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Uploaded: Monday, October 22, 2012, 3:03 PM
Who's who in the school board race?
Three vie for two seats on SRVUSD board
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by Glenn Wohltmann
Photo
 | Three people are in the running for two seats on the San Ramon Valley school board up for election on Nov. 6.
In addition to incumbent and Board President Greg Marvel, two Danville residents have entered the race. Incumbent Paul Gardner, who's been on the board since 2000, has not filed paperwork to run for another term.
Mark Jewett attended San Ramon Valley schools from kindergarten at Rancho Romero to high school at San Ramon Valley. With young children are now in the district, Jewett said he has a vested interest in the continued success of local schools.
Jewett's background is in finance and accounting and he holds a bachelor's degree in quantitative economics and decision sciences, as well as two masters degrees in accounting and business taxation. He spent 19 years in the finance profession, advising private and public companies in all accounting and tax-related matters, and served on the Measure C Parcel Tax Oversight Committee for three years.
As one of the finance leads on the Committee, Jewett was responsible for building the quantitative model that is serving as the basis of our review of the district's entire unrestricted general fund sources and uses of cash, ultimately leading to our conclusions regarding the appropriateness of general fund expenditures, and more specifically, expenditures related to the Measure C tax revenues.
Through his work on the Committee, Jewett said he has gained a deep understanding of the complexities, and uncertainties, of public school finance. As a result, one of his main areas of focus while serving on the Board of Education will be to provide plain language explanations of complex funding issues in order to improve the levels of financial transparency, building trust among all key stakeholders of SRVUSD.
Greg Marvel was first elected to the Board of Education in 2000 on a reform platform. Although a good district, San Ramon Valley Unified could become a great district, Greg felt.
Marvel noted several core problems: Facilities were aging while the district was growing rapidly and needed new schools. Student test scores were below many neighboring districts and the SRVUSD's finances and reserves were weak.
During the ensuing years, Marvel helped lead the effort to renovate many older schools and build nine new ones. SRVUSD is now one of the best performing school districts in California and has remained fiscally solvent during the recession. Marvel wants a fourth term, with the primary goal of moving the San Ramon Valley to being one of the best school districts in the nation ; he said our kids deserve no less.
Marvel has an extensive, 30-year executive management background in K-12 and higher education, recently retiring as a college vice chancellor.
He is currently president of a consulting firm with over 130 school district, county and private sector clients. He holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of San Francisco in public administration, human resources and organizational development. For more information Greg Marvel, visit www.reelectmarvel.com www.reelectmarvel.com.
Dwight Winn has lived in Danville for 32 years with his wife, Beverly, and sons, Randy and Kyle. With over 40 years of business experience, the majority of that time spent at IBM and NUMMI, Winn said the knowledge gained in sales, management, staff instruction, application development and project management will serve him well with the School Board.
At IBM, Winn investigated and evaluated customer business processes and recommended more effective structures with benefits that justified the changes. He believes he can do the same at the school district without placing the teachers at risk.
His objectives for the Board of Education include:
- Investment in students, teachers and technology while being fiscally conservative
- Maintaining class size
- Upgrading vocational training and develop 21st century structure
For many years, Winn has served the community on the Danville Parks and Leisure Services, San Ramon Valley Christian Academy, Danville Little League and the Sycamore Homeowner's Association.
He also served on the WASC committee, monitored and administered play-offs of high school sports through Nor Cal, was an advisor for technology and ROP for San Ramon Valley High School and coached Danville Little League, Mustang soccer and CYO basketball.
Winn said he would use his private sector experiences to help secure a strong platform of educational excellence for all San Ramon Valley students, a student-oriented district. Building trust and confidence in our community is vital to its success and Winn said he would work to maintain the highest levels of student achievement.
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| Comments
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Posted by scrump, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Oct 23, 2012 at 10:27 pm Mark Jewett is the new blood that is the best fit for the SRVUSD School Board Seat. His accounting background and the fact that he's got two children in the district makes him (in my opinion) the BEST candidate for this school board seat. Background on oversight committee, passion for education, he sees both sides of the issue; how do we spend the money that we're allocated wisely? Monitoring the allocation of that money that's so important to our schools and community will be one of his strengths...
I attended the "meet the candidates" forum at Iron Horse Middle School a couple of weeks ago. Mark is well spoken, extremely well informed of the educational policies and monetary distribution of state. He'll be great for our children because he has a great passion for them and the community in which he grew up.
If you had the opportunity to see and hear him speak, I'm pretty certain you'd think so too...
Greg Marvel was also an obvious choice; his experience and dedication can guide the next generation of board members. Well spoken, with the best interests of the children, the administration and taxpayers in mind, much like Mark.
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Posted by June, a member of the Vista Grande Elementary School community, on Oct 24, 2012 at 8:21 am In the past I agreed with the comments about Mr. Marvel. He often spoke about the need to do what was best for the students and about financial management. He talked openly about his frustration with teachers' unions and the protection they provide for weak teachers.
This year however, it is reported that he has accepted money and an endorsement from the San Ramon teachers' union. If elected he will be joining all the other board members who now owe the union in one way or another. Mr. Marvel cannot say one thing and act another way. He will not get my vote this election.
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Posted by Bill, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Oct 24, 2012 at 10:41 am I'm sure glad I am not running for this Board. I just do not have the qualifications. I know who does and that is Mark Jewitt.I've gotten to know Mark pretty good over these last couple of years and he is a solid individual.
He is a caring parent and for someone who wants the best out of our school district not just for today but for our district's future I say you go Mark!. This is exactly the type of leadership we need.
Thank you for putting yourself out there.
On Nov 6th , please cast your vote for Mark!
Thank you,
Bill
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Posted by Harold F., a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Oct 25, 2012 at 1:08 pm What do these candidates think about the District being named in a Class Action lawsuit from the ACLU over the violation of a "free public education"? The Board needs to sue the state to receive full funding instead of the archaic formula that SRVUSD was funded under when it was a rural community. We need Board members who are advocates for our students and will fight to fix the funding formula, not ones who will continue to expect parents to foot the bill as Mark Jewett said at "Meet the Candidates" night.
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Posted by Jayne, a resident of the Alamo neighborhood, on Oct 26, 2012 at 7:48 am We can't praise the integrity and honest caring of Mark Jewett. And his qualifications, are just outstanding. We feel there's no question, that this resident of our community for all his life; is the type of individual that is sorely needed, for the needs of our school board. We are fortunate that he has agreed to run and be a part of the hard times ahead. How fortunate also, to know he's such a quality individual. Seems hard to come by, anymore and we feel such appreciation for him.
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Posted by Sharon, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2012 at 2:51 pm Could NOT agree with you more Harold. Every single SRVUSD board member (past and current) is not only supportive of any parcel tax and bond they approve on continual ballots, but they don't seem to feel they have any choice but to hammer the community members for more money, to fund at times very questionable projects. Look at the wish list of projects at the district website regarding this bond - as we're still paying for the last one.
The board members, the administration for the SRVUSD, the PTA, and many of the teachers have the exact same agenda - there are no diverse voices among our board members when it comes to taxing the community. Most often, these board members are supported by the CTA which is the largest union in this state!
For crying out loud, there are two SRVUSD board members who are as involved in the filthy business of punishing homeowners as you can get! There will NEVER be a tax or bond they don't support or help create. The women run a business (WiSE Campaigns, Llc) which consults school districts on how to squeeze more money out of their communities by placing parcel taxes and bonds onto the families of those districts. Read their "missions statement" on their website. They can't exactly state, "We can help you double and triple tax your community by helping you politicize the subject of money and how it's spent in your school district!!"...
You would never, ever know that they are capable of thinking that it might be time (after the past 18 years) to use their voices, their contacts, and strength in numbers to help create changes at the State level. That would take guts and hard work - neither one they will ever agree to; especially since most of these people support the unions and the school administrations. There are so many conflicts it's laughable.
We are outrageously taxed in this state, why should we support any board members who agree on all district parcel taxes and bonds? We have a choice - VOTE NO on the upcoming bond and on anyone of these candidates who is supported by the CTA.
- Maybe one day this district will be represented by diversity, regarding political decisions. - Maybe some day we'll have a state senate, congress, assemblymen/women, board members and Governor who actually stand up to the unions, and the lobbyists.
- Maybe some year, the politicians and the special interest groups will stop being so greedy with our money, and start spending it more wisely.
We don't have to settle - there are other choices. That's why we vote!
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Posted by Dave, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2012 at 10:19 pm Maybe you should run, SharonAndMike.
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