Candidates
Also, the candidates say they want to help ease the district’s unrest over social injustice and inequities— including an August encounter between police and a Black shopkeeper in Tiburon that critics decried as racial profiling. Themayor apologized to the merchant, a police sergeant resigned and the police chief retired ahead of schedule.
“This is a tenuous time for our community as we navigate ever changing health and safety guidelines and adapt our educational systems tomeet the needs of all of our students,” said Webb, 45, of Tiburon.
“Now, more than ever, we need stability, adaptability and collaboration,” she added. “As the incumbent, I feel a compassionate responsibility to our students, educators and stakeholders to continue to serve on the board for another four years.”
Emerson, 42, of Tiburon is senior associate athletics director at Academy of Art University and also certified as a teacher in Washington state. He said he wants to leverage his experience in education to help the district manage its budget and address equity issues.
“As a university administrator, I understand the realities of working with a budget, and will ensure that RUSD spends our taxpayer money wisely,” he said. “Finally, I wanted tomake sure diversity and inclusion are included within the board so it better reflects the community it serves.”
Hornbrook, 53, says the times call for leadership in maintaining emotional, social and academic stability.
“COVID-19 and the RUSD response to pandemic, while thoughtful, has raised some challenges,” he said. “These challenges, I think, can be best addressed by someone who is an outsider, who possesses my past professional background and volunteer experience and a demonstrated commitment to the community — the entire community. “
Jaffee, 43, says she offers a long track record of schools service.
“I know RUSD, having been involved since my oldest started kindergarten at Reed in 2012,” she said.
“I encourage change in our community every day,” she said. “COVID and current events have highlighted equity, inclusion and diversity.
We owe it to our children to have the difficult conversations, advocate for community and implement change.”
Emerson said his priorities as a trustee would include retaining and recruiting highly qualified teachers.
“I also want to work to ensure our taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, so theyhave an impact in the classroom, provide for special needs students, make sure to include diversity and inclusion, and look at the potential of expanding after- school programs,” he said.
Hornbrook said he would focus on “opening up the schools as soon as possible, safely.”
Also, he said he would target “rebuilding trust between the parents and teachers that has been impacted by responses to COVID-19.”
“Communication and transparency now and continuing this process” are key, Hornbrook said.
Jaffee said shewould “prioritize communication between the district and our families” and continue to improve transparency as she has done in her work with the RUSD communications committee.
“COVID has brought a new conversation to our schools,” Jaffee said. “We are navigating safety, while ensuring that education is not compromised.”
In addition to communication, Webb said her focus would be “to address safely reopening our schools.”
“We need to support our educators and staff to successfully implement the health and safety protocols that our schools have created based on public health guidelines, and we need to swiftly open our classrooms to in-person instruction.”
Reed Union School District serves 1,160 students at two elementary schools and one middle school. The district has a general annual budget of $24million.
THE CANDIDATES Dan Emerson
Age: 42 Residence: Tiburon Occupation: Senior associate athletic director, Academy of Art University Education: Bachelor’s degree in education, Eastern Washington University; master’s degree in education administration, Grand Canyon University Experience: Certified teacher, Washington state; higher education administrator at state and private institutions
Charles Hornbrook Age:
53 Residence: Tiburon Occupation: Managing partner of business advisory firm Education: Bachelor’s degree, Hobart College; master’s degree in business administration and science, University of Michigan. Experience: San Francisco Unified School District public education enrichment fund; treasurer, Spanish Infusion School PTA; commissioner, Tiburon Parks Open Space and Trails Commission; community soccer and basketball coach; Safe Routes to School
Jacqueline Jaffee
Age: 43 Residence: Tiburon Occupation: Attorney, nonprofit director Education: Bachelor’s degree, Emory University; law school, University of Houston Experience: Executive director, Adopt A Family of Marin; co-president, All In, a nonprofit supporting low income families in RUSD community; co-president, Foundation for Reed Schools; RUSD communication committee; Bel Aire School reopening task force; Bel Aire Elementary site chair; parent teacher association.
Liz Edison Webb
Age: 45 Residence: Tiburon Occupation: Executive Education: Bachelor’s degree in international relations, communications and political science, University of Pennsylvania; California School Boards Association master’s in governance program Experience: Reed Union school board; PTA member and treasurer; school volunteer; Foundation for Reed Schools volunteer; board member and treasurer for the San Francisco nonprofit organization Children of Shelters