Working to see ideas through

El Hathaway is seeking a second term on the Laguna Beach Unified

School District’s Board of Education.

Hathaway, who has two sons attending Laguna schools, originally

ran to be on the board after selling his business five years ago. He

said the board needed a person with business experience and that his

master’s degree in organizational management gave him just that.

Hathaway, currently board president, said there is a lot of labor

relations involved and he has brought expertise in that area to the

table.

“There are more things I want to get done,” Hathaway said. “I’m

going for one more term. Both boys will be out of high school and

I’ll have been on the board for eight years, which is long enough for

me personally.

“I’m very happy with the district, the reserve ... we are really

healthy financially,” Hathaway said. “We have additional reserve for

maintaining the $67 million construction project, which was completed

on time and under budget.”

Hathaway said they also have excellent labor relations with the

teachers, staff and employees, and are now embarking on an individual

student needs program called Individual Education Program.

Hathaway said one of the reasons he wants to be re-elected is to

see the student-needs program to fruition.

“It covers all aspects and offers the optimum opportunity to

learn,” Hathaway said. “I think it’s fun that we can cause these

things to happen.”

Hathaway said he thinks the board works well together, that its

members have a lot of respect for each other and are all good

friends. He also said he’s pleased with the board’s accomplishments

the past four years.

“Our schools are in really good shape ... look at us academically

in the state and the country,” Hathaway said. “But we can be great

and we’re working on a lot of things to cause us to become great. We

have spent a lot of time getting to this point, now we’re focusing on

what the academic level can be and meeting the needs of all the

kids.”