Public invited to participate in live Telephone Town Hall discussion with state schools chief candidate Jason Williams

http://www.williamsforarizona.com/

Phoenix, Ariz. - July 26, 2010 - After a successful first Telephone Town Hall discussion with parents, educators and the general public Thursday, Democratic candidate for state superintendent of public instruction Jason Williams announced he will be hosting two additional conference-call/radio-talk-show-style question and answer sessions this week.

Nearly 2,500 callers participated in the first Telephone Town Hall, moderated by Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board President Amy Kobeta. That call highlighted critical education-related issues, such as reforming the state accountability system, attracting and retaining excellent teachers in every classroom, and restoring funding to Arizona schools.

The Telephone Town Hall technology is relatively new to Arizona. Williams is one of a handful of candidates and elected officials who have used the tool to reach out to constituents and voters. Williams said his use of the Telephone Town Hall format during this campaign cycle is symbolic of the type of statewide outreach he will engage in as Superintendent of Public Instruction.

"To effectively address the needs of our schools and our students, the state superintendent must connect with all stakeholders across the state, including parents, teachers, students, administrators and community members," said Williams. "I have consistently made a commitment to give voters direct access to the state superintendent, and through the use of innovative tools like the Telephone Town Hall, I am pleased that I will be able to hear the views and opinions of people all over Arizona."

In addition to the use of innovative technology to hear from parents and educators when elected, Williams has committed to reach stakeholders in their communities by working at least one day each week outside of Maricopa County.


His weekly visits will include in-person town hall forums in communities across the state, as well as meetings with key stakeholders in every county.

Volunteer

Also, much like he does with his campaign's famed yellow school bus, Williams plans to tour the state in a mobile office, giving teachers and administrators direct access to Department of Education services in their own communities.

The next two Telephone Town Halls will take place Tuesday, July 27th from 7:00-8:00 p.m. and Sunday, August 1st from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Anybody interested in participating in the forum can sign up by contacting the Williams For Arizona Campaign Headquarters at HelpKids@WilliamsForArizona.com or (602) 795-4734.

To learn more about Jason Williams, visit his website here.

Get on the Bus to Victory!

Over the past year and a half, you have joined me as I've campaigned across the state, meeting voters in every corner of Arizona at town halls, club meetings, community picnics, candidate forums, house parties and receptions. You've helped me carry our message that we need to change the direction our state's leaders have been taking us.

Status quo and special interest insiders have controlled education in Arizona for too long, and they have failed. This election is too important to the future of our state and our children to continue playing musical chairs at the Department of Education.

It's time we start putting kids first. It is imperative that we win this election so our children will have a true public education advocate representing them as Superintendent of Public Instruction. We must win in November, but first we must win the August 24th primary election.

With early voting in the primary set to begin in just 7 days, it is crucial that we continue to reach every voter in Arizona. Your help is critical to our success. Please volunteer today!

To ensure victory in the August 24th Primary and November 2nd General Elections, our campaign is running an aggressive grassroots effort to earn the necessary votes. You and the other members of our statewide network are critical to this endeavor.

I invite you to Get on the Bus with us. We need volunteers every day from now until Election Day. Please sign up to volunteer today!

There are several activities and fun opportunities to get involved with the campaign, including:

• Ride with me on the Williams For Arizona Campaign School Bus

• Call voters to educate them about the campaign

• Pass out literature to voters

• Help answer phones, enter data, and other important tasks at Campaign Headquarters

Click here to sign up and let us know how you can help or contact our campaign headquarters by email or by phone (602) 795-4734.

Thank you for your continued support. With your help, I am certain that we will win in 2010 and secure a more promising future for all of our children!

Early Voting for the Primary Election starts in just 7 days! Please volunteer today and Get on the Bus to Victory with the Williams For Arizona Campaign. Click here to sign up and let us know how you can help or contact our campaign headquarters by email or  by phone (602) 795-4734.

Video Message: Happy Fourth of July

Just a few months ago, Americans spent the day honoring members of the military who died in service to our country. On Memorial Day 2010, we acknowledged the tremendous sacrifice made on our behalf.

In an 1884 Memorial Day speech, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. explained this phenomenon perfectly when he said:

"Through our great good fortune, in our youth, our hearts were touched with fire. It was given to us to learn at the outset that life is a profound and passionate thing."

Today, as we celebrate the 234th year of American independence, I challenge all of us to find the passion burning in our own hearts, understand what others have done on our behalf, and know, too, that we have a responsibility to the next generation to live our lives so that they will have cause to celebrate our contributions and dream even bigger dreams than you and I dare to dream today.

Wherever your passion leads you, please remember that dreams are nothing more than passions not yet realized.

My dream is for every child to be provided with a legitimate opportunity to realize their own dreams through an excellent public education.

Today, I'll be spending the holiday in Tucson, riding in our campaign's new school bus and meeting voters at various events around town. Tonight, we'll watch the fireworks show over A-Mountain from the Tucson Convention Center. Come on by and get on the bus with us.

Here is a short video message from me to you from aboard the bus:

If you're having trouble viewing the video, you can watch in on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/williamsforarizona

Happy Fourth of July! Thank you for your continued support.

Media Advisory: Statewide school bus tour starts this weekend!

Jason Williams to launch statewide bus tour during 4th of July weekend
State schools chief candidate to tour Arizona in school bus

Phoenix, Ariz. – Jason Williams, one of the leading candidates for state Superintendent of Public Instruction, will launch his statewide school bus tour during the 4th of July weekend. Williams will make appearances in Prescott, Anthem, and Tucson this weekend. The tour will continue to other areas of the state over the next several months leading up to the August 24th primary election and November 2nd general election.

WHO: Jason Williams, Democratic candidate for state Superintendent of Public Instruction

WHAT: Launch of statewide school bus tour while participating in 4th of July Weekend festivities

WHEN & WHERE:

Saturday, July 3, 2010:

Bus will depart from Williams For Arizona Campaign Headquarters, 205 N Martin Luther King Circle, Phoenix, at 6:30 a.m.

Bus will arrive in Prescott for the Frontier Days Parade at approximately 8:15 a.m. Bus will drive through town and park near the parade area. Williams will march in the Frontier Days Parade at 9 a.m. with the local Democratic Party.

Bus will depart Prescott at approximately 12:00 p.m. and arrive in Anthem at approximately 1:30 p.m. Williams and supporters will break for lunch and visit local businesses.

Bus will drive through Anthem during the afternoon and park near the Anthem Community Park, Anthem Way and Gavilan Peak Parkway, at approximately 6 p.m. Williams and supporters will join the local Democratic Party at a booth at the festival in the park and watch fireworks that evening.

Bus will depart Anthem at approximately 10:30 p.m. and arrive at headquarters by 11:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 4, 2010:

Bus will depart from Williams For Arizona Campaign Headquarters, 205 N Martin Luther King Circle, Phoenix, at 2:00 p.m.

Bus will arrive in Tucson at approximately 4:00 p.m. Bus will drive through town for visibility and make stops at various events. Bus may stop at the Red, White and Boom celebration at the Pima County Fairgrounds, 11300 S Houghton Road, Tucson, before stopping at the Pima County Democratic Party 4th of July celebration, home of Renee Morton, 526 S Stone Avenue, Tucson, at approximately 7:00 p.m.

Bus will park near the Tucson Convention Center at approximately 7:20 p.m. Williams and supporters will meet with voters in the Convention Center parking lot and watch the fireworks over A-Mountain that evening.

Bus will depart Tucson at approximately 10:30 p.m. and arrive back at headquarters at 12:30 a.m.

Press Release: Business, labor groups unite behind Jason Williams

Phoenix, Ariz. – Jason Williams, one of the leading candidates for Superintendent of Public Instruction, announced today that both the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 640 and the Chandler Chamber of Commerce have endorsed his candidacy. IBEW is the third labor organization to officially support Williams, while the Chandler Chamber’s endorsement represents a growing recognition by business leaders that Williams is the best candidate for business.

"The Chandler Chamber of Commerce is deeply concerned about the low ranking of the Arizona education system compared to other States,” said the Chandler Chamber’s President/CEO Dave Warkentin. “A Superintendent of Public Instruction must have a vision for how to better the performance of our schools and help Arizona students steadily advance their educational attainment. Based on those criteria we are pleased to endorse Jason Williams.”

The IBEW represents 725,000 workers in a wide variety of fields, including utilities, construction, telecommunications, broadcasting, manufacturing, railroads and government. The Local 640 covers workers in Maricopa County, parts of Pinal County and most of Northern Arizona.

“I am pleased with the level of support I have received from groups representing hardworking Arizonans, such as the Internal Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, as well as business leaders like the Chandler Chamber of Commerce,” said Williams. “Improving our schools is critical to attracting quality businesses and increasing job opportunities for hardworking Arizonans. As Superintendent of Public Instruction, I will work to ensure every child has access to excellent public schools that are preparing them to be college- or career-ready when they graduate.”

In 2006, Williams secured the Democratic Party nomination for Superintendent of Public Instruction with a majority of votes in 14 of 15 counties. In the general election against the Republican incumbent, Williams received more votes than any other non-incumbent Democrat in the closest of all the statewide races.

Since then, Williams has continued his work to ensure every child in Arizona has access to a quality public education. He currently serves as a Managing Partner for BlueDynamic and was the founder of AZ School Works. In addition to working with the Roosevelt School District, Williams is a faculty member for Arizona State University’s Beat the Odds Institute Parent Liaison Academy, meets weekly to mentor an eighth grade student through Arizona Quest for Kids, and serves on several education-related Boards of Directors and Advisory Committees, including College Depot, Communities in Schools, Genesis City, and Phoenix Collegiate Academy.

From 2000 - 2005, Williams served as Executive Director of Teach For America (TFA) in Phoenix. During his tenure, local funding for the program doubled, teacher placements increased 150%, and the number of schools and districts partnering with TFA increased 100%. In addition, under his leadership, student achievement levels for the Phoenix program increased significantly, turning the region from TFA’s lowest to its highest performing region in the U.S. in just three years.

The IBEW Local 640 has been providing quality craftsmanship in Arizona since 1925. With Edison’s invention of the first commercially successful incandescent lamp in 1879, the general public became aware of the possibilities of electricity. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers® is as old as the commercial use of electricity itself. It is the oldest, as well as the largest, electrical union in the world. The IBEW has members in both the United States and Canada and stands out among the American unions in the AFL-CIO because it is among the largest and has members in so many skilled occupations.

The Chandler Chamber of Commerce gives businesses access to powerful local resources. They offer networking events, promotional opportunities and publicity for businesses, and they support businesses through legislative advocacy. The Chandler Chamber of Commerce supports business and the Chandler community by providing vital programs and services that attract and retain business while embracing diversity. The Chamber provides a strong business presence at all levels of government to protect and advance business interests.

For more information about Jason Williams, visit www.WilliamsForArizona.com. To learn about the IBEW visit www.ibew640.org. For information on the Chandler Chamber, visit www.chandlerchamber.com.

###

Nominate a student leader!

Putting Kids First. As I have campaigned across the state, this theme has been central to everything that I have done. This election is about re-focusing our attention to our students, making them the priority, and working to ensure every child has access to an excellent public education. 

I have often said that this election is about ensuring our students have a voice when it comes to the future of education. This will be true when I am elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, and I am committed to ensuring students have a voice in my campaign before the election.

Jesus Cera, Youth Coordinator my campaign, is organizing the Williams For Arizona Student Leadership Council. This statewide youth advisory group will be comprised of high school and college students seeking to gain valuable campaign experience and bring a youth perspective to the campaign.

We are looking for outstanding students who are interested in becoming civically engaged, building leadership skills and ensuring the youth voice is heard. If you know of an outstanding student who might be interested in joining the Williams For Arizona Student Leadership Council, we encourage you to submit your nomination to Jesus Cera at jesus@WilliamsForArizona.com by July 6, 2010.

We filed our $5s

For the past several months, you have been working to help me collect enough $5 Clean Elections Qualifying Contributions to secure Clean Elections funding for the primary and general elections. I am happy to announce that last week I filed my application with the Citizen's Clean Elections Commission, submitting more than 2,000 $5 contributions.

As a result of your efforts - the work of teachers, students, retirees, activists and advocates for education - we will have the resources we need to win this election. Thank you to everyone who donated $5 and collected $5 contributions from friends, family and other supporters.

While we await final approval from the Citizen's Clean Elections Commission, our campaign team is shifting to focus on the three Vs: Volunteers, Votes and Victory! need your help to change the direction our state's leaders have been taking us. It is imperative that we win this election so our children will have a true public education advocate representing them in the state Superintendent's office.

Education must be our state's top priority. As Superintendent of Public Instruction, with your help, I will work to make education our number one focus.

To ensure Victory in the August 24th Primary and November 2nd General Elections, our campaign will be running an aggressive grassroots effort to earn the necessary Votes.

You and other members of our statewide network are critical to this endeavor.

Please sign up to volunteer today. There are several opportunities for you to help in the office, from home, or in the community. Click here to sign up and let us know how you can help.

Thank you for your continued support. With your help, I am certain that we will win in 2010 and secure a more promising future for all of our children!