Announcing Early Endorsers!
Wow this campaign is off with a running start, thanks to the early support of many organizations, electeds, and individuals including:
Organizations:
Contra Costa Building & Construction Trades Council
Elected Officials:
- Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer Kahan
- County Board of Supervisors, Karen Mitchoff
- Mayor of Walnut Creek, Matt Francois
- Walnut Creek City Councilmember, Kevin Wilk
- Walnut Creek City Councilmember, Cindy Darling
- Mayor of Clayton, Peter Cloven
- Vice Mayor of Clayton, Holly Tillman
- Concord City Councilmember, Carlyn Obringer
- Pleasant Hill City Councilmember, Matt Rinn
- Contra Costa Community College Board member, Rebecca Barrett
- Martinez Unified School District Board member, Courtney Masella O'Brien
- Martinez Unified School District Board member, Anne Horack Martin
Check out the full list and add your name at cherisekhaund.com/endorsements
You're invited to my 2022 kickoff
You're invited to our first event of the 2022 campaign! I hope to see you there, and feel free to forward this or share my social media to invite your friends too.
Busy? That's ok, here are more ways you can help:
I look forward to seeing you soon!
I'm Running for Re-Election
#BREAKINGNEWS - I’m excited to announce that this week I pulled papers to run for re-election to our Mt Diablo Unified School District Board!
This time the election is by Trustee Area, and I’m here in Trustee Area 4 —which includes the cities of Walnut Creek, Clayton, and part of Concord.
I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish so far in my first term:
- Increased student voice through creation of the official student school board position and championing student leadership opportunities
- Opened schools safely during a global pandemic, following county health guidance
- Upgraded technology with 1:1 chromebooks for every student grades 2-12
- Adopted needed Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) curriculum
- Improved district finances from qualified to a positive certified budget, and refinanced bonds to save taxpayers millions
- Secured raises for all teachers & staff, via contracts with every employee group
- Improved communication in all languages, email & text via ParentSquare, Superintendent Friday letter, and weekly Organization Updates
- Passed board policy to enable students to take a sick day for mental health
- Authored the district’s first PRIDE Board Resolution, flying the rainbow flag to raise awareness and inclusivity. Championed the first ever districtwide PRIDE prom.
And yet there is still much to do.
I look forward to the progress we can make together in the next four years, especially to:
- Prepare every student for success in a global economy
- Listen to parents, teachers & staff from every community
- Invest every dollar wisely & clearly for student success
- Adopt updated curriculum in areas such as history & math
- Ensure safety in and around our schools
Join us! Please click to Join on my website https://www.cherisekhaund.com/join
(p.s. If you previously joined my email list with a school district email address for my board member updates, you will need to re-join now with a private email address in order to receive any campaign messages. Any district email addresses will be removed.)
Northgate petition was denied by State Board of Education
Last Wednesday I presented with a team on behalf of our district to the CA State Board of Education, sharing detailed data as to why they should reject the petition to create a new Northgate school district.
After presentations and public comment, the ten State Board of Education members voted unanimously to reject the petition.
A huge thank you to my fellow team presenters which included expert legal & data team David Soldani and Shin Green, as well as Meg Honey, who volunteered so much of her busy summertime to bring her teacher/parent perspective and expertise on nationwide trends of segregation to the table. This was all well supported by Superintendent Clark, his cabinet, and especially his assistant Laura Juranek, PIO Theresa Herrington and district IT team Eric Stephens & Mario Hernandez.
And thank you to each of YOU - parents, teachers, community members, staff, elected officials - who wrote or called in to the State Board!
One of the board members even described public comment as "thunderous". One hundred percent of the public comment calls were in opposition to the petition.
Details are posted at mdusd.org/northgatepetitionupdate, and a recording of the July 13th State Board meeting will be posted at the Board archived meeting page.
Settling this issue means that we can now unite in working TOGETHER for excellent education for all.
There are so many ways for everyone to get involved, and all of your perspectives are important:
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Visit this district page to see how to volunteer in a classroom or join a district parent or student advisory committee,
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ask your principal how to join your school site council,
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join your school parent group - PTA, PFC or PFA, or
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volunteer for the community led nonprofit Mt. Diablo Education Foundation.
I started my involvement as a kindergarten room parent, and from there volunteered in different ways each year - from organizing the school science fair or bike to school day, to coordinating with my city for safer routes to school. I've been a PFC president and PTSA member, so I love to share tips between parent groups.
What are your ideas? I'd love to hear them. Please reach out to me directly or attend one of my coffee meetups.
Together we can build even stronger public schools & communities for everyone.