge, was a pastor in many major cities in California from 1933 to 1969, when he passed away in Twenty-Nine Palms where her grandparents had retired. He pastored churches in Los Angeles, San Jose, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, San Pablo, and Corona over a span of 36 years.
Diane's father graduated from Poly High in Long Beach-1939, and her mother graduated from Huntington Beach High School-1941. Her father was in the Navy during WWII. Diane was born in Long Beach, and raised in Huntington Beach; graduating with honors from Huntington Beach schools. Diane graduated from Cal-Poly SLO, and earned a masters degree in Secondary Education and history from CSULB, as well as an Administration Tier I and Resource Credential from CSF. She is the fourth of five children. Her family was very active in the community and churches in Orange County. Her father and mother were choir directors together, her dad leading congregational music and her mother playing the organ. Diane taught piano and violin for 14 years for students from La Palma, Cypress, and Cerritos.
Additionally, Diane recently retired from over thirty years of teaching. Over the years she taught high school history, English, science, math, music, drivers' ed, and coached girls soccer. She served her peers for two terms as High School Segment Director for her district's professional local board, and served as one of 25 elected statewide delegates for four terms as a State delegate to CTA/NEA representative assemblies. Experiences at these assemblies were mixed; but gave her the experience, background, and self-confidence to stand up for what she believes to be in the best interest of kids. Often times it was an uphill battle, but she has persisted in standing for what she believes in, and has learned how to encourge opposition to focus on "common-ground" education issues. As Superintendent of Public Instruction, Diane will bring the needed "change" to REFORM Education and "Fix" our schools!
Today she continues to stand for a quality education for every youth, and speaks for refocusing the professional organization toward academic and vocational development, and "closing the achievement gap" of lower performing students to higher performing students, by introducing goals for developing critical thinking skills within her distict and English immersion programs. She also believes using the Peters Procedures would empower and support teachers in bringing successful academic programs to under-performing and undisciplined students.
Her many years of teaching included teaching Los Angeles and Orange County gang members, young men ages 14-25. She also counseled young men in the CA Youth Authority and participated with a team in monthly Sunday religious services for incarcerated youth for eight years. In the early years of teaching, Diane served as a substitute teacher in seven high school districts throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties, often teaching in a different high school every day. This experience provided her with a solid background of knowledge regarding teaching every kind of student population, as well as picking up pointers on lesson plans left her by teachers.
Diane has served on numerous boards and currently serves as a founding member of HB4Marines, and on the Cal-Poly SLO Social Sciences Advisory Board. She is co-owner of a business since 1979 in Orange County. Diane and her husband of over 40 years have three children, and five grandchildren, an essential element in success of working with our youth.
Watch Diane at the NEA Convention in San Diego 2009
We believe Diane is the best candidate for the job because she has the experience, credentials, and knowledge about how to improve education in California. As a fifth generation Californian born in Los Angeles County, raised in Orange County, and as a substitute teacher early in her career teaching in seven different school districts, Diane has gained a composite picture of all the various types of students and how to meet their education needs.
Fifteen years of teaching high school in an Orange County Eli Broad National Award winning school district provides the background for the expertise needed in improving education in California, as well as improving student skills and abilities. Diane believes that success in education provides the support for student affirmation through graduation and pursuit of higher education. College is a dream for many students, and is a necessary component for a successful career for many students. Junior colleges are an important component providing vocational education programs, continued education, and general education courses for transfer students to four year colleges and universities.
Diane worked as a teacher, counselor, and soccer coach in Los Angeles County for twenty years. This has provided "hands-on" experience in working with all types of students and families.
As a California State delegate elected for many years from among her 330,000 peers to the National Education Association (NEA) Representative Assemblies, Diane has valuable experience speaking to education issues on the "floor" of the largest democratic body in the world that totals 9,000-10,000 delegates each year. The NEA Representative Assemblies work along the order very similar to the Congress. It is here that Diane has shaped her abilities to work together in the political arena regarding education "common ground" issues such as reducing the "drop-out" rate, and improving the graduation rate.
As a national education leader, Diane knows the local, state, and national leaders in education and political arenas. Diane is former Chair of the Republican Educators Caucus of the NEA. Her political activities also include community activist, political analyst and writer, and is currently a delegate to the Republican State Party as a member of the Los Angeles County Central Committee.
Diane has been married for over forty years to Jerry. They have three children and five grandchildren. Jerry served in the Air Force during the Viet Nam war as an officer on the flight-line at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Diane served in Civil Service at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Both are proud of service to their country.
Mensaje en Español de Diane:
Creemos Diane es el mejor candidato para el puesto porque tiene la experiencia, credenciales, y los conocimientos sobre cómo mejorar la educación en California. Como una quinta generación Californiana nació en Los Angeles County, planteada en el Condado Orange, y como un sustituto maestro temprano en su carrera docente en siete diferentes distritos escolares, Diane ha adquirido un panorama completo de todos los diversos tipos de estudiantes y cómo satisfacer sus necesidades de educación.
Quince años de la enseñanza secundaria en un Condado Orange Eli Broad Nacional premiado distrito escolar proporciona los antecedentes de los conocimientos necesarios para mejorar la educación en California, así como mejorar estudiante aptitudes y habilidades. Diane cree que el éxito en la educación proporciona el apoyo para los estudiantes afirmación gracias a una graduación y la búsqueda de educación superior. College es un sueño para muchos estudiantes, y es un componente necesario para una exitosa carrera para muchos estudiantes.
Colegios son un componente importante ofrecer programas de educación profesional, educación continua, y cursos de educación general para estudiantes de traslado a cuatro año colleges y universidades. Diane trabajó como profesor, consejero, y entrenador de fútbol en Los Angeles County durante veinte años. Esto ha proporcionado "hands-on" experiencia trabajando con todos los tipos de estudiantes y familias.
Como un Estado de California delegado elegidos por muchos años de entre sus pares 330,000 a la Asociación Nacional de Educación (NEA) Representante Asambleas, Diane ha valiosa experiencia para hablar de temas de educación sobre el "piso" de la principal órgano democrático en el mundo que totales 9,000-10,000 delegados cada año. La NEA Representante Asambleas labor en la orden muy similar al Congreso.
Es aquí que Diane ha conformado sus habilidades para trabajar juntos en la arena política respecto de la educación "terreno común" cuestiones tales como la reducción del "deserción" tasa, y mejorar la tasa de graduación. Como una educación nacional líder, Diane sabe el local, estatal, y los dirigentes nacionales en materia de educación y político. Diane es ex Presidente de la República Educadores Caucus de la NEA.
Sus actividades políticas también incluyen activista de la comunidad, analista político y escritor, y es actualmente un delegado en el Estado Republicano Parte como miembro del Condado de Los Angeles Comité Central.
Diane está casada desde hace más de cuarenta años de Jerry. Tienen tres hijos y cinco nietos. Jerry servido en la Fuerza Aérea durante la guerra de Vietnam como funcionario en el vuelo-line en Base Aérea de Vandenberg. Diane sirvió en el Servicio Civil en Base Aérea de Vandenberg. Ambos están orgullosos de servicio a su país.
