Will It Be an Incumbent Sweep? - The Spectrum Magazine

Parent Challenges Incumbents in Redwood City School District Race
It’s hard to not look at the issues facing Redwood
City schools without considering the financial struggles
as the district’s budget has been cut about 20
percent in recent years, according to candidates
running for three positions on the school board.
Parent Lea Cuniberti-Duran and incumbents
Alisa MacAvoy, Shelly Masur and Dennis
McBride are running for three four-year seats
on the Redwood City School District board of
trustees. While financial limitations were central
to most topics, candidates also saw opportunities
through partnership and implementing programs
that are successful elsewhere.
Many of the district’s issues are tied to limited
funds. While losing about 20 percent of its
overall budget, the district has also experienced
an increase in students, which allows for less
per-pupil spending. As a result, class sizes
have increased to around 30 for all grades and
programs have been lost. All four saw funding as
one of the biggest issues facing the district.
“I’m proud of what we’ve done but without
funding, it’s hard,” said MacAvoy.
The district has a committee looking at the
possibility of a parcel tax — an option that
would provide money for programs but that the
community has previously failed to support.
All four candidates liked the idea of the local
funding. McBride pointed out, however, the most
recent polls showed support for a $61 annual tax
that would generate about $1.5 million annually.
While that’s helpful, he said, it won’t solve the
financial problems.
Community Interest (Continued from previous page)
and towns determined to prioritize play and
ensure that children are healthy by providing the
time and space for play. This year, KaBOOM!
designated 151 cities across the country,
including Redwood City, as Playful City USA
communities, for each city’s efforts to increase
play opportunities for children.
Redwood City was recognized by KaBOOM!
for its devotion to children’s athletics and
recreation, and the provision of opportunities
for play, as well as for making a commitment to
play and physical activity toward increasing the
quantity and quality of play in our community.
All of the 2011 award-winning Playful City
USA communities serve as role models for other
communities and prove that enhancing children’s
well-being by increasing the opportunity for play
is an attainable goal for every community, even in
difficult budget times.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics,
play is important to healthy brain development
and allows children to use their creativity while
developing their imagination, dexterity and physical,
cognitive and emotional strength. Today’s children
spend less time playing outside than any previous
generations in part because only 20 percent live
within walking distance of a park or playground.
This play deficit is having profound consequences
for kids physically as well as mentally and socially
because children need a place to play every day in
order to be active and healthy.
www.SpectrumMagazine.net
Cuniberti-Duran wanted to take a more in-depth
look at the salary and benefit packages of district
employees as a way to find cost savings. She
recognized this wouldn’t be a popular option, but
also felt cuts have been focused on the classroom
previously while employee costs are a large part
of the budget.
Masur said a bond measure could offer relief
if it was used to free up general fund money.
Solar panels, for example, would cut down on
electricity costs, while updating technology could
make differentiating instruction within the large
classrooms easier, she said.
Partnerships and the search for grant funding
have also been key in providing services lately.
As many districts are in need of outside financial
support, grants are harder to come by.
Academic achievement is also a challenge,
with Redwood City students who have a variety
of challenges, including coming from poverty or
not knowing English. Making changes despite the
strict budget is necessary.
Cuniberti-Duran wants that to come from
diversifying learning opportunities, which, she argued,
should help teachers manage the larger class sizes.
Masur and MacAvoy want to expand measures
of “success.” Taking a test is one way to measure
a student’s understanding and abilities, but those
tests are often focused on only English and math.
Being successful requires understanding of other
skills and topics, both argued.
Programs from other districts could offer
affordable solutions. Incumbents noted district
A key platform in combating the play deficit is
Playful City USA, a national program advocating
for local policies that increase play opportunities
for children. KaBOOM! created Playful City USA
in 2007 to help local governments address the
play deficit by ensuring their children have the
time and space they need to play. Redwood City
was selected in 2010 and 2011 for its outstanding
dedication to play and its efforts to provide safe
and enriching places for kids to play by creating
joint-use agreements with local schools. The city
is able to offer after-school programming and
increase access to other recreational facilities.
More information about KaBOOM! is available at
www.kaboom.org/playfulcityusa.
Port of Redwood City Commission
Elects Officers
At its Aug. 24 meeting, the Port of Redwood
City Commission elected its officers for the next
year: Chairman Dick Claire, Vice Chairman
Dick Dodge and Secretary Tom Cronin. Claire,
appointed to the Port Commission in 2007, succeeds
Ralph Garcia as chairman.
Claire had served 21 years on the City Council
of Redwood City, including four as mayor, and
seven years on the Redwood City Planning
Commission. His other community activities
representatives constantly visiting other programs.
One that stood out in McBride’s mind used
community volunteers to help in the classrooms.
Children with reading difficulties, for example,
could work in a small group with a volunteer. This
gives the children more individual attention while
helping the teacher with the class size, he said.
For Cuniberti-Duran, safety was an issue that
could help with success. She pointed to a spring
field trip on which students sexually assaulted two
girls. Also, discipline problems create disruptions,
which takes away from a student’s ability to learn.
She wanted to see positive behavior intervention
and support programs expanded throughout the district.
The incumbents agreed safety should be a priority.
When it comes to bullying, Masur was interested
in using a program from the San Mateo–Foster
City School District that works collaboratively
with students in a two-pronged approach handled
by the action and solutions teams. The action team
identifies the issues while the solution team deals
with the individual cases of bullying. Teachers
facilitate groups of students on both sides to work
together and generate constructive criticism. Parents
are involved along the way. And each student has a say in
the process, she said. She liked the collaborative
nature and changes that students made as a result.
Editor’s note: This article, written by Heather Murtagh,
appeared first in the Daily Journal newspaper.
have included formerly being a board member of
the local Little League, Sequoia YMCA and Big
Sisters, as well as former chair of the Housing and
Human Concerns Committee and chair of the San
Mateo County Council of Mayors.
Claire is a financial and accounting professor
emeritus at Cañada College in Redwood City,
where he taught for 35 years. He holds an M.B.A.
in finance from University of Santa Clara and a B.A.
in accounting from San Francisco State. He has
served as corporate controller or other financial
management positions for several companies,
including Raychem and National Semiconductor.
Dodge, who originally was appointed in
1980 and reappointed six times since, is one of
the longest-serving current consecutive port
commissioners in the United States. Dodge has
owned and operated the Office City since 1976,
turning it into one of the largest independent
office products dealers in Northern California.
Prior to that, he was in a management position
with Airborne Express for 12 years. He has a B.S.
in business administration from USC.
Dodge has been involved in numerous maritime
organizations, including as past president and
current first vice president of the Association of
Pacific Ports. He has been called upon to make
numerous presentations before the American
Association of Port Authorities (AAPA).
Cronin was named to the commission two
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