Andrew Taban
Andrew Taban
District: William S. Hart Union High Trustee Area 4
Position Seeking: Governing Board Member
Question 1: Please share a meaningful experience you had with art (visual, dance, drama, music, media arts) while growing up.
While growing up, I had been involved constantly with the arts (since 4th grade). It helped me grow as a person and become more social and involved in my schools. With the arts in school, and being involved, I was able to see my social life, and academic life grow, and continue succeeding in my school, and personal life.
Question 2: What kind of creative solutions would you suggest to support student outcomes such as English language development, closing the achievement gap, and preparation for college and/or meaningful careers?
I believe that student success begins with of course the students. As a board member, I believe we need to meet with our students and see what they think should be in the schools, as well as talking with teachers to see what we can improve on. One of my large goals is to get the community engaged in the education system. Also, we can continue our involvement with our community college to continuously see how we can prepare our students for college, and even careers.
Question 3: What do you think should be the role of the School Board in ensuring that students have access to a broad range of study?
I believe the role of the board in regards to students is involvement. We are a group of individuals voting on a broad scope of items, and many of those effect our students. Like previously stated, we need to work with students to see what they think should be in classrooms. So often we make policy or create change in schools without asking our stakeholders (being the students, teachers, parents, and community members) how the outcome of it has effected them.
Question 4: In light of the Local Control Funding Formula and development of district Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs), what are your creative solutions for achieving goals in the eight priority areas?
We have seen our schools do an excellent job in working towards achieving our goals. What I have personally seen is schools coming to the board meetings, and explaining what we have achieved, and what we need to work on, but also HOW we need to work on it. As of now, I think the schools are working on it, but as time progresses, I am sure we can squeeze room for improvement.
Lillian Cabral
Lillian Cabral
District: Duarte USD
Position Seeking: Governing Board Member
Question 1: Please share a meaningful experience you had with art (visual, dance, drama, music, media arts) while growing up.
I grow up in Pasadena Unified school district we had so many school activites when I was a child we had Art Fairs and everyone submitted a drawing,painting clay sculpture and displayed them in beautiful display cases we had tap dancing and folk dancing plays and musicals if you didn’t have a natural nack for the Arts the teachers would find your talent in something and let you bring it out Everyone participated and you really felt good about yourself and others Now days there seems to be no money in the school budgets for the Arts
Question 2: What kind of creative solutions would you suggest to support student outcomes such as English language development, closing the achievement gap, and preparation for college and/or meaningful careers?
College prep classes not as an elective but as a general school course bring back auto shop and home mechanics and typing and other skills that helped us achieve our career goals. Sometimes college is not for everyone.
Question 3: What do you think should be the role of the School Board in ensuring that students have access to a broad range of study?
The school board must collaborate and build a partnership with the City and its council to come to the tables and plan out the future of our youth and invest in them for a life time of returns
Question 4: In light of the Local Control Funding Formula and development of district Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs), what are your creative solutions for achieving goals in the eight priority areas?
We must go through all the plans with a fine tooth comb and figure out a why that the plans can work for our benefit to perform better and creative ways to deliver top level education and put those who govern the polices and governs the money.
Nancy L. Cobb
Nancy L. Cobb
District: El Segundo USD
Position Seeking: Governing Board Member
Question 1: Please share a meaningful experience you had with art (visual, dance, drama, music, media arts) while growing up.
I grew up on a farm in Illinois and attended a small junior high that had a passionate art teacher who encouraged me to enter the annual statewide art competition. We began with a local contest and then progressed to District, Regional, State. We received a literary passage to illustrate within a limited amount of time, combining my love for reading and art. I placed high enough each time to progress to the next level. Only regret: the high school had no art program. I’d like to fix that for future students.
Question 2: What kind of creative solutions would you suggest to support student outcomes such as English language development, closing the achievement gap, and preparation for college and/or meaningful careers?
As a high school English teacher for 17 years I incorporated the arts continuously. For example, when we studied drama, we acted it out. When we studied a period of American literature, we also analyzed the art of the period and wrote about it. When we studied the 20s, we listened to jazz and visited House of Blues. Students incorporated media into their presentations The more students integrate the arts into their academic curriculum, the more they EXPERIENCE and REMEMBER, which helps English language development and closing the achievement gap while better preparing all students for college and careers.
Question 3: What do you think should be the role of the School Board in ensuring that students have access to a broad range of study?
The School Board is the watchdog for both programs and allocation of funds. They should set goals that include a broad range of study available for all students, including core subjects and electives. When state-allocated funds do not suffice, they should solicit funds from the entire community through education foundations and partnerships with local businesses and organizations. They should also continue to lobby the state for increases in school funding, since even with the passage of Proposition 30, we are not adequately supporting education.
Question 4: In light of the Local Control Funding Formula and development of district Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs), what are your creative solutions for achieving goals in the eight priority areas?
We need sustained community input and adequate time and opportunity for all stakeholders to learn about and integrate the changes.
Any activities that foster community partnerships and pride will help improve school culture, especially as they emphasize high expectations.
Create partnerships with media to publish/post/feature lots of pictures & videos of student achievement in all realms.
Student art shows, music, drama that draws in the community and showcases talent.
Interaction of role models with students, e.g., classroom speakers tutors,etc
Community work days to clean up campuses
Parent workshops
Extend AVID and other programs that support kids for academic rigor.
Chris Apodaca
Chris Apodaca
District: ABC Unified School District Trustee Area 7
Position Seeking: Governing Board Member
Question 1: Please share a meaningful experience you had with art (visual, dance, drama, music, media arts) while growing up.
When I was in the second grade we went on a field trip to see The Sound of Music live at the performing arts center. That was the day I fell in love with the theater. I have supported the performing arts in my community ever since then.
Question 2: What kind of creative solutions would you suggest to support student outcomes such as English language development, closing the achievement gap, and preparation for college and/or meaningful careers?
The earlier we are able to introduce students to preparatory and enrichment programs, the better our chances of closing that achievement gap. Once such program I have been an integral part of in my district for years is the Skillstreaming program, which can begin as early as kinder.
Question 3: What do you think should be the role of the School Board in ensuring that students have access to a broad range of study?
The school board, ideally, would be comprised of well-learned leaders from the community. People who want to offer more to the students than any other district. This ensures not only higher test scores, but more importantly it adds to the quality of life for students and their families. The role of the school board should be a pro-active one.
Question 4: In light of the Local Control Funding Formula and development of district Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs), what are your creative solutions for achieving goals in the eight priority areas?
Since I am limited to 100 words, I would simply state that we cannot undue what is done at home. The fruits of a good education go beyond academics, they are ripened at home and within our communities. We need more participation from our local businesses, families, and community organizations.
Marisol Cruz
Marisol Cruz
District: Lennox
Position Seeking: Governing Board Member
Question 1: Please share a meaningful experience you had with art (visual, dance, drama, music, media arts) while growing up.
I didn’t have many art opportunities presented to me but took advantage of the few that came my way. In the third grade my teacher started an art club. That’s where I first saw a color wheel illustrating how the primary colors make the colors of the rainbow. When I learned that you can mix colors to make NEW colors I was hooked and fascinated. My involvement in the art club motivated me and kept me engaged. I also took a high school drama class where I enjoyed being on stage and using my imagination… My favorite was improvisation!
Question 2: What kind of creative solutions would you suggest to support student outcomes such as English language development, closing the achievement gap, and preparation for college and/or meaningful careers?
Invest in existing arts programs and encourage local hire. Currently, I am the Co-Chair of the Lennox Arts & Cultural committee and work closely with an art collective by the name of Vomito Local. We create opportunities to take the arts to the streets and into our homes. There is much talent and potential that needs to be showcased for the world to see who we really are as Lennox residents.
Question 3: What do you think should be the role of the School Board in ensuring that students have access to a broad range of study?
I come from a generation that willed itself to survive with a do-or-die attitude. Many of us had to fend for ourselves in and out of school because our parents had to work from sun-up to sun-down to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. My peers are now parents and we want the best for our children. We live our lives within a one-mile radius as we wait for the world to witness the beauty of who we are as people.
Question 4: In light of the Local Control Funding Formula and development of district Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs), what are your creative solutions for achieving goals in the eight priority areas?
We must prepare our children to succeed academically in order to compete in a global economy. And that picture includes investing in the arts. A solution would be parental participation to guarantee that our students receive the quality education they deserve. In my previous role as School Board President, I leverage my position to bring resources and opportunities through the Lennox Arts and Culture Committee and this time around it will be through the Local Control Accountability Plan.
Lizette Lucha Arévalo
Lizette Lucha Arévalo
District: Compton USD
Position Seeking: Governing Board Member
Question 1: Please share a meaningful experience you had with art (visual, dance, drama, music, media arts) while growing up.
I come from a family of artist. In college I learned that my family are considered rasquache artist– we are people who make something, out of nothing. When you enter my parents home you won’t see a wall untouched with murals, my mothers flowers growing out of anything you can imagine, sculptures made from my father’s hands, paintings done by my sisters, and finally my degrees on their walls. Being surrounded by a house full of life, color, and creativity made me into who I am, someone able to imagine alternative possibilities for myself and my community.
Question 2: What kind of creative solutions would you suggest to support student outcomes such as English language development, closing the achievement gap, and preparation for college and/or meaningful careers?
We must pave new pathways for students to enter during and after high school. Pathways that explore different languages, arts, and science could be an entry way for students to learn that there are various type of careers. Every student should graduate high school prepared for a college education, but more importantly, every student should graduate high school with a sense of knowledge about where their interest are, what skills they want to develop, and what fuels their passion for learning. We need to make learning fun again and bringing creativity back into the classroom is how to do it.
Question 3: What do you think should be the role of the School Board in ensuring that students have access to a broad range of study?
School Board members should not only be advocates for diversity, they should also be role models that demonstrate what that looks like in their community. If elected I will be that for my community. I have been part of a larger movement in Southern California to bring forth Ethnic Studies courses as a high school requirement. School Board members should not only advocate for social justice, representation, and diversity to be taught in the classroom– they should be involved in local efforts for justice in their community. Ensuring that students have a diverse curriculum is a starting point.
Question 4: In light of the Local Control Funding Formula and development of district Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs), what are your creative solutions for achieving goals in the eight priority areas?
The best way to achieve goals in each of the eight priority areas is to create an independent oversight committee of parents, educators, students, and concerned residents. This oversight committee will be there to propose new strategies and to make amendments when needed. The committee will serve as a bridge between the community and the board. The committee and board will collectively bring the community together in town hall meetings for discussions. We cannot reach the goals each area without consulting the stakeholders in each step along the way.
Gregory Tepe
Gregory Tepe
District: Lancaster School Trustee Area 3
Position Seeking: Governing Board Member
Question 1: Please share a meaningful experience you had with art (visual, dance, drama, music, media arts) while growing up.
I loved drawing as a kid, especially animals and nature. Art was something I was good at and it helped me to observe the world around me in detail. I loved being outdoors and drawing the animals I saw. As I got older I won a drawing contest for Ranger Rick Magazine and a TShirt design contest for the City of Lancaster. This gave me inspiration and confidence that has carried over to other areas in my life. I now teach art to my own kids and the students in my classroom.
Question 2: What kind of creative solutions would you suggest to support student outcomes such as English language development, closing the achievement gap, and preparation for college and/or meaningful careers?
Art , Music, and Performing Arts need to be implemented back into the curriculum. These areas are critical for expanding creative and critical thinking in our students.
Question 3: What do you think should be the role of the School Board in ensuring that students have access to a broad range of study?
Insisting that extra curricular activities and the arts are included in our district plan and are goals for our district at each level of planning and implementation.
Question 4: In light of the Local Control Funding Formula and development of district Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs), what are your creative solutions for achieving goals in the eight priority areas?
Including a discussion of the Arts in our planning and development and making it a high priority.
Dominique Ballante
Dominique Ballante
District: Keppel Union
Position Seeking: Governing Board Member
Question 1: Please share a meaningful experience you had with art (visual, dance, drama, music, media arts) while growing up.
As I was growing up, my teachers had our class presenting a dance or a song at the yearly School festival. I have been a choir singer, a Mexican dancer, a ballerina, or part of a pageantry display, etc. It was such a great production (and fundraiser) and we all felt so proud to show our skills to our parents. I enjoyed being on stage and performing. I had good rhythm and my teachers always would put me in the front. Music was my thing, I loved to sing and still do.
Question 2: What kind of creative solutions would you suggest to support student outcomes such as English language development, closing the achievement gap, and preparation for college and/or meaningful careers?
I believe in music as a great mean of support for developing English Language and math skills. Music appeals to all children and the words of a song stick to them. I teach many concepts on well-known tunes and it helps my students memorize them. Also music helps with focus and logic it organizes the brain.
I believe also that drawing and painting can support creativity. Children enjoy describing something they have drawn with many details supports the development of descriptive writing.
Music can lead to many good careers from composing to performing and all the industry around it.
Question 3: What do you think should be the role of the School Board in ensuring that students have access to a broad range of study?
The School Board has the capability to influence the curriculum development. It can request the development of an art or a music program at the school. It can have the Superintendent have the teachers insure that the children are exposed to art through field trips, guest speakers or performers and in the daily classroom life in addition to the regular curriculum.
Question 4: In light of the Local Control Funding Formula and development of district Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs), what are your creative solutions for achieving goals in the eight priority areas?
1Support the purchase of curriculum including art
2 Having all staff teaching every facette of the curriculum adding art through museum visits concert attendance Goal 3:Suggest festival/fundraisers to have parents support and cooperation in the development of a performing art curriculum
4 Have performances guest musicians or artists to visit the school
5 Motivate children to come to school through art/music or an artistic endeavor they succeed in
6 Include parents teachers and the community in celebrating special anniversary through arts
7 Have an art center opened and staffed by volunteers artists
8 Suggest drama to be included in PE
Angela Rios
Angela Rios
District: Garvey
Position Seeking: Governing Board Member
Question 1: Please share a meaningful experience you had with art (visual, dance, drama, music, media arts) while growing up.
In elementary school, Ms. Alexander would come into our class with her guitar, and teach us tunes that I can still sing to this day. Unfortunately, my parents were not able to provide my siblings and me with any outside activities, so choir became my haven. I loved being in a group that shared the same common goals and interests. Ms. Alexander displayed a love of the art of music that impacted me in such a way that I will carry it with me forever. I can unequivocally say that choir is the reason I graduated from High School.
Question 2: What kind of creative solutions would you suggest to support student outcomes such as English language development, closing the achievement gap, and preparation for college and/or meaningful careers?
One creative idea would be known as, “Parent Chasers”. Every parent has real reasons why they can’t be involved. What if there was a person, a “Parent chaser”, whose job was to help parents get involved. Once the parent is at the meeting, we can give them real tangible information, educate them, and make it fun at the same time, so they want to comeback. As a parent, I understand that these are true needs and desires of our community. I want to help our parents help our children. I believe in the equation: student + teacher+ parent = success.
Question 3: What do you think should be the role of the School Board in ensuring that students have access to a broad range of study?
I believe that it is the school board member’s job to ensure that students are getting access to a broad range of study. Surveying the students and visiting the schools to find out if the curriculum is nurturing the whole student are initial ways to do this. In addition, board members should collaborate with the feeder schools to assure that transition as seamless as possible.
Question 4: In light of the Local Control Funding Formula and development of district Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs), what are your creative solutions for achieving goals in the eight priority areas?
A creative idea I have is to partner with our community. Listening, helping, and educating parents and other community members will foster the success of our students. I currently serve on the executive board of Cuerva Urban Folklorico, as well as several other art committees. One way to partner with the community is to include our local cultural artists such as the ones I work with. They would be from all ethnic backgrounds, including the predominant Asian and Latino community. Our students gain new experiences through new cultures, and the artists would gain by giving back to their community.
Lupe Valerio
Lupe Valerio
District: Duarte USD
Position Seeking: Governing Board Member
Question 1: Please share a meaningful experience you had with art (visual, dance, drama, music, media arts) while growing up.
One of the most meaningful and memorable experiences with art occurred when I was in grade school. I recall being taught how to country line dance. Keep in mind that I attended LA Unified and the only other form of dance instruction I received in school was in preparation for the 5 de mayo celebration. Learning about a different culture through dance was an experience that opened my eyes to the world around me.
Question 2: What kind of creative solutions would you suggest to support student outcomes such as English language development, closing the achievement gap, and preparation for college and/or meaningful careers?
I am a firm believer in reading as a young child I recall spending hours in the library. I would walk to the library every Saturday morning with a friend, watch their free short movie, explore the new books and check books out for at-home reading. I’d like to see more of our kids visiting our libraries. I believe a simple thing like reading develops language and prepares students for college and career because it allows for exploration of the world around us through books. I would like to see greater partnerships between schools and libraries.
Question 3: What do you think should be the role of the School Board in ensuring that students have access to a broad range of study?
School Board members must be adaptable and must know their students, parents and community. The governing board must be able to change with technology, environment and culture. Having a broad range of study available for students of all abilities is imperative for the future success of the child.
Question 4: In light of the Local Control Funding Formula and development of district Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs), what are your creative solutions for achieving goals in the eight priority areas?
1. High quality teachers, passionate teachers equipped with necessary materials including well established safety and emergency plans. 2. Administrator accountability; ensuring that all academic standards are met. 3. Various avenues available for parent input and volunteerism. 4. Early college introduction at grade school level and parent encouragement. 5. Student attendance is addressed in positive manners, whether frequently absent or always present. 6. Assuring that arts and physical education are enjoyable to all students.
