Four candidates seek Old Adobe school board seats
Four candidates are seeking three open seats on the Old Adobe Union School District board. The city’s second largest school district, it represents 1,900 students across five east Petaluma schools.
With a budget of $24 million, the district employs a staff of 150. The district is attempting to pass this November a $38 million school bond, Measure L, to upgrade its facilities.
The candidates seeking office include the three incumbents, Michael Fung, Patsy Knight and Anthony Bendik, and challenger Kimberly Shaver.
The Argus-Courier sent each candidate a questionnaire. The following is an abridged version of each candidate’s responses, in the order they were received. See the full responses at Petaluma360.com.
Name: Anthony John Bendik
Age: 46
Occupation: Lieutenant in the San Francisco Fire Department
Education: BA history, University of Californian Berkeley
Community activities: Old Adobe school board, Knights of Columbus, volunteer for Casa Grande Boosters, officiate youth and high school baseball and softball
Why are you running for a seat on the school board?
I was appointed eight years ago at the deepest part of our national and state recession. Funding was slashed across the board and we had to make some very difficult budget decisions that included layoffs and furloughs. In time, we were able to pivot into differentiated instruction at our various schools. As a result, we essentially created schools of choice in OAUSD. We have a Spanish immersion academy, a STEAM school, a performing arts school, and an arts and ecology school. We have stabilized our enrollment and have significant growth at some of our campuses. We strengthened our budget by forming charters at four of our schools and took advantage of the state’s new LCFF funding formula. We are very close to the finish line for this initial push and I think we can have a solid foundation in place within the next four years.
How do you think the current school board has handled technology in the classroom, and what, if anything, would you do different?
We are fully integrated with one-to-one devices for all students. We have the necessary infrastructure in place to handle our current bandwidth needs and grow into the future. We have approached technology thoughtfully, examining our desired outcome before acquiring the device/program. I wouldn’t do anything differently, but we need to formalize a method to continue to fund upkeep and replacement.
Do you support the Measure L school bond, and if so, what would you like to see done with the bond money if it passes?
We’ve leveraged state grants, matching funds, and a small amount of developer fees to remodel every classroom with associated technology improvements. However, we had to skip many projects and stretch the service life of many systems. We still have capital intensive work to do in security, roofs, HVAC, cafeteria equipment, libraries, and facilitate an expanding student population. I ardently support Measure L, to fund all of this critical work before inflation puts it out of reach.
What should the district do to keep children safe on campus?
As a district, we already know that any of our facility planning requires consideration for safety. The remodel work at all of our campuses included industry recommended gates, locks and panic hardware. We also need to include funding for counseling services at school. We have the best chance of positive outcomes early, and it ends up costing everyone less in the long run. We also need to include social and emotional learning into our curriculum.
Are there other key issues facing the district that you would like to address if elected?
I believe we need to clearly articulate the different educational pathways offered at our five campuses and form a foundation for the next generation to elaborate upon. We need to collaborate with PCS to ensure that any chosen pathway can be supported through the 12th grade, and empower our students to reach their full potential. My eight years on this board have been a rewarding challenge. All of the success in our district is a direct result of hard work by every member of the OAUSD community from teachers, classified staff and families. It has been my honor to serve and I am proud that I will hand over a district in better shape today, or in four more years, if given the opportunity.
Name: Patsy Knight
Age: 72
Occupation: Retired educator
Education: Sonoma State College BA, Sonoma State College teaching credential, University of San Diego continuing education units
Community activities: American Association of University Women, Tech Trek Sonoma State, Santa Rosa Junior College Friends of Community Trust Petaluma, Expanding Your Horizons
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