Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 12, 2011

9

SPECIAL PUSD ELECTION SUPPLEMENT

 Mountain Views News Saturday, February 12, 2011 

CANDIDATES STATEMENTS*

Pasadena Unified School District 

Board of Education Elections - March 8, 2011

(Per the Voter Information Pamphlet - Office of the Pasadena City Clerk)

About this special supplement: On March 8, 2011, an election will be held to elect two people to the 
Pasadena Unified School District’s Board of Education. This election is of the greatest importance to all residents 
of Sierra Madre, Altadena and Pasadena. Therefore, this paper will expand its coverage of the campaign 
and the candidates in hopes that we can help you make an informed decision and to inspire you to VOTE, 
whether you have school aged children or not. -Susan Henderson, Publisher/Editor

Candidates for the March 
8 election made the rounds 
recently to inform the 
public about their campaign 
issues at a forum held at the 
Pasadena Senior Citizen 
Center, addressing the issues 
to an important segment 
of the community which is 
sometimes overlooked by 
the candidates. Marvin 
Schachter, Executive 
Director with AARP, said 
the growing number of 
seniors have a key interest 
in education. They see 
personally how the cuts have 
effected the school system 
where their grandchildren 
attends. Some have 
experienced cuts as well with 
in-home supportive services. 
The forum gave them an 
opportunity to present 
questions to education 
candidates as well as City 
Council candidates. 

 Schachter said the 
Governor’s recent decision 
to abolish redevelopment 
agencies was a move “in 
the right direction.” “We 
do have a problem with 
balancing the budget 
of having income equal 
expenditures.” Schachter 
believes that California 
cannot meet the needs of 
the magnificent education 
system it has created. 
“Therefore, we have to work 
on increasing revenue. Two 
very good examples are we 
don’t have a depletion tax. 
When natural resources are 
taken out of the state. Texas 
has a depletion taxes, and 
it’s a very conservative state. 
But, we don’t. So, when oil 
companies produce oil in 
California, there is no tax on 
the production. Companies 
are making more profits 
today than ever before and 
gas prices are higher than 
any other place. Secondly, 
even under Ronald Reagan 
and Governor Wilson, a 
rigorous Republican, they 
put a surplus on higher 
income taxpayers, which was 
a temporary short-term tax 
to increase the income of the 
state for those people who 
are able to pay for it. So there 
are ways to increase revenue 
to maintain the essential 
programs.”

 Schachter sees the essential 
programs “are on the cutting 
board,” and he sees this a 
problem for seniors. “I 
appreciate what the Governor 
is doing. “We must maintain 
a continuum as we face 
an explosion in the senior 
market in the next couple of 
years. The baby boomers 
are becoming seniors at a 
time when their daily pay 
will not outlive their income. 
That’s a very big problem.” 
That is one reason why ACT 
joined AARP California, 
Senior Advocacy Council of 
Pasadena, and the Arroyo 
Democratic Club to be an 
advocacy voice for this group. 
ACT, is a political advocacy 
group that researches and 
makes recommendations to 
its 250 members in Pasadena 
of local, state, and national 
elections.

 Accepting the invitations 
were Gene Stevenson, 
running for the Pasadena 
Unified School District Seat 
4 (left), and the opponents 
for the Seat 6 position, 
Sean Baggett, Gaylaird 
Christopher and Incumbent 
Tom Selinske. John 
Buchanan, Mayor Pro 
Tem from Sierra Madre 
moderated the event. Seat 
4 candidate Kimberly Kenne 
was unable to attend the 
event.

 Each candidate was given 
a two-minute opening 
to address the audience. 
Incumbent Tom Selinske 
gave a school district 
highlight, which was 
receiving a “clean audit, 
the first time in 10 years,” 
from the Citizens Oversight 
Committee. He also 
chaired a project to improve 
the Measure TT audits, 
where 90% of the projects 
were delivered on time as 
well as creating the facilities 
management guidelines. 

 Selinske hopes to “build 
partnerships with the 
community, PCC and the 
City of Pasadena.” In 
doing so, he believes it will 
“increase funds, resources, 
and lower our drop out 
rates.” 

 Gaylaird Christopher, also 
running for Seat 6, said he 
“remembered the special 
teachers that reached out to 
me that made a difference 
in my life. Our community 
is an amazing place. I 
remember as a kid and 
thinking I’d love to live here 
in the future. I think our 
schools can match the quality 
of our community. I agree 
we are facing hard times, 
but this is an opportunity for 
us to do things differently. 
We can reopen our closed 
schools. We can explore 
interesting K-8 schools, 
bringing students back to the 
district.” “We wasted some 
money in the last bond, and 
I can help assure that those 
funds are spent correctly and 
efficiently in the future.” 

 Sean Baggett, an instructor, 
is also a candidate for Seat 
6. He said “public education 
has been my life,” listing 
experience as an aide, 
special education instructor, 
and holding a teaching 
educational leadership 
position. His concerns are 
“the 11 schools that need 
program improvement. The 
declining enrollment is not 
an answer for my daughter.”

 Gene Stevenson, community 
leader, is running for Seat 
4. “I’m here tonight as a 
candidate because I want 
to play a major role in 
facilitating your dreams for 
your children and the type 
of dreams that I had when I 
was in school. I was raised in 
Louisiana, 1 of 11 children, 
whose family existed on 
very low wages. We had to 
resort to public assistance. 
But, all of us graduated from 
high school. It wasn’t only 
because of the support we got 
from our parents alone. It 
was the support we got from 
teachers, principals, and 
people like you who are here 
tonight. That’s the kind of 
support for us to give to our 
children here in Pasadena to 
ensure that they enjoy the 
same kind of opportunities 
to succeed in our school 
district as I experienced as a 
young person growing up in 
Louisiana.” 

Mountain Views News 
recently followed up with 
each candidate attending 
the ACTS forum to see 
the passion behind their 
campaign bid for the next 
Seats on the School Board 
district as they discuss issues 
which face the PUSD system. 
Kimberly Kenne did not 
speak that night and Sean 
Baggett was not available 
for a follow-up interview. 
They will be interviewed at 
a later time. The candidates 
(Gene Stevenson, Gaylaird 
Christopher and Tom 
Selinske) each hopes to be 
the next board member for 
Seats 4 and 6 that will help 
move the district toward 
success.

Next week: The Interviews

EDUCATION CANDIDATES ADDRESS PUSD ISSUES

By Vivianne Parker

SEAT 4

GENE STEVENSON

AGE: 72

Occupation: 

Executive Administrator

Public education is a complex 
business requiring 
board members who have 
the leadership abilities, 
experience and know how 
to effectively oversee and 
guide both educational 
programming as well as 
budget and fiscal operations, 
personnel administration, 
labor relations, 
contracting, capital projects 
and long range planning. 
Those skills are increasingly 
important given 
the economic conditions 
confronting our state, nation 
and school district. 
Those are the kind of skills 
that must be brought to the 
job as a board member. I 
have those skills and the 
executive experience needed 
to provide the quality 
of sound decision-making 
and effective leadership 
Pasadena Unified School 
District requires and deserves. 
If all of our children 
are to succeed, they require 
no less than the best in its 
leadership and that is the 
quality of leadership that I 
will bring to the Board.

KIMBERLY KENNE

AGE: 48

Occupation: Education Data Consultant

I am one of the PUSD’s top parent volunteers.

I am the best qualified and most experienced candidate.

I served four years as the Chairperson of the PUSD’s District 
Advisory Council coordinating between parents and 
staff at all PUSD schools on subjects relating to funding, 
educational programs and legal compliance issues. I 
worked to educate hundreds of PUSD parents on issues 
like testing and accountability, standards based report 
cards, Open Enrollment, Special Education, budgeting and 
Parent Partnerships. 

My children have attended PUSD’s Blair High School, Eliot 
Middle School, Burbank Elementary and Longfellow Elementary 
School.

While the PUSD has made significant progress, there is 
much work to do. As past leader of the PUSD’s parent advisory 
councils, I developed and monitored plans for improving 
student achievement. I know that effective planning 
and evaluation will improve performance.

As a PUSD board member, I will place pressure on our 
schools to increase excellence by:

 Insisting on high expectations for student behavior 
and academic performance

 Increase academic rigor of PUSD’s High Schools

 Stop wasteful spending by aligning expenditures 
with academic goals.

I believe that parental involvement is an essential part of a 
child’s education

Please call me at 626-794-0325

SEAT 6

TOM SELINSKE

AGE: 53

Occupation: 

Businessperson/Educator/
School Board Member

The challenge for the Pasadena 
Unified School District 
is greater than ever. 
Education budget cuts 
from Sacramento create 
tremendous pressure. Despite 
the deepest cuts in a 
generation, PUSD continues 
to see success in tough 
economic times.

It has been my privilege 
to serve the District as a 
Board Member and President 
during the past 4 
years, during which time 
our Average Performance 
Index (API) scores have 
risen consistently, outpacing 
the state’s average 
growth. A majority 
of our elementary schools 
now have API scores over 
800, while the District as a 
whole is up 51 points.

We’ve cut wasteful spending 
by streamlining the 
District Administration, 
and saved over $700,000 by 
implementing energy efficient 
measures. I worked 
to secure a $2.4 million 
federal grant to improve 
college enrollment and career 
preparation for our 
high school students.

Our middle and high 
school API scores are also 
rising. I will continue to 
work closely with parents, 
teachers, and students to 
increase our graduation 
rate, narrow the achievement 
gap, and prepare all 
students for success.

I pledge to use your vote 
to continue to deliver responsible 
and accountable 
PUSD leadership.

www.tomselinske.com

GAYLAIRD CHRISTOPHER

AGE: 59

Occupation: 

School Building Architect

Pasadena, Sierra Madre 
and Altadena are exceptional 
communities, PUSD 
schools must reflect our 
communities.

I graduated from Rosemead 
High and studied 
architecture at Pasadena 
City College, going on to 
Cal Poly/San Luis Obispo. 
Following graduation, I 
discovered my passion for 
school design. Fortunate 
to work with many creative 
educators, we’ve built 
100+ schools. Sharing this 
expertise can help students 
have opportunities 
to learn, work hard, and 
succeed professionally. We 
raised three daughters all 
educated in public schools, 
graduating from California 
State Universities.

Why does Pasadena have 
one of the highest private 
schools attendance in 
California? Why do many 
schools post below-average 
API’s? Why is PUSD’s diversity 
“pocketed”? Bold 
action is necessary to keep 
schools open and transform 
them. Offering varied 
learning settings will 
attract students.

 Establish K-8 neighborhood 
schools.

 Offer quality career 
programs.

 Establish effective small 
high schools that encourage 
students to pursue a 
vocation.

 Establish District charters, 
multiplying learning 
pathways.

Build partnerships with 
Cal Tech, PCC, JPL and 
private/charter schools.

 Unite local resources; 
develop “future” strategic 
plan.

 Recruit and utilize 
mentors.

 Partnerships with 
non-profits.

As Board Member, I will 
evaluate every option investing 
our resources in 
quality education programs. 
Our students deserve 
the best, ultimately 
regarding everyone with 
productive citizens.

*Board Member Renatta 
Cooper is running 
for re-election to Seat 2 
unopposed.

SEAN BAGGETT

AGE: 39

Occupation: 

Teacher/School 
Administrator

I am the only credentialed 
teacher and certified school 
administrator in this election 
contest.

I have worked with K-12 
public school children for 
more than 10 years. I was 
voted Teacher Of The Year 
by my peers. I have taught 
Educational Leadership for 
the California State University 
system and have 
worked for Cal Tech and 
PCC.

I have successfully led the 
development of countywide 
educational standards 
and curriculum and Chair 
a committee for the Wester 
Association of School and 
Colleges.

Too many of our students 
are under performing. 
Eleven of our schools 
are under state supervision. 
Despite progress, the 
PUSD remains an under 
performing school district. 
Enrollment is dropping 
and schools are closing.

With your support, I will 
focus on:

 Better classroom management 
training for teachers 
focusing on discipline and 
maintaining an effective 
learning environment.

Holding principals accountable 
for the performance 
of their schools.

Better supervision and 
management of individual 
student progress.

Like most of you, I received 
an excellent public education 
at far lower funding 
levels then we have today.

Tight budgets are not a justification 
for failure.

Let’s stop using tough 
times as an excuse and get 
to work for our kids.

Please email me at 
sbaggettpusd2011@yahoo.
com.


IMPORTANT DATES

FEBRUARY 22nd LAST DAY TO REGISTER 
FOR MARCH 8th ELECTION

MARCH 1st LAST DAY TO REQUEST 
VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT

ELECTION DAY - MARCH 8th