Sausalito Marin City School District board candidate profiles - Marin IJ - Oct 6, 2006

Sausalito Marin City School District board candidate profiles
Staff Report


George Stratigos

Age: 45
Address: Sausalito
Occupation: Fundraising consultant

Background: 1979 graduate of Terra Linda High School. Received a bachelor's in business administration from San Francisco State University. He is a former member of the Sausalito City Council.

Key issue: Maintaining steady, balanced and deliberate growth in academic rigor for all students while creating a public education institution that is standards-based.

Quote: "From a history of crisis, our community can now be proud that we are all part of the process and creation of the finest public educational institution in Marin."

Shirley Thornton

Age: 67
Address: Marin City
Occupation: Adjunct professor, Sacramento State University

Background: Associate of Arts degree from City College of San Francisco; bachelor's in biology, San Francisco State University; master's in counseling, San Francisco State; administrative credential, San Francisco State, and EdD in curriculum and instruction from the University of San Francisco

Key issue: Keeping Vision 900 alive to assure all students in the Sausalito and Marin City are living life educated.

Quote: "I'll strive to identify and resolve any and all barriers standing in the way of
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students achieving academic excellence."

Mark Trotter

Age: 53
Address: Sausalito
Occupation: Realtor and contractor

Background: Bachelor's in chemistry from the University of Illinois, former trustee of the Sausalito Marin City School District, member of Willow Creek Academy charter school board.

Key issue: The budget is managed carelessly and the distribution of funds between the three schools is inequitable.

Quote: "Last place isn't good enough."

Whitney Hoyt

Age: 45
Address: Marin City
Occupation: Political director

Background: Bachelor's in history, San Francisco State University, master's in counseling, California State University at Sacramento; former principal of the Mill Valley Middle School; political director of the National Abortion Rights League.

Key issue: Helping to build in young people hope and self-assurance so they can be successful in school and beyond.

Quote: "As someone who has dedicated 16 years to the public schools, I know what it takes to make schools places where all students can learn."

Elizabeth Todd-Gallardo

Age: 42
Address: Sausalito
Occupation: Realtor

Background: Marin Catholic High School, received a high school equivalency diploma, attended College of Marin and the Chamberlain Real Estate School. She works as a realty agent. She served on a parents advisory committee that interviewed candidates for superintendent as the mother of two boys, one of whom attends Willow Creek Academy charter school.

Key issue: Conducting an open and transparent budget process so decisions can be made with community input.

Quote: "As a parent of two young children, one who attends Willow Creek Academy, I am deeply concerned about the performance of our district schools and that all three district schools are severely under-performing, as measured by their STAR scores. That must change."

Robert Fisher

Age: 59
Address: Marin City
Occupation: Retired.

Background: Appointed to the school board in August 2005. Longtime Marin City resident resigned from the Marin City Community Services District Board shortly after he was elected to it in November 2005. He is currently on trial for 36 counts of contempt of court for failing to pay child support. A domestic violence case was dismissed last month when prosecutors were unable to serve the victim.

Key issue: "My key issue is the quality, equality education of all children" in Sausalito and Marin City.

Quote: "I will insist upon the quality, equality education of all children within the district so that those children will achieve at a level that will allow them to continue to live in our school district. This goes for any child in the hills of Sausalito, the hills of Marin City, public housing and the houseboats in Sausalito."

Peter Romanowsky

Age: 56
Address: Sausalito
Occupation: Entertainer

Background: Romanowsky has lived in Marin for 38 years, 19 as an anchor-out. He has three children. He is a retired pastor of a fundamentalist church. He ran unsuccessfully for the the College of Marin Board in 1999 and the Marin Healthcare Board in 1998 and 2000. He also has run for the state Assembly, the Sausalito City Council, Sausalito Sanitary District board and in 1998, the Sausalito Marin City School District board.

Key issue: Could not be reached for comment.

Article Launched:10/06/2006 08:31:30 AM PDT