??TTwo people will be taking their places for a new term on the Acalanes Union High School District board this fall. One face needing no introduction after many years on the board is Kathy Coppersmith, the incumbent running unopposed.
 The other unopposed candidate is Craig Cheslog, who may be the new face on the board, but is no stranger to education-related issues.
Living in Lafayette with his wife and two sons who attend Stanely Middle School and Acalanes High School, he currently serves as vice president for California Policy and Advocacy at Common Sense Kids Action, the advocacy arm of Common Sense Media. In this role, Cheslog helps fight for children’s rights, takes action to improve education policy, and provides parents with the resources they need to enrich their kids’ lives.
From 2011 to 2015, Cheslog served as principal advisor to State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. In that role, he served as the department’s liaison to external stakeholders and organizations. He coordinated major initiatives to revitalize science, technology, engineering, art, music, civics and math in school. Cheslog also managed the state’s awards programs that recognize schools, teachers and staff from around California.
Cheslog says that he believes his time working for the Department of Education and Common Sense Kids Action has “provided me with a rare perspective on our schools and the transformations that have taken place in our state’s education system over the past five years. I look forward to channeling this experience to better serve my community on the Acalanes Union High School District Governing Board.”
He says the biggest issue facing our schools and our students right now is the need to ensure every child receives the high-quality education they deserve while providing them with the strong support they need to navigate the stresses they face every day as teenagers.
He recognizes the need to work hard to keep the district financially sustainable by working with board members, community leaders and statewide advocates to ensure funding for schools to adequately meet students’ 21st-century needs.
“We must ensure that the AUHSD successfully implements the state’s new academic standards, the district’s newly adopted graduation requirements and our schools’ new block schedule in ways that serve the best interests of all students,” Cheslog says.
Regarding these issues he points out that the Mental Health Task Force is reporting to the board but says that there is more work to be done. He plans to listen closely and work with his fellow board members, students, parents, teachers, administrators and community leaders to discuss how these issues impact schools and students.
“I also want to work with the leaders of each of the elementary districts that send their students to our high schools to ensure we do everything possible to help our students succeed in school and in life,” he says. |
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA