From Behind the Dais: Robert Jung

Robert Jung may be the newest member to join the Board of Education, starting just two months ago on January 3. But the long-term resident has been a familiar face across Milpitas Unified School District for nearly 15 years.

As an involved parent of two children, Robert has volunteered his time through a variety of different means through the years including with the Parent Teacher Association, School Site Council, and the Milpitas Community Educational Endowment, which was conceptualized in Spring 2009 after budget cuts to the school district. Robert has also served on the Community Board Advisory Council, Bond and Parcel Tax committees, and the Family Engagement Task Force.

“For me, the reason to be involved hasn’t really changed,” he said. “It has always been about giving back and contributing the community that I live in. It is just a different role to contribute.”

Robert admits his new role as a Board Member hasn’t altered his perspective of the school district, but has required a shift of sorts.

“Probably, the biggest challenge for me is not to be ‘hands on’ given my previous experience and be strictly participate with governance and direction setting,” he said. “I think that as a Board member, I hope that I can help to nurture and offer a vision to help the district continue to grow.”

While Robert may not be as closely involved in what goes on at the district level anymore, his passion remains the same.

“I’m passionate about education, and really want our students to succeed,” he said. “If our students succeed, I want our community ‘to politely brag about our students.’ I believe we have strength in our diversity and want to show the world that we are successful in offering our students a way to find their passion and an educational foundation to develop a path to success following their passion with the full support of their family and community.”

In order to build a strong external community, Robert believes it begins by looking inward to every student, family, certificated and classified employee, and Board Member.

“I think we have a group of individuals who are committed to improving academic outcomes for our students and encouraging community involvement,” Robert said of the Board. “I’ve known three of the four other members for a long time, so it would be fun to work with them in realizing our common goals.”

These goals, for him, are more than just words, but practices that should be reflected upon every day in the work of employees coming together to make Milpitas truly UNIFIED.
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“I believe we can finally close the academic gap by being proactive and investing in our students at the earliest age and ensuring that they are making successful inroads every year,” he said. “I also believe we can create an environment for our students to find their passions and develop a path to success following their passions."

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