It’s that time of year. The leaves are turning, the temperatures are cooling, and no matter what, you can’t avoid the election news. Everyone knows about the national elections and even the state elections, but the races that often get swept under the rug are those closest to us: our local elections.
This year, those in the LVUSD area will be able to cast their ballot to elect or reelect members of the board of education: the body that votes and decides on various district-wide policies and projects. In a sense, the local school board elections have the greatest direct effect on individuals in the school district.
This cycle, two seats on the board are available: incumbent Kate Vadhera passed away in 2022, leaving an open seat, and incumbent Linda Menges is up for reelection. Menges is challenged by Lesli Kraut and Alan Lazar.
We asked all three candidates the same two questions on their positions, and all three replied. Their responses are copied verbatim and in their entirety. The responses are ordered alphabetically.
Why are you running for school board?
Kraut: One of the reasons I’m running is that I see a need for better communication between LVUSD and the cities. I’m committed to an open dialog with the community before making major decisions like fencing our schools and ending our joint use agreements. I’m uniquely qualified to bridge the gap between our schools, students, parents, and community. Serving in the school district for 15 years as a PFC President, Treasurer, measure oversight committee member and founder of a non-profit to represent the parent’s voice in California has equipped me with the insight and passion necessary to continue my work with LVUSD as a Board member. I will work with our cities to build and maintain support for school programs including PFC/PFA grants, crossing guards, and counselors. As a Parent Faculty Club President, I spent years as the liaison between parents and LVUSD. Representing both Lupin Hill and Agoura High School I developed close relationships with teachers, Principals, and staff. I learned to look at issues through many lenses. I wrestled with continually increasing PFC budgets and the never-ending requests for donations from our parents. I tackled issues like resources for music, art and science at Lupin and college counselors, Career Technical Education and PSAT’s at Agoura. My approach is to be open-minded, thoughtful, and someone who is willing to listen to students, teachers, administrators, and parents. I have the network and communication skills to foster an open dialog with the district, the cities, the parents and the students of LVUSD.
Lazar: We moved to the area almost nine years ago for the excellent schools. Early on, I got involved in our local elementary school, and have been chairing its School Site Council for seven years. I’ve also been a room dad, and sit on the Measure S Oversight Committee and LCAP Committee for the district. With daughters in 4th and 8th grade, we’ll be part of the district for many years to come. We know so many other LVUSD families, the center of our social life these days. I truly enjoy being involved and giving back to our community, working to improve our schools in any way I can. I also believe more current parents are needed on our school board. It’s a very different world to ten years ago. We all lived through the pandemic, which was so tough on kids and parents, and to some extent we are still feeling the consequences. More than ever, our generation wants a strong, well-rounded education for our kids as they enter a challenging world. Our current generation has grown up on devices, and we need to carefully monitor their effects. As developments like AI move ahead, their effects on our students’ lives will be profound. Safety remains a constant concern for our generation. It’s important the perspective of current LVUSD parents is heard on our board for all of these developments. Beyond this, I strongly believe pragmatic, sensible people are needed in our local governments, with the national situation so divided.
Menges: I am excited about my campaign for re-election to the Las Virgenes School Board. I want our district to remain a top performing destination district that continues to innovate by offering relevant courses in a secure and safe environment. As the only incumbent running, my experience and depth of knowledge of educational issues make me highly qualified to continue serving our community. I have always championed offering a wide variety of options and opportunities to meet the diverse needs and interests of our students. I am excited about the new courses and pathways for students. I will continue to advocate for more new courses that interest our students. I am proud of the diverse offerings such IB, AP Capstone, Sports medicine, as well as the other award-winning programs we offer. There is something for every one of our students.
LVUSD continues to be a destination district for its rigorous academics, a wide variety of innovative programs and courses, championship athletics, and award-winning music and arts programs. During these challenging economic times, my priority is to keep budget cuts away from the classroom so as not to increase class size while supporting innovative programs that help our students to grow into the next generation of leaders. It has truly been an honor and privilege to serve on the school board, and I am committed to building on the progress we have made.
What are the top three things that you would like to change as a school board member?
Kraut:
- Communication and transparency. At the crux of a well-run and continually evolving community is communication and transparency. They are key to creating cohesive and lasting growth. Ineffective communication can lead to in-fighting and rumors. One of my goals as a Board member would be to institute communication policies that include the ability for parents and students to view on-line live Board meetings and other public forums.
- Smart Phones and Social Media. We must find a way to use technology in the classroom and be able to connect with students during a crisis while being mindful of how these technologies affect our children daily. Recognizing the crisis created by smart phones and social media, such as addictive behaviors, aggression, depression, and self-hatred, my priority will be to seek out thoughtful, evidence-based solutions. It’s imperative that we all agree to a plan and follow through with it, making sure to discuss all changes with teachers, parents and students before they are implemented.
- Partnership with our cities and LVUSD. I believe that the strength of LVUSD is closely tied to the relationships we have fostered with our cities. I would like to see those relationships continue to grow. The district does not exist in a bubble. It lives within the borders of Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Agoura Hills and Westlake Village. Decisions made at the School District affect the cities and decisions made within the cities affect the School District. We need to continue to have an open dialogue to enable thoughtful discussions that culminate in the best outcome for our students.
Lazar:
- As public schools, we often grapple with high student-teacher ratios. With state rules, and budget challenges, keeping these ratios at a reasonable level will always be difficult, but it will be one of my top priorities when I’m elected. Every student should have reasonable attention from and access to their teachers. Focusing on additional tutoring schemes and finding ways to hire more instructional aides is another way we can help each student get more personalized attention, leading to greater academic success. Teachers are the lifeblood of our district, and supporting them, and giving them the best possible resources to give a great education to our students is vital.
- Schools can be challenging places for many students. I will do all I can to make sure our schools encourage kindness, respect for all, and community building. There’s no place for any sort of hate or bullying on our campuses. Supporting our students through more social events, getting kids off their phones, and communicating with each other, building strong friendships and community bonds, is very important to me. Safety should always be paramount for our students.
- Often public schools focus on just the core subjects – ELA and Math. Of course these are vital, but I will always pay extra attention to additional programs around STEM Education, Music, Art and Athletics/Sports. The more options our students have, the more well-rounded individuals they will be, and the more they can realize their true potential and path.
Menges:
- Safety and security/Mental Health. Enhance security measures and increase student mental health support. We must continue to provide a safe environment and comprehensive support for our students’ well-being.
- Expand Options and opportunities for all students. Reviewing and innovating programs to ensure existing programs meet the needs of all students and introduce new classes that align with students’ interests.
- Technology. In today’s fast paced world, it is crucial that students learn to use AI responsibly and that teachers receive professional development to guide them. We must also address the impact of social media and cell phone use on students’ mental health and learning. I believe cell phones (and that includes wearables) should be turned off and put away during teacher instruction time. I do not believe cell phones should be banned from campus. There should be teacher discretion if they want to use cell phones as part of their instructional time.
All three candidates attended a forum at A.C. Stelle Middle School’s multipurpose room on September 19th. The forum is available to view online now at https://www.greatermulwood.org/lvusdshoolboardforum. Election day is November 5th this year. For those 18-years-old and above, you can register to vote at registertovote.ca.gov/?t=s and stay informed.
