A big change is happening to our school district, and it is not just the realignment. School board elections were held this past fall, bringing new and old members together. Our school board is responsible for being a liaison between the district and community, and to provide oversight. It is important to know that they do not to create the curriculum or the budget—that is the job of the administration. I got to discuss the work of schoolboard members and their paths to their roles with Mr. Kimicata and Mrs. O’Connor.

Newly elected, Mrs. O’Connor has been a public-school teacher for 11 years and is also a mother of CB students, which led her to be very passionate about the public education system. Mr. Kimicata on the other hand has served on the board before, using his background as an
architect to contribute to updating infrastructure in our elementary schools.

You may notice that these two members come from very different paths, however, as they both told me these differences allow them to form more concrete decisions. “Compromise is not losing, it is working to solve a problem,” said Mrs. O’Connor.

The members told me they are very happy with the recent test score results from the district, especially since COVID-19 has been tough on both the students and the educators. Following that, it is immensely important to let students and teachers teach. From her experience, Mrs. O’Connor told me that “community thrives when schools are thriving.”

Circling back to realignment, which seems to be the biggest concern of CB families, the school board is well prepared. There is a special group for its oversight—the Realignment Committee. Considering how the move-up is working, “it is important to take advantage of the curriculum changes for 6th and graders and see if there are any improvements that can be made,” said Mr. Kimicata.

For those who want to be more involved in our school district, whether that be elections, events, or how things are run, volunteering is the easiest way to do so. Election candidates are always looking for volunteers to knock on doors. Individual schools are also always looking for parent volunteers. There is also a potential plan to get students involved in the school board through a student involvement representative.

Mrs. O’Connor wanted to let people know she is accessible for communication. After all, as per the words of Mr. Kimikata, the school board members “are all parents, and they want the school district decisions made by parents”.