Why are you running?
As a 20-year resident of San Marino, I am running for the School Board because I care about San Marino and am passionate about the education & safety of our children.
My immediate goal as a School Board member would be to ensure a safe and well-thought out plan for San Marino schools to reopen per county and state guidelines. This should be our #1 priority. As a healthcare professional, I am keenly aware of the importance of following the recommendations of health experts in planning our school reopening. However, as a parent of a SMHS school student, I also understand the desire of families to have children back in a physical setting for optimal learning and mental well-being. Our community has had other challenges before, and we have always prevailed. We will overcome this pandemic challenge as well.
San Marino is known for its splendid homes and stellar schools. One of my long-term visions is to create a Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering (STEM) focused curriculum/pathway to prepare our students for the innovations of tomorrow. We already have exceptional programs such as the Dual Track with Pasadena City College and the STEM Research with Caltech. We can build on the success of these initiatives to create a comprehensive STEM Education Center for our students.
My children have been attending SMUSD schools for close to 15 years, and I understand the financial picture of our district through my volunteer experiences. The district is facing a fiscal crunch as a result of the state budget deficit, decreasing student enrollment, increasing health safety expenditures, and campus security requirements. There is no single solution that can fix the district’s uncertain finances. This issue can only be improved by carefully and assiduously examining our budget and spending. I believe we need to look at the district expenditures in a transparent and reasonable manner to ensure that each dollar is spent wisely.
Controlled spending is only one side of a balanced ledger and increased revenue is the other side. In a bold new proposal to increase school revenue and to enhance community engagement, I would like to suggest the creation of the San Marino Schools Store. Working with the district and perhaps other parent organizations, this non-profit store can offer school supplies & apparel for students coming back to school and also for needs throughout the year. It is possible that the store eventually carry merchandise for Titan Sports, Marching Bands, Choir, Robotic teams, and other student-supported groups. It can truly be a place where the community gathers to support the students.
As a long-time community and school volunteer, I understand the issues facing our district. My training as a pharmacist will help the district to have a safe and healthy environment for our children. I will work to continue our premier academic standing in the state. Another priority will be a balanced district budget. With these in mind, I sincerely ask for your vote and hope you will elect me as a Member of the next San Marino School Board of Education.