Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 19, 2011

9

SPECIAL PUSD ELECTION SUPPLEMENT

 Mountain Views News Saturday, February 19, 2011 

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 STATEMENTS*

Pasadena Unified School District 

Board of Education Elections - March 8, 2011

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

CANDIDATES INTERVIEWS

Pasadena Unified School District 4 

Interviews conducted 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

GENE STEVENSON, Seat 4

His credentials show experience 
as a community leader for various 
events and organizations. It is this 
leadership ability that he hopes to 
bring to the board. In his interview, he 
discusses that through opportunities 
one can reach their potential, how 
the teachings in Louisiana prepared 
him for the real world, and how the 
use of technology can transform an 
organization.

MVN: A student is experiencing 
a life changing decision. He is 
considering whether to drop out of 
school or to stay in school. What 
would you say to him to keep him in 
the PUSD system?

Stevenson: I would say to him what 
people have said to me. We believe in 
you. We know you can do it. And we 
want you to get an education. That’s 
what I would say to him. And then I 
would try to connect him with some 
people involved in the school system, whether it would be directly with the district itself or 
organizations such as NYPD at Muir, a mentoring program for young male students. The 
idea is to connect them with men in the community who would serve as role models and 
connect with their parents so that the parents can stay involved with the child, and expose 
them to opportunity for supporting like tutoring, and opportunities for exposure to services 
that person might not be aware of or even had the opportunity tho broaden their horizons. 
With that understanding, it would attract their interest in them wanting to stay in school 
and get an education. 

 We were very poor. You hang around with a lot of kids whose circumstances are a 
little better than your own. And so you want the things that they have or their families have. 
But, at those times you can’t always see your way clear. It was only when I came to California 
and had a chance to attend LACC at $6.50 that my eyes opened up to other opportunities. I 
couldn’t see my way clear in high school. So, I’ve always appreciated that opportunity. In 
the South, we were sort of lead to believe that we were not as good as others. Even though 
there were several high schools, we were not allowed to go to them. My parents were very 
hard on us in teaching us to deal with the society out there which was not for us And to have 
confidence in our selves. And the teachers were hard on us in teaching us the basics. We 
have strong educational program. We all had to take three years of vocational classes so that 
when we came out if we didn’t go to college, we have three shots of being able to go to land 
a job after we left high school.

MVN: How would you build confidence in the schools?

Stevenson: One thing we need to do is have more representation on the board for both 
African-Americans and Latinos. We also need to have more representation for Altadena, 
so I’d like to help influence the board in setting policy and setting direction, and be able to 
monitor that policy, and allow the administration to do its job and the superintendent to do 
his job, and assist the board to be more cohesive. Right now, the board is kind of fractured 
to a large extent I’d like to influence the board to becoming more focused as to what its job 
is to be, and not allow the public to focus on how fractured it is because that will help to 
build public confidence in the board and public confidence in the district. So that would 
help as far as bringing more people back in line in belief that the district can provide quality 
education. The other thing is getting more male mentors involved in providing assistance 
to young males. We have several agencies working over here and there. Let’s bring them 
together into some type of coalition agreement, so that there can be a uniform discussion 
of issues of working together as a coalition to develop solutions, yet maintaining their own 
identity. 

This school district is surrounded by a big private system and parochial schools here, so it has 
a lot of competition. And for it to survive, it’s going to have to focus on how do we make this 
district a district of choice for parents. We’re going to have to look at technology to expand 
the district capacity. Maybe we need virtual classrooms as an option, or consider how do we 
really take advantage of the resources that Pasadena has (JPL, Huntington Library) that no 
other City has in such a concentrated area. 

MVN: What factors contribute to the Board being fractured?

Stevenson: Part of it are the times that we are living in. These are very difficult times. 
Everyone has their own point of view as to what’s the best way of handling it. I think that’s 
a part of the issue and the stress of the times that they create. It’s also the constituents that 
each board member believes they have to respond to. But, we only have one constituent and 
that’s the total. When you focus on the total, you’re taking care of the individual constituents.

MVN: When you start a business, you have enough capital to fund that business. You 
define the market that you want to be dominant in and you don’t concentrate on just the 
individual units sold. But schools aren’t able to do so. Is that why funding for schools has 
been a problem?

Stevenson: The school districts are always going to be faced with the problem of debt. That’s 
just genuine to how school districts operate throughout the country. They operate on the 
margin. Under the margin, what are the ways that would help us be more solvent than we 
generally are. One way is through virtual classrooms. Through the use of technology, the 
kids today are probably fully advanced than the people who are teaching them. 

MVN: What has been your most difficult challenge?

Stevenson: One of them has been walking into the 8th largest health care agency in the 
United States and being asked by the director of that agency to reorganize this agency. The 
Miami Dade Public Health is successfully operating today with a model that I put in place 
for them. 

MVN: What did you think of that experience?

Stevenson: It was the most gratifying because I could see what it was before. I was down 
there two years ago. And I see what it is now. And, I say to myself, I had a hand in making 
that happen.


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