Why have you chosen to run and what do you believe you can bring to this Board? What specifically in your background has prepared you for this position?
Karl Machschefes
Email: machkarl@sbcglobal.net
Phone: (916) 372-8487
I bring experience, leadership and a vision for the future to WUSD.
I have served on various school based committees such as The Facilities Task Force, 20 to1 class size reduction, the Bond Task Force, and the Curriculum Council. I have been a public school teacher, for a total of 5 years. During this time I worked primarily as a 2nd through 5th grade teacher working with inner city children, improving their lives and giving them hope. I also worked as a substitute teacher in WUSD. This enabled me to meet the fine teachers, good administrators and see our schools first hand. During this time I worked every grade from K-12, special education classes for many weeks and helped with security. I also have 4 years of prior school board experience during which time I was able to bring about positive changes for our children.
I have lead by bringing forward proposals to enact the vision of the district. I spoke about our over budget high school 3 years ago and offered a plan that was finally implemented a few months ago. I offered an alternative to losing our middle school aged children, and now we are planning a K-8 elementary school with others to follow.
I bring a bright vision of the future. The very programs I have advocated for the past 8 years are coming to fruition, K-8 schools, small learning centers at the high school and working with the City of West Sacramento in a collaborative effort.
Matt Stegman
Email: matthewcstegman@yahoo.com
Website: www.mattstegman.org
Phone: (916) 281-4136
It is time for this district to move forward away from turmoil, it has prevented the school board from looking at the major issues facing the district and making the necessary changes. We need a fresh start and a board that can work together cohesively to attack the major issues in the district. I will work well with other board members, and that is why I am endorsed by three of the current board members and the Sacramento Bee. In addition, many of the leaders of our community have also endorsed me. They include:
Mary Leland, Dave Farmer, and Barry Kalar, Trustees, Washington Unified School District
Len Strickland , President West Sacramento Education Foundation
Christopher Cabaldon, Mayor
Oscar Villegas, City Council Member
Carolyn Castillo Pierson, City Council Member and Mayor pro tem
Helen Kanowsky, City Clerk (retired) City of West Sacramento
Jeff Reisig, District Attorney elect, Yolo County
Ed Prieto, Sheriff, Yolo County
Mike McGowan, Yolo County Supervisor
Port Telles Computers4kids
Jennifer Hinton, President Bridgeway Island PTA
Linda Langrty, Past Principal Bryte Elementary
Dawn Immamoto, WUSD teacher and 2004 California Teacher of the Year
Molly and Tony Brusca, WUSD teachers
Dani Langford
Email: danamites@earthlink.net
Phone: (916) 372-3384
General Response to All Questions
After reading some of the other candidate’s responses as well as participating in the Southport PTA candidate forum last Tuesday, I would like to add some brief comments to my original response to this forum. As I stated previously, I have educated myself with educational laws, district policy and by-laws, and open meeting laws such as the Brown Act. I feel it is imperative to elect people that understand their role as a Board Member verses a district Administrator. My job as a Board Member would not be to run the school district, as that is the job of the Superintendent. Some of the candidate’s statements reveal that they can use their “influence” to bring much needed money to our district. Being that the Grand Jury cited our district for such offenses, we need to make sure that everything we do does not have a conflict of interest or even a perceived conflict of interest. I also remember empty promises made in past elections and I believe we need to stop that cycle. We have heard that before and it never materializes. I would ask, if money is available and you live in the community, why would you wait to run for election to use your influence to bring much needed money to our students?
It has come to my attention that there is a perception that I may not be able to be a team player with the current board. I have worked as a team with the current board in the interview process of the new Superintendent. The process was handled very professional and I would have no problem working alongside the current board as a professional team player. I also believe that different points of view help a board come to the right decision. I appreciate your support on November 7th!