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malibusurfsidenews.com election 2018
Malibu surfside news | October 18, 2018 | 13
SMMUSD Board of Education (Five for four seats)
Name: Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein
*
Age: 49
Occupation: College
professor, Santa Monica
College
Elected Political Experience: Elected
to SMMUSD Board of Education
November 2014
Why are you running for a seat on
the SMMUSD Board of Education?
I chose to be an educator to participate
in a noble effort to end inequality
and inequity in our society. I am running
for reelection to the SMMUSD
BOE to continue that work and to further
the development and implementation
of education policies that expand
Project Based Learning, expand
offerings of second languages to our
middle and elementary schools, and
to facilitate the separation of SM-
MUSD into two high performing districts:
Malibu and Santa Monica. I am
an elected official who believes in,
and has demonstrated skills in, collaboration
and partnership in all areas
of governance.
What makes you the best candidate
for this position?
My work as a member of the Board
of Education over the past four years
has been effective. I was instrumental
in the creation of a new American
Cultures and Ethnic Studies graduation
requirement, the establishment
of district-wide social justice learning
standards, the expansion of Project
Based Learning opportunities and
the new PBL ninth-grade experience
set to begin in the fall of 2019. In addition,
the board’s re-imagining the
Malibu pathway, the many improvements
to our classrooms and schools,
and a commitment to fiscal responsibility
are all testaments of my effectiveness
as a member of the Board of
Education. I strive to be an example
of collaboration, innovation, professionalism
and a true champion for student
equity. My unique qualifications
and demonstrated leadership serve as
testaments for my re-election to the
Board of Education. I am an educator
who knows our communities, shares
their values, and understands that an
excellent education makes the world
of difference for our kids. That’s why
I have been endorsed by AMPS (Advocates
for Malibu Public Schools)
and CEPS (Community for Excellent
Public Schools). I work with all
stakeholders in our community to
ensure access and equity for all our
district’s school children.
What are the Top 3 issues you see
facing the district, and what would
you do to solve them? (300 words)
The Top 3 issues facing the district
in the immediate future are:
• Ensuring a smooth transition
(separation) of SMMUSD into two
separate, high-functioning school
districts where students in both
Malibu and Santa Monica thrive
and are well served. I will continue to
be an advocate for “separation” and I
will collaborate and partner with leaders
in Malibu and Santa Monica and
the County and the State of California
to see that students in both cities
continue to benefit from excellent academic
instruction.
• Evaluate all district programs
for effectiveness and make adjustments
where necessary so we can
achieve our aspirational goals. Our
board hired Dr. Ben Drati as superintendent
with this work in mind. Drati
will be leading the district through an
accreditation-like process where this
work will be accomplished.
• Developing and implementing
programs that engage students
and support a joy of learning. Our
district has taken the first steps to expand
Project Based Learning in our
district with a new high-school pilot
experience set to begin in the fall of
2019. This is very exciting. Additionally,
the school district is studying
ways in which we can expand second
language opportunities into middle
and elementary schools. We know
that student engagement leads to student
success and thus the closing of
the achievement gap. The achievement
gap is a national issue and we
here in Santa Monica and Malibu
have not escaped this challenge. The
work to improve student engagement
through Project Based Learning is
key to shrinking the gap.
* denotes incumbent candidate
Civic engagement
Webster Elementary School students join in water treatment facility event
Children from a second-grade class at Webster Elementary prepare to recite The Pledge of
Allegiance alongside of attendees and the Los Angeles County Fire Department Color Guard
at an Oct. 5 event held to celebrate the official opening of Malibu’s new Civic Center Water
Treatment Facility. Suzy Demeter/22nd Century Media
SMMUSD places teacher on leave
following comments on former student
Lauren Coughlin, Editor
A third-grade teacher within
the Santa Monica-Malibu
Unified School District was
placed on non-disciplinary
leave Thursday, Oct. 11, as the
district investigates if she has
broken any student privacy
laws or policies.
The teacher, Nikki Fiske, of
Franklin Elementary School
in Santa Monica, was featured
in a Hollywood Reporter article
in which she reflected
upon White House senior
policy adviser Stephen Miller
as a third-grade student. The
article, titled “Stephen Miller’s
Third-Grade Teacher: He
Was a ‘Loner’ and Ate Glue”
shares a first-person account
of teaching Miller, as told to
Benjamin Svetkey.
Gail Pinsker, Community
and Public Relations Officer
for SMMUSD, wrote in
a Friday, Oct. 12 email to
press that Fiske has been put
on “home assignment, which
is non-disciplinary in nature
to allow [the district] time to
thoughtfully review the matter.”
“She will be on home assignment
as we conduct this
review and we do not have an
idea of when it will be complete
at this time,” Pinsker
wrote.
Fiske has been a Franklin
teacher since September 1988.