Change is needed on School Board

Fundamentally, we feel the Woodland School Board is made up of caring individuals who have been forced to deal with the most unusual of circumstances. The trustees have had to face amazing issues centered around the coronavirus pandemic. Distance learning, the elimination of school sports, the lack of proper school facilities are all problems that would challenge any school board.

People can read about the candidates via comments made to The Democrat as well as their views made to the League of Women Voters, which have also been published in The Democrat.

Based on those statements we are endorsing Trista Kennedy of District Area 3 and Kandice Fowler for election of District Area 5 for distinct reasons that should build a better board.

Kennedy gets it. She has said the school board needs to be diverse with “different views and stances.” She has said she would “actively listen,” “ask questions” and work with the understanding that her actions would affect her four children.

We also feel Kennedy would bring greater professionalism to the board. She has worked for the Woodland Police Department these past 14 years in a variety of capacities including that of a police officer, and volunteer coordinator, and is presently the executive assistant to the Chief of Police. That means she has an understanding of the chain of command as well as administrative skills that require her to work with more than 65 police officers (no easy feat) and the others at the department.

She will also, she has said, strive for consistency because there has “been a breakdown in trust with the board and the community due to the COVID pandemic.” That reflects what many feel throughout the community and she thinks that better communication would help. We agree with that observation. Much of what the district has done has seemed to be haphazard and occurred seemingly at random with little explanation. Again, we don’t necessarily feel this is the fault of the administration or the board itself due to the changing nature of the pandemic. However, to maintain trust, continuous explanation of board actions is necessary.

Kennedy again: “I want to say I think our school district and board is doing a good job. I’m not running because I think they are broken. I’m running because I think I can add to the great work they are already doing.”

Finally, Kennedy wants to work toward greater equity. That means, she says, “passing board policies that promote it, but by creating a system or regular check-ins from parents, teachers, and students to get feedback and improvement to ensure equity is happening.”

Equity is why we’re also endorsing Kandice Flower for the Area 5 seat, now held by incumbent Debbie Decker. Fowler has lived in Woodland since 2009 and has three daughters ages 11, 9, and 6, all of who attend Beamer Elementary.

Fowler has a master’s degree in public administration and is working on a teaching credential. During her education, she did internships at Davis and Sacramento high schools and “saw the difference and disparities between the haves and have nots.” Today she is working on foster youth advocacy and has worked as a substitute paraeducator and as a substitute teacher with the Yolo County Office of Education. In the fall, she will take on a longterm substitute contract teaching special education and helping multiple disability students. She has also served on the Beamer Elementary Parent Teacher Association president since 2018 and was on the school’s site council from 2016 to 2018. From 2016 to 2019 she served on the LCAP committee for the district, and from 2015 to 2019 she was involved with the California Association of Bilingual Education.

Fowler was also involved in the beginning stages of the African American advocacy group, advocating for students of African and African American descent in the district.

As she puts it: “I bring in a different perspective, we all have different lives, skills, and life lessons, but I fell like I’ve been perpetually introspective, making sure that I’m actively making a difference,” Fowler said. “I want to be the different person in the group that asks ‘have we thought about this?’ I have seen the board changing in that direction for the last few years, and I also want to be a part of that change that will help implement programs and ideas.”

The Democrat is endorsing Trista Kennedy and Kandice Fowler for Woodland school board.