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Monrovia School Board Candidate Forum
Monrovia Weekly Oct 10, 2018
Maritza Travanti. - Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
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By Susan Motander
On Tuesday night, the Monrovia Teachers Association sponsored a forum for the candidates vying for the two seats on the Monrovia Board of Education. All four candidates answered questions from the community and their peers.
Selene Lockerbie, Maritza Travanti, Terrence G. Williams, and J. Christian Holt are the candidates slated for election on Nov. 6.
The League of Women Voters conducted the forum with members asking the questions, compiling them from those submitted and keeping time. Michael Feinblatt, who voiced the questions (yes Michael, not Michele) pointed out that men are welcome to become involved in the League. Those interested can go to their website: LWVC.org. The Pasadena group’s site is lwv-pa.org.
He also noted that those who need to register to vote can do so online at registertovote.ca.gov. For a copy of the official voters’ guide from the Secretary of State, go to VoterGuide.sos.ca.gov.
Below, each candidate expresses why they should be chosen and how they plan on being an effective member of the Monrovia School Board.
Selene Lockerbie. – Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
Selene Lockerbie
Hello Monrovia! My name is Selene Lockerbie and I am running for Monrovia School Board.
My family and I love this town, and I am grateful for any opportunity I am given to serve in the community. I have served on the School Site Council and PTA Board at Monroe Elementary, and I am currently a volunteer at Mayflower Elementary for Monrovia Reads, and a Girl Scout leader.
When two seats opened on the school board, friends, fellow parents and community members asked me to throw my hat into the ring. They know of my passion and devotion to student success, and my support of teachers and staff, so it seemed logical for me to take that devotion and desire to serve the school board. When you consider that I am a mom of school-aged children who have seven more years in the school district, you can see that you have an opportunity to vote for a candidate with a significant vested interest in how our schools perform and our children thrive academically.
My “trifecta of education” advocates a more developmentally appropriate curriculum, better budget management that focuses resources on the schools, not bureaucracy, and innovative programs that entice enrollment in MUSD. I will always welcome open communication, and will push for greater transparency.
The single most important thing that we can do is to successfully educate our children. I am dedicated to that task.
I hope to hear from you. Please reach out to me through my Facebook page Selene Lockerbie for Monrovia School Board, or contact me directly at (323) 842-5159.
Please vote for Selene Lockerbie on Nov. 6. Thank you!
Maritza Travanti. – Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
Maritza Travanti
As a parent of a school-aged child, school volunteer, Hispanic female and 28-year government professional, I am the best choice for the Monrovia School Board. As a Senior Policy Analyst with the Internal Revenue Service, my duties directly translate to the responsibilities of a school board member such as data analysis, interpreting federal and state law, regulations and statutes. I analyze large budgets, draft new policy and provide oversight to large projects and oversee my department training program.
The biggest issue the district is facing is declining enrollment and the resulting loss of funding. The district needs to continue adding programs that are attractive to students. Then we need to be masters of the arts programs, masters of the Code to the Future programs, masters of the dual immersion programs, masters of the STEM and academics programs and continue to add curriculum that makes our graduating students competitive when applying to the colleges and universities of their desire. And, then we need to share the good news about our schools.
Education is not one size fits all! I want to ensure Monrovia is on the cutting edge and preparing our children for a fast-paced world. It is critical to have many viable options in place where students will feel inspired, focused on a pathway and feel a sense of readiness to embark on their future goals, which may not be a college or a university but may be a trade school or industry specific program. Our programs need to be as diverse as our students are!
I will add new energy, a fresh perspective and a spirit of collaboration to ignite our community’s maximum education potential.
Please vote for Maritza Travanti to put Monrovia on the map as a place to get a great education! Thank you.
Maritza4monroviaschoolboard@gmail.com
Endorsements:
- Rob Hammond, current Monrovia School Board clerk and former mayor of Monrovia.
- Tom Adams, mayor of Monrovia.
- Alexander Blackburn, Monrovia Council member.
- Gloria Crudgington, Monrovia Council.
- Larry Spicer, Monrovia Council member.
Terrence Williams. – Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
Terrence G. Williams
Dear Monrovians,
Thank you for allowing me the honor and privilege to serve our community as a board member. I take great pride in the role I have played in helping shape the future of every child in the Monrovia Unified School District. I have a passion and heart to help children!
Some of the things that I said I would do when I arrived on the board during my first term in office became a reality. This includes some accomplishments I am most proud of like: closing the achievement gap, increased high school graduation rate, the implementation of Code to the Future, helping to cement programs with Mrs. Joan Montgomery and Citrus College that provide pathways to offset college tuition (AB288), advocating for fully-funded special education with only 12 percent of the funding received (which included a trip to Washington D.C. to advocate directly), support of teen suicide prevention programs like Healing Connections, and our Spanish and Mandarin dual language immersion programs (which also includes our new Wildrose Creative School of Arts with plans to extend arts to our middle schools), and continued collaboration with board members, teachers and staff to attract and retain the highest level of educators. We are the Gem City of the Foothills!
As a Monrovian for the last 29 years, I’ve always concluded that education is not a “one-size fits all” proposition. Children learn at varied speeds. As a parent of both general and special-education children, who have and do attend Monrovia Schools, I know first-hand the issues that matter most to parents. I have worked hard the last five years to make the educational dream come true for our students. I humbly ask you to elect me to another term so that I may continue this important work.
J. Christian Holt. – Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
J. Christian Holt
Serving the community and Monrovia schools for 19 years, J. Christian Holt’s goal is to help [the] Monrovia School District:
- [Improve] the budget.
- Eradicated bullying.
- [Listen] and [improve] communication.
- Reorganize, focus and fund special needs.
- [Improve] school wide maintenance.
For the last 25 years I have happily lived in Monrovia with my wife and three daughters. We have had the pleasure of attending Bradoaks, Clifton, Santa Fe and MHS. Being a self-employed financial advisor in Monrovia has afforded me the opportunity to be actively involved in my children’s education and coach soccer for 13 years.
I decided to run now because my three daughters are older, two in college and the other is a senior at MHS. It would have been irresponsible of me to consider this large responsibility when my children were young. My family is my number one priority, so I waited until they didn’t need me as much. Everything I have done was done as a family.
In 19 years [I’ve built] relationships with teachers, staff, parents and students; not only with the English speaking community but the Spanish as well. I’m bilingual.
I have held 12 different PTA positions, president for five [years] and School Site [Council], Principle Nominating Committee [sic].
Recipient of five different service awards; the most prestigious award[s] [were] from the California Congress of Parents, Teachers and Students “Honorary Service Award” and was also awarded the Continued Service Award as well.
I’m proud of co- founding the Watchdogs in Monrovia. This is a program that pushes for the involvement of dads in their children’s’ schools.
I hosted and promoted for 10 years the Friends and Family 5K Walk or Jog. It promoted exercise, family, making new friends and most of all a positive community.
Currently working on [an] anti-bullying and student misconduct program.
Help Make A Difference.
If you would like to mail a contribution:
Holt 4 Monrovia School Board
432 W. Foothill Blvd., Monrovia, CA 91016
Venmo Acct: Holt 4 Monrovia School Board
Campaign I.D. # 1410098
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