Seats on the Marin Board of Education are up for grabs in the November election

Marin voters in Novato, Ross Valley and West Marin will elect their area representatives to the Marin County Board of Education in the Nov. 5 election.

The District Board is a seven-member board that serves as the appeals body for interdistrict transfer applications, student expulsions and charter school applications. The board also adopts an education plan and budget for the Marin County Board of Education, including setting the salary for the county superintendent.

The Marin County Board of Education and the Marin County Office of Education oversee approximately 30,000 K-12 public school students in 17 school districts.

Area 1

Two people are challenging incumbent Li DelPan in Area 1, which is part of Novato. They are Adam McGill, a former Novato city manager, and Barbara Clifton Zarate, a director of a community foundation.

DelPan, 69, a Novato resident, was elected to the board in November 2022 for a two-year term. As a commercial banking officer, vice president and portfolio manager at Bank of Marin, she has more than a decade of experience in banking and finance.

Originally from the Philippines, DelPan came to the U.S. to pursue her career and raise her daughter, largely without a support network, she said.

“My experience as a single mother raising my daughter in the United States with no relatives to rely on and navigating the child care, day care and school systems makes me a great confidant,” said she.

DelPan’s daughter graduated from private school, but DelPan believes her experiences as a school mom translate to the public sector.

“I am committed to improving the lives of children by supporting programs that instill values ​​in them so they can navigate the entire life cycle,” she said.

She said her two years on the board have increased her knowledge of the educational challenges facing Marin families. Areas she would focus on in another semester include student achievement gaps, early childhood education, literacy, and college and career readiness.

McGill, 51, lives in Novato. A former Novato police chief, he was appointed city manager in 2019. He resigned from his position as city manager at the end of last year.

In total, McGill has 32 years of experience in the public sector, including 15 as a senior executive, he said.

“I am the only candidate in my race with children in Novato schools,” said McGill, who has two children in high school and two in pre-kindergarten and transitional kindergarten.

“I want to represent the voice of parents, which seems to be lost to vocational school politicians and those who are not directly involved in the education system,” he said.

Additionally, McGill said he will focus on keeping schools safe.

“Safety is my top priority,” he said. “For all students, employees, visitors and teachers.”

McGill said he will “serve as the voice of parents with school-age children and represent those who have current parenting challenges.”

Zarate, 58, a Novato resident, is a consultant. She previously worked on equity issues in early childhood education for the Marin Community Foundation and the First 5 Marin Children and Families Commission.

At the commission, she said, “My work involved overseeing statewide community health and school readiness programs and providing a deep understanding of the educational needs of our youngest learners.”

“I am committed to promoting inclusive, equitable educational environments,” she said. “I care about the students, the families and the educators and want to use my experience and expertise to make our education system the best it can be.”

Zarate said she will work to “ensure that all students, regardless of their background, have access to quality educational opportunities and resources.”

She said she would also ensure that “educators and staff receive competitive salaries, professional development opportunities and adequate instructional resources.”

Area 4

In Area 4, which represents Ross Valley, part of Kentfield and part of San Rafael, two people are vying for the open seat being vacated by incumbent Fel Agrelius, who declined to seek re-election. They are Victoria Canby, educator and artist, and Nancy McCarthy, lawyer.

Canby, 46, lives in San Anselmo and is the parent of a middle school student. Canby himself previously attended schools in the Ross Valley School District and the Tamalpais Union High School District.

Canby is an education consultant with the Alliance for Felix Cove, a group that works to preserve the Coast Miwok Tribe’s lands and buildings at Point Reyes National Seashore. She also teaches Indigenous studies with various groups.

Overall, Canby has more than 25 years of experience in the education system, including in preschool, after-school and after-school classes such as art and gardening, and leading workshops on Indigenous studies and the civil rights movement.

Most recently, Canby served as executive director of the Museum of the American Indian, where she said she “worked with countless educational partners and developed curriculum and programs that served schools throughout the Bay Area.”

On the Education Committee, she said she would support a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion on school campuses where every child “feels celebrated.”

“By supporting DEI initiatives and programs, it will ultimately impact other concerns such as mental health and school safety,” Canby said.

McCarthy, a San Anselmo resident, said she has more than 20 years of experience on various public financial oversight boards involving more than $500 million in public bonds. These include bonds for the Tamalpais Union High School District, Edna Maguire Elementary School in Mill Valley and the College of Marin. She is vice chair of the university’s bond oversight committee.

“I am experienced and knowledgeable in critically reviewing and evaluating complex school financial records,” she said. “MCOE must ensure the solvency of all local school districts in Marin County.”

McCarthy said she also has experience in collective bargaining, appeal hearings and special education issues through her work with various clients.

McCarthy is also interested in supporting early childhood education, such as the new center at the Short School in San Rafael, which brings multiple early grades programs under one roof.

“Early offers are often the most critical,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy said she will also focus on school safety, anti-bullying programs and equal access for all students.

“I believe that education is our future and that it must be preserved, improved, financially viable and excellent and local,” she said. “All students should have high-quality educational opportunities.”

Area 7

Two people are running for the open Area 7 seat being vacated by Clairette Wilson, who declined to seek re-election. Area 7 includes coastal areas, Lagunitas, Nicasio and part of Novato. The candidates are Denise Bohman, a trustee in the Lagunitas School District, and Jill Sartori Manning, a trustee in the Shoreline Unified School District.

Bohman, 63, a Forest Knolls resident, has served on the Lagunitas School District board for about 25 years. She is a property manager for Two Valleys Community Land Trust, an affordable housing nonprofit in Nicasio and the San Geronimo Valley. Bohman has also served on statewide education committees and is familiar with the operations of various Marin school districts.

“My strengths are in equipment and budget monitoring,” Bohman said.

She said her work in affordable housing is an asset as Navy educators struggle with the lack of affordable housing for staff throughout the county. Marine educators survey ongoing projects in the Novato Unified School District and on state property near San Quentin.

“The retention of teachers and all staff depends on their families having local and affordable housing,” Bohman said.

Manning, 55, a Tomales resident, is an attorney and mediator. She has served on the Shoreline Unified School District board for 15 years.

She is a California native and long-time resident of West Marin. She attended Marin public schools from third through twelfth grade. She graduated from Tomales High School and then earned degrees from the University of California at Davis and the University of San Francisco School of Law.

“I will bring a unique understanding of West Marin, a proven track record of strong student advocacy, and strategic thinking, leadership and communication skills,” Manning said.

Manning said she will bring the qualities she fostered as a trustee to the county board.

“I have demonstrated my commitment to advancing student achievement, advocating for equity in education, promoting student well-being and always putting children first,” Manning said.

“My background and experience have trained me to articulate complex ideas in understandable ways, negotiate effectively, and use and analyze data to identify and solve problems,” she said.

Originally published: October 6, 2024 at 11:32 am