| | Published October 23rd, 2024
| Candidates for the Acalanes Union High School District Board
| | | By Elaine Borden Chandler |  | | |
For the Nov. 5 election, five candidates are running for two seats on the Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD) Board. These candidates are Sibyl Minighini, Wendy Reicher, Paul Chopra, Peter Catalano, and Stacey Schweppe. Andrew Fontan is listed on the ballot but has informed Lamorinda Weekly that he has dropped out of the election due to a personal matter.
Sibyl Minighini is a school psychologist and financial literacy coach. She feels that her experience combined with her passion for exceptional education and a safe learning environment for all students allows her to provide the knowledge and expertise to understand students', families', and teachers' needs and how to lead students to academic success.
Minighini is interested in helping students negotiate pressures and bullying. Her other goals are improving academic achievement for students from all backgrounds, supporting and retaining teachers, budgeting responsibly, engaging with the community, and increasing special needs support and school safety.
Wendy Reicher serves on the AUHSD Board and is the mother of two Campolindo graduates and one current student. She previously worked as a college and career advisor in AUHSD and currently works as a college coach to high school students. She feels this gives her in-depth experience to make sure students and staff feel valued and can succeed.
Reicher intends to continue her work closing opportunity and achievement gaps in diverse students, adding diversity to staff, and encouraging parent participation. Her other goals are enhancing school culture, fiscal planning, and developing broad curricula that speak to the current world.
Paul Chopra feels that his years as an accountant, on the Lafayette Partners in Education Board, and on the Lafayette School District Budget Advisory Committee provide him with the necessary skills and insight to help AUHSD maintain fiscal responsibility. He states that he is the only candidate who will have children as students in AUHSD for the entire term. Chopra also feels that his personal experience as an Indian American allows him to ensure that AUHSD supports diversity and creates a sense of belonging and support for all students. In addition to fiscal responsibility and a safe and inclusive environment, he prioritizes high academic standards.
Peter Catalano has been a substitute teacher for five years, worked on a school board, and worked on several condo boards. He thinks that these experiences make him familiar with how schools and budgets function, capital spending plans, and governing documents. He wants to work collaboratively with others and draft solutions to make AUHSD even better.
Catalano's goals are academic excellence and practical skills, streamlining finances and fostering fiscal responsibility, resisting the infantilization of students and encouraging responsibility in them, and prioritizing social learning. He is also interested in reducing bureaucracy and looking into how AI can help learning.
Stacey Schweppe wants to enact positive change, especially by creating policies to support students and teachers. She is an executive board member for the Las Trampas Creek Council of PTAs and a member of the AUHSD's Citizens Oversight Committee for the parcel tax Measures A and G. Her two children are Las Lomas graduates and she is a Campo graduate.
Schweppe particularly emphasized all students and teachers feeling welcomed and supported at school as a main goal. Her other goals include providing students with mental health services, bridging achievement gaps, raising AUHSD's academic standards even higher, advocating for students, staff, and parents, and providing understanding of AUHSD's budget challenges.
These candidates have given Lamorinda Weekly responses to written questions about their plans if they become an AUHSD Board member.
Book banning and religion: All candidates definitively stated that schools should not ban books except Reicher who said that students "deserve the opportunity to have a wide variety of literature available to them." All candidates agree that schools should remain secular, non-religious institutions but should teach about religion in history, politics, and culture except Reicher, who did not respond to the question.
Finances: Schweppe wants to take "a balanced and conservative approach" to maintain educational excellence using her familiarity of AUHSD's budget. Minighini wants to maintain fiscal responsibility and identify areas for improvement in budget allocation to maximize student success. Reicher says that, through her knowledge of AUHSD's budget, she will strategically analyze and manage the schools' budgets. Chopra wants to be a diligent custodian to AUHSD's public resources and create a financially effective and sustainable future. Catalano wants to streamline the budget to deal with the deficit.
Teacher treatment, support, and pay: Catalano is interested in collaborating with the teacher's union to provide non-monetary initiatives to make AUHSD a more inviting employer. Schweppe believes in committing to providing ongoing professional development, equity training, and inclusive environments to maintain teachers during California's teacher shortage. Minighini intends to advocate for competitive salaries, ongoing professional development, adequate resources, and a respectful environment to retain teachers. Reicher states she has worked with the unions and supported mentorship, collaborative time, continuing education, competitive pay and benefits for AUHSD teachers. Chopra wants to provide teachers with professional development and adequate support to attract and retain them at AUHSD.
Supporting high needs, vulnerable, and non-traditional students: Chopra is focused on making sure all students feel they belong and using data to address opportunity gaps. Catalano would defer to the District as it is progressive on these matters. Schweppe says AUHSD should continue addressing the achievement gap for students with disabilities, English language learners, and economically disadvantaged students. Minighini advocates for all students to receive the necessary support and resources, including individualized education programs and specialized staff when necessary. Reicher says the Board and District are partners in supporting their most vulnerable students through equity programming, wellness intervention, and Acalanes Center for Independent Study opportunities.
Mental health: Reicher states that she has fought to destigmatize mental health and to provide collaborative intervention with counselors at schools. Chopra wants student mental health to remain central to the Board and to use data to identify and address opportunity gaps. Catalano would defer to school administrations as he feels that they are progressive on student mental health. Schweppe thinks effective policies are key to reducing stress, such as later start times to provide time for sleep and regulating homework. Minighini would work to increase access to school counselors, start prevention and intervention programs, and foster a supportive school climate.
LGBTQIA+ issues: Minighini supports an inclusive environment and Title IX, and states she believes in protecting female spaces while respecting LGBTQIA+ students. Reicher states the District supports LGBTQIA+ students through an inclusive environment in all areas and strives to reduce achievement gaps. Chopra states all students should feel respected and data should be used to address opportunity gaps and give access to resources. Catalano is an LGBTQIA+ ally and a member of the Gay Rights Alliance and would, once again, defer to progressive school administrations. Schweppe states that she supports curricula reflecting the diversity of the world and "the implementation of thorough policies to evaluate the texts used in classrooms."
Assembly Bill 3216, aka the Phone-Free School Act: Schweppe feels that prohibiting cell phones in classrooms is necessary due to the mental health problems they cause. Minighini says she understands the intent but would work to develop a balanced approach that doesn't hinder educational opportunities or communication. Reicher states that she has advocated for reduced classroom technology and that placing cell phones in caddies has had measurable positive impacts. Chopra states that AUHSD must follow the law while developing a policy that manages technology with everyone involved to assess potential impacts.
For more on Stacey Schweppe, visit https://www.schweppe4auhsd.com.
For more on Peter Catalano, visit https://petercatalano.site
For more on Paul Chopra, visit https://www.paulchopra.org
For more on Wendy Reicher, visit https://www.wendyreicher.com
For more on Sibyl Minighini, visit https://electsibyl.com |
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA