Its also a very expensive place to live and always has been, but now the surrounding areas are getting more expensive too and so you move to Oakland and commute but now Oakland is expensive so you have teachers and theyre pretty good, but are veterans, and so were going to be facing a teacher shortage. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images). While the Acalanes slate isnt the first in a local school board to have raised money primarily from outside the district, it is the first time the issue has become a flash point in the community, locals say. I guess I would say theres an awful lot of work to be done on the things that weve done. the acalanes union high school district (the "district"), comprising acalanes high school, campolindo high school, las lomas high school, miramonte high school, and alternate high school programs, is one of the top-ranked high school districts in the state, and has been able to offer its students an outstanding educational opportunity for many I will say that personally, I think all the candidates are qualified. Do you have any other major priorities that you are running on in this election? Some students were unsettled and unsure of the connotations of the flyers. Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 187 188 189 190 Next So the school board sets a strategic direction for the district, so I wouldnt necessarily say that I would take any kind of initiatives, but there could be things that the school board as a whole directs the superintendent and the staff to look into, so, whatever things come up. 17 cars broken into on a single night in this San Francisco neighborhood. Hockett: Two basic reasons. Blueprint: So one of my questions was going to be what initiatives you plan to take, but it sounds like one of your goals is to be more nonpartisan. Cities | Weve been lucky so far. Seven candidates run for three open positions in the Acalanes Union High School District Governing Board. According to state test scores, 73% of students are at least proficient in math and 91% in reading. another seat on the board, special education teacher Anait Letona got almost $10,400 of her $13,500 from public education group San Ramon Valley Education Association in Dublin, putting her ahead of college health care instructor Cheri Calcagno and incumbent Mike Maxwell, who has reported no contributions. Help expand Ballotpedia's elections coverage - volunteer with us. We did an earlier pass on that. It went on to address the rumors about their intentions. Theres a desire to see local school boards and local school politics as a way to heighten conflict over divisive cultural issues, he said. About 83% of the Acalanes groups campaign funds came from donors located outside the district, paper adds, noting that school board races nationwide are being flooded with money from out-of-state conservative organizations. Parent Education on Sports and Wellness hosted by Dr. Doug Gardner. Please review our BoardDocs website for updated meeting times, meeting agendas and minutes. My first-grader just needed to sign a pledge saying, If you see someone being bullied, tell a teacher, said the mother, adding that someone had been putting Trump stickers on their yard signs. : Well, the fact is that many of the things that weve done have just started. Then just the fact that it didnt explain anything and it was so random, Campolindo senior Nikita Vayner said. The forumcan be watched live on LWVDVYouTubechannel. Paralegal Clayton Gardner has not reported any fundraising. She grew up in the East Bay and graduated from Northwestern University, where she studied journalism and literature. John Rogers, an education policy expert at UCLA, said Republicans in California and nationally see school board races as a way to drive turnout. Blueprint: So you mentioned earlier that you applied to become a member of theSchool Board. I think its the fact that my co-chair and the consultant on the parcel tax that I was working on for another district was going, Nancy, you have to apply! Renee Nowac, Christopher Severson and Mark Woolway attend the candidates forum for the Acalanes board. Email: joshua.sharpe@sfchronicle.com, sophia.bollag@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joshuawsharpe, @sophiabollag. Theyre under the umbrella of the same campaign structure, and all have the same website and they also seem to be aligned with another three-candidate slate in a Lafayette school district race. If you would like to help our coverage scope grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia. Career technical education is an area and linked learning is an area that is constantly being reviewed because of trying to make sure all students have a path, but not every student is intending to go to a four-year university, but career technical is actually a combination. And one thing weve done in recent years: weve offered retired teachers five years of vision and dental plan if they let us know theyre retiring by Feb. 1, so that is a head start because we tend to now know. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 8, 2022. : And why are you running for re-election? Chicago, Illinois 60690-1979 Phone 312-534-5388 Fax 312-751-8307 . It has 1,303 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 19 to 1. All you have to do is refer to a much more active recruit. Challenger Katy Foreman has reported $16,000. : Yeah, so a lot of what we work on is budgetary stuff because, again, one of the things the board is tasked with is looking over finances to make sure the finances are going well, so we worked a lot with that. Diablo school system will hold its first district elections. : Well, I have been a very active parent volunteer for a number of years and have a number of friends who have been Board members. One New York political action committee, 1776 Project PAC, endorsed more than 100 school board candidates this year in Florida, Texas, Virginia and Pennsylvania with 35 wins in August alone, Politico You know, you walk around here and its thirty students per class. That usually never happens but mainly for other reasonsfor economics or for other districts, they have greater ability to say, Well I know youre going to teach history and we have a history opening where maybe here, we say, Well, we know you want to teach history but right now we need English so maybe later on. During the forum, the Acalanes three said they support diversity efforts, didnt believe in banning materials and thought the district had great programs for trans students, but expressed frustration over the school boards October 2020 decision not to return to in-person learning. Im willing to give these new voices a chance, she said. Board Members: Kristin Connelly President Contact member The candidates said they hadnt been looking at social media, with the exception of Smith, who said he had defended the slate candidates. Where I taught, it was 40 students per class and so these types of things and trying to keep on top of pay and financial issue, but also trying to keep our working condition in such that were a place you want to teach and keeping our beneficial salaries right at the top so we can be in that. And then other priorities, you know, are to maintain our great education because that is what we are charged to do, to educate our students, and third thing is again back to the money thing; making sure were spending our money wisely and not wasting it on things that arent helpful for the kids and the environment of the school, but making sure we spend our money on things that are really going to help out. * Web site address is provided to CDE by the school district District Reports. Recorded October 12th, 2022 at The Del Valle Theater. Under the profile name Bay Area Dad, the user had posted about: lunatic educators spewing their hatred on a daily basis in public school; the absolute garbage of trans athletes competing in sports against others who match their gender identity; and, in May 2020, how people shouldnt wear masks. It was a problem when I first started teaching. The Wellness Centers are another example of the reaction to that. By Kiara Kunnes and Sarah Westergren, Print and Online Editor-in-Chief. Joshua Sharpe joined The San Francisco Chronicle in February 2022. There, his reporting helped free two innocent people from incarceration, including one man who was 20 years into a life sentence and one facing life. Right now we are doing a homework policy review because we are going to a new calendar next year and I was all for that. Please review our BoardDocs website for updated meeting times, meeting agendas and minutes. State and local courts | The. . So thats something Im trying to focus on. . Transition to In-Person Instruction & COVID-19 Safety Info, Educational Services - Old - Deletion Pending Aida's Decision, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Acalanes (DEI), Enrollment - Registration, Residency & Transfers. He covers criminal justice issues, often with a focus on injustice, on the Race and Equity team. Severson: Yeah, so a lot of what we work on is budgetary stuff because, again, one of the things the board is tasked with is looking over finances to make sure the finances are going well, so we worked a lot with that. Ballotpedia features 393,611 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. Acalanes Union High School District Candidate for Board Member Next Contest Christopher Severson Acalanes Union High School District Governing Board Member 31,638 votes (23.68%) Winning My choice Candidate has provided information. There are many things out there to be viewed. A year later, her Californians approved billions for new water storage. Apply for the Job in Food Service Manager VI - Skyline High School (2022-23) at Oakland, CA. Luck does have some part of it, there are some challenges, but thats what you sign up for. They are elected at-large by the registered voters of the district and generally meet on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Severson ( Republican Party) (also known as Doc) was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 14A. Click on the foundation logo to learn more about our four parent foundations. Stephanie Travis. On the Acalanes Union High School District board, two positions are up for election. And so how does someone really stand out? Kenneth Acosta - @Mrreiper . So there are a number of things going on. Copyright 2002-2023 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. So this is an ongoing issue. There was quad discussion about that, students were unsure about what it was going to be about, teachers were kind of split in terms of pros and cons, and so that was a major issue for not only in terms of if we should do it or not, but also the year-long process of getting ready for it. In 2020, Christopher Grove raised more than $32,000 for his successful run for the Acalanes board, about 85% of which came from outside the district. We cant get the other people to come in? : Well hopefully because I am qualified, experienced and passionate. In education, theres never going to be a time where we say, Oh, solved that problem and now we are moving on. FINGERPRINT APPLICATION FORM. Blueprint: So you were President of the Orinda School Board District, correct? Jobs - Acalanes Union High School District | EDJOIN Notice of Scheduled Maintenance: Please note that we will be conducting server maintenance for the next few weekends. However, these flyers prove some have chosen alternative, non-traditional methods of publicity. and displaying flags promoting sexual orientation, unlimited gender identities, according to her website. Which Bay Area city is best for you? editor / reporter who has been published in almost every San Francisco publication, including Hoodline, SF Weekly, Thrillist, and Broke Ass Stuart. Martha Goralka, LWVDV Voter Services Chair, Candidates' Forum, Acalanes Union High School District - October 13 (online only), The format will include brief candidate statements followed by questions. And there is also clearly a trend that the right-wing outrage machine has identified of taking over local school boards as their new culture-war front, with an agenda to ban books and push batshit theories about litter boxes in schools. I am a current Special Education tea. All candidates must have a valid, unexpired government issued or school issued photo ID at the time of fingerprinting. 84, of Mint Hill, passed away Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at Hospice of Union County. This is up 8 percent since 2000, where the . Blueprint: What do you think is your primary platform or mission? So there is a whole survey and the first one was done three years ago and one last year and a large percentage of our students district-wide report that they are not getting enough sleep, they are really stressed out, they are spending two and a half hours plus on homework every night, plus on weekends. You know, really go out and sell yourself. At first, I thought this has the potential to be total chaos but it also has the potential to be a positive force. Joe Kukura is an SFist staff asst. of the things that makes a school district great is the people there, and so a thing that were responsible for is helping to higher the superintendent and the principals and some other staff people. to see it through and hopefully, the decisions are the best for the community. How to enjoy WorldPride 2023 - Australia's biggest LGBT party,After a couple of years of muted Mardi Gras, Sydney is back with a rather big glitterball bang next month when WorldPride rolls into town. Glasgow, United Kingdom. Second, I taught government and so Ive always been interested in government, and over the years, Ive really realized that local government is really more effective and more responsive to peoples concerns than in the national or state levels. Trying to raise more awareness about equity issues that will be ongoing, and trying to make sure our programs are for all students. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; What's on my ballot? I thought it would be a good step and I was hoping I would bring a lot of contacts and experience in. If elected, are there any initiatives you hope to implement besides the work that youve been doing? On top of which, we need to make sure we stay fiscally stable because well see with a new governor, whoever is elected, how the state is funding schools in ways that largely we dont control. Do you have a view on that or any other issues you want to focus on? Severo, who adopted two Black children, didnt want to see gains lost. The incumbent candidates answered questions from a moderator, then from the audience. We already have two experienced members going off. Thank candidate for sharing their information on Voter's Edge. An attendee asked the incumbents why they hadnt stood up for their opponents who had been bullied online. But on the evening of Oct. 3, no one from the Lafayette slate attended the candidates forum inside the multipurpose room at Stanley Middle School. There are many things out there to be viewed. Stay up to date! reported. The Chronicle reports that one of candidates in Novembers Acalanes Union High School District Governing Board has oddly received a contribution from Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who seems to have played a role in the January 6 insurrection (and lives 3,000 miles away from Acalanes High). Ballotpedia covers public school districts in the 100 largest cities in America by population, as well as the 200 largest public school districts by student enrollment. Nice if it was done in a civil manner. success. Hey everyone; my name is Christopher Grove and I am running for School Board in the Acalanes Union High School District! No one from the Lafayette slate responded to requests for comment. Occupation: Acalanes Union High School District Governing Board Member Mark Woolway 11035 votes 8.26%. I mean, you name it, and Ive probably done it at some time. : So you mentioned earlier that you applied to become a member of. In Texas, a cell phone company called Patriot Mobile, whose owner says its driven by conservative Christian values, has been injecting huge amounts of cash into school board races with remarkable Most people will put signs up supporting candidates but that was kind of it. : So basically, Ive spent the last 15 years or so volunteering at schools when my kids started in the public schools, and so I did a lot of PTA volunteer functions as treasurer, president, auction chair etc. We were directly involved with that and I think we did a great job of bringing on some really good people to the Orinda School District. Spats broke out between the slates supporters and critics. His father, Ruben Flores, was found not guilty by a separate jury of being an accessory after the fact. The district takes its name from Rancho Acalanes, an 1834 Mexican rancho grant which occupied much of the area from Orinda to Lafayette. transgender Im just a Dad who wanted to help my community and provide another perspective on how to improve our public schools, Larsen wrote. Orange Grove Junior High School (1966 - 1968) . Groans and laughter rose from the audience as the school board candidate tried to explain. So does that mean some of our below C students are struggling from block schedule, or are not benefiting from Academy? Transition to In-Person Instruction & COVID-19 Safety Info, Educational Services - Old - Deletion Pending Aida's Decision, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Acalanes (DEI), Enrollment - Registration, Residency & Transfers. Some candidates in the region are explicit about trumpeting conservative talking points. This role involves undertaking employment screening checks for Experienced Hires and International Secondment candidates. On Sept. 23, Niels Larsen announced on social media that he was suspending his part of the Lafayette campaign, citing attacks online and an ugly and destructive process, according to We blew our chance to use it, Drake-backed fried chicken chain opens first Oakland restaurant this week. California State Library - Voter's Edge California Voter Guide | Nonpartisan information on the Tuesday November 6, 2018 election. MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2021-2022 SCHOOL CALENDAR ADULT/VOCATIONAL EDUCATION HOLIDAYS 2021 September 6 Labor Day November 11 Veterans' Day November 25 Thanksgiving Day HOLIDAYS 2022 January 17 Observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday February 21 All Presidents' Day May 30 Observance of Memorial Day. Research salary, company info, career paths, and top skills for Food Service Manager VI - Skyline High School (2022-23) Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox, Bizarrely, Clarence Thomass Wife Is Pumping Money Into an East Bay School Board Race, Republican-led Recall Gavin Newsom campaign, received a contribution from Ginni Thomas, played a role in the January 6 insurrection, All Three School Board Members Recalled In Landslide [SFist], SF Police and Sheriff Unions Engaged in Bizarro Social Media Fight Over Staffing at SFO, Newsoms Proposed Budget Slashes $2 Billion From Public Transportation, Legislators Up In Arms, Expos Finds San Francisco Doled Out $90M Last Year to Nonprofits That Are Not In Good Standing With the State. But also because you can look at various boards, weve had a very cohesive and highly functioning board, so from a personal perspective, its been a real joy to work with the other members and with the administration. I was born and raised in Lafayette, I am a graduate of Acalanes, and I taught government history in high school for 33 years down in Southern California. Joshua Sharpe and Sophia Bollag are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Lauren McCollins. PhD candidate @RutgersU | Duckweed, Plant Microbiome . I mean, I do hope if I get elected to be involved with the implementation of the. Its nice to have a mix, but I think its helpful to have some experience. Could you just expand on that? focused on recruiting and supporting strong Republican candidates to run for local education offices.. Derksen: So basically, Ive spent the last 15 years or so volunteering at schools when my kids started in the public schools, and so I did a lot of PTA volunteer functions as treasurer, president, auction chair etc. For the first time, the last couple of years, weve offered employment to teachers coming in and theyve turned us down for other districts. I think she donated $250 $250 doesnt go very far these days, said Woolway, a former PayPal executive who served on former President Donald Trumps transition team. We did an earlier pass on that. Annual Enrollment Reports. I have been an active parent and community volunteer since moving to the area in 1995, including sixteen years on the executive boards of PTAs and as a Moraga Education Foundation director since 2005. Open Session typically begins at 7:00 p.m. Closed Sessions and Study Sessions may begin earlier. So its kind of listening and hearing whats going on and whats playing here in the district and going from there. The Acalanes district encompasses high schools in Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga and Walnut Creek, four suburbs on the eastern side of the Oakland hills, where typical home values often well. The district operates four high schools. We have great working conditions. Id like to see it through, and hopefully, voters see it that way. AUHSD staff and students are grateful for the tremendous support provided by the parent foundations. The Acalanes Union High School District's Governing Board functions as the legislative body of the district and establishes policies and goals by which the school district is operated. How to run for office | The Academy issue was also part of that. It might persuade people to research more about the candidates, which I hope does happen, but I dont think its convincing enough to make people vote for them, Jay said. Im not burned out yet. District Details. Id like to see it through, and hopefully, voters see it that way. Nancy, you have to apply!. U.S. Congress | Dan Severson ran for election to the Lee County School Board to represent District 4 in Florida. I mean, you name it, and Ive probably done it at some time. Lamorinda Weekly. 3. Are we overdoing it? Our students and community will continue to benefit from their leadership, knowledge and experience. Five citizens are elected to serve overlapping terms of four years each. In the Lafayette race, incumbents Rob Sturm and David Smith have raised $6,000 and $15,000, respectively. Neighbor warned neighbor that the conservative movement to flip school boards couldve made it to Contra Costa County. Derksen: Okay. Copyright 2002-2023 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. : Well its kind of funny, you know when people always ask about the platform for the school board. and efforts to make curriculum more inclusive. I think that weve done a good job so far. Oakland started the year with 98 teacher vacancies and by the start of October, they were down 48, but these are still teacher vacancies that we dont have because this is a popular place to teach because the kids are so motivated, the community is so supportive, and so most teachers that come here stay because its a great place to teach.