Elections 2022: Three seats for grabs on Desert Sands Unified School Board
This November marks an unusual election for the Desert Sands Unified School District Board of Education.
Four races will decide candidates in three areas. One race is for a short term that could potentially last only several days before the winner of the full term takes office in December. Another is for a two-year term.
Why the strange situation?
Don Griffith, a longtime school board member, resigned in January during a term set to end this December. His appointed replacement, Jacob Alvarez, was removed from office in April by by a petition. (Opponents of ethnic studies curriculum, mask mandates and proposed COVID-19 vaccine mandates in schools had been trying to oust multiple DSUSD trustees.)
That petition forced an election to select a candidate to finish the short remainder of Griffith’s original term. But the election for the short term was scheduled with November’s consolidated general election to avoid burdening the school district with the cost of hosting its own standalone election.
Alvarez is running against several opponents to regain the seat, both for the short- and full-length term through 2026.
Another school board member, Wendy Jonathan, resigned in August. Her successor will be voted into office for a two-year term.
And, a third school board member, Ana Conover, cannot defend her seat after redistricting made her ineligible to run again in the same district.
Trustee Area 1
In Trustee Area 1, which represents the western half of Palm Desert, Kailee Watson is running unopposed to replace Wendy Jonathan for a two-year term that ends in 2024.
An optometrist, Watson has three children enrolled in the district. She has been involved with Desert Sands schools as a treasurer of a parent-teacher organization, a school site chairperson, a co-chair of the district advisory committee and a parent participant on a district budgeting committee.
On the issues
What is motivating you to run for school board?
Watson: Our kids are the foundation of our community and they will always be my top priority as a school board member.
What are your top priorities?
Watson: One, safe schools. Two, expand career and vocational opportunities. Three, transparency with our community, parents and faculty
In what areas do you think the district is doing well and where would you like to see improvement?
Watson: I believe our Career and Technical Education programs have been a great addition for our students. Desert Sands has always been a well-run school district. Many parents I work with are pleased with the quality of education their children are receiving, but some children are still struggling with learning loss. We have to ensure our staff has the support to successfully address all levels of learning loss due to the past couple of years. I also strongly believe in having an open-door policy and listening to the concerns of our students, faculty, parents and community. In these uncertain times, I want to ensure that the safety of our children and staff is a priority in our school district.
Trustee Area 2
Trustee Area 2 generally includes portions of Indian Wells, Bermuda Dunes, La Quinta, Indio and Palm Desert.
There are two elections here: one for the short term and one for the full-length term through 2026.
Maryalice Alberg Owings recently retired as a principal in Desert Sands Unified. She has over 35 years of experience in public education, and was a member of the Association of California School Administrators for 26 years.
Humberto “Beto” Alvarez, an elementary school principal in Coachella Valley Unified, has over two decades of experience as a public school principal or teacher. He is a past president of a La Quinta school site council and served three terms as a chairperson of the Desert Sands district advisory committee. His wife also is a schoolteacher. Two of their children have graduated from La Quinta High, and a third currently attends there.
Jacob Alvarez is assistant to the city manager for the City of Coachella. He has 18 years of experience working at various levels of government and holds an MBA in finance from the University of Redlands. He was appointed to and briefly served on the Desert Sands Unified School Board earlier this year. He has three children in the district.
Betty Callaway, who is only running for the full length term, is a real estate agent with an MBA from UC Irvine. As a mother and grandmother and mental health advocate, she says she understands the importance of high-quality education for every student.
Katherine Silveira is the art specialist at Gerald Ford Elementary in Indian Wells. Previously, she served as a wildlife educator and substitute teacher across the valley. She has two children in the district and served on a Desert Sands school site council from 2019-2021.
Kurt Schoppe, who is only running for the full length term, is a father of four Desert Sands graduates and a husband to a schoolteacher, Schoppe has spent his career in the environmental services industry and is a general manager of an organics recycling company.
On the issues
What is motivating you to run for school board?
Maryalice Alberg Owings: I wanted to run for the school board because I just retired as a principal with 35 years of working in public education, and I can offer background knowledge and ask questions to help ensure we are providing the best services we can for all of our students. I have been a member of the Association of California School Administrators for 26 year. I have worked with our legislative policy committee to improve education for our students.
Beto Alvarez: I have always been involved in my childrens' schools. I have also been the chairperson for the district advisory committee. I saw the need to have a more streamlined form of communication between parents and district leadership. There is still work to be done. It is important that parents have a voice at the decision table and champion for processes that facilitate parents to have a voice.
Jacob Alvarez: Notwithstanding my three children attending school within DSUSD, I understand the importance of education. A good education based on emotional, physical and intellectual goals opens the door to self-awareness, self-confidence and maturity. All children should have access to a good education. I acknowledge not every student can or should be instructed in the same manner; various and varied educational resources are a must. As a government employee, I realize the impact that community support can have on creating a good education foundation.
Betty Callaway: I'm running not just to stamp another ideology onto education, adding to the current chaos, but rather to lend the parents and the community an ear, include them in the conversation and give them a voice. Our voice.
Katherine Silveira: I am running for school board to continue my multi-year advocacy through public office and represent everyone in Area 2 as well as all students and staff in the district. I am a DSUSD parent, a DSUSD educator and a leader for our students and schools. I advocate for every student to have the tools and resources they need to thrive academically and personally. Each and every school site must have the resources they need, the staff necessary and the expertise on hand to help every student succeed. I am running to continue representing and advocating for students and schools.
Kurt Schoppe: I am running for school board trustee because I believe DSUSD is one of the best school districts in California if not the country, and I want to do my part to keep that going. I am the proud father of four DSUSD-educated students, and I want to see the continued success of our public schools. These are challenging times, making it even more important to ensure there is public involvement in our public schools. I believe I can bring balance to the board with input from parents, teachers and the community.
What are your top priorities?
Maryalice Alberg Owings: My top three priorities are: One, to work to increase student learning. Our students lost ground during COVID-19, but they are resilient and with support they will gain the knowledge they need to be successful. Two, I will work to increase student safety. Each campus is set up differently, so each campus needs different support to make it as safe as possible for students and faculty. Three, I will encourage and support the district's values of respect, kindness, and hard work.
Beto Alvarez: Ensuring parents are represented, funding and supporting CTE (Career Technical Education) programs and ensuring students of all ability levels can find success.
Jacob Alvarez: I see a need for transparency, fiscal accountability and the commitment to the safety and well-being of students and teachers. Additionally, I want to assist DSUSD in recovering from the educational loss that occurred during the pandemic. First, transparency of information, including how and when information is communicated to students, parents, teachers and community stakeholders. Second, fiscal accountability when public funds are used. Third, ensuring the safety and well-being of students and teachers through services and supportive relationships. Fourth, ensuring that students are reading at grade level at 3rd grade. Studies have shown when students do not read at grade level in 3rd grade, it results in a higher propensity in failed outcomes for the students. The success of our students makes for a successful and productive community.
Betty Callaway: Having volunteered as an advocate for many years, helping parents with children suffering with mental illness, I'm deeply concerned over the impact of COVID-19 and its fallout in our schools. I would fight to ensure that students and teachers are equipped to continue the transition with the support they need. I would also advocate for improved mental health services, as well as increased pre-college and vocational training.
Katherine Silveria: As trustee, I will work with the whole board, the cabinet and within our budget to prioritize the success of our students and schools. Learning Environment: I will work with our schools and leaders to reduce class size, increase employee retention, address building concerns, modernize our school safety plans, and foster programs to allow all staff to grow professionally. School is more than a desk, a book, and a teacher. Support Staff: I will work within our budget to make sure our schools have the people they need to provide a place for students to thrive in all aspects of life. Transparency: I will, myself, or with our board, have listening sessions for parents and school staff, providing an easier way to get the information they need. I will bring teachers and school staff into the conversation when reviewing and creating policy. We need to respect the expertise we have in the classroom and listen to what is needed. Curriculum: I will work with teachers, experts, and other board members to continue to modernize our curriculum while making sure we are providing an equitable education.
Kurt Schoppe: The well-being of students is my number one priority, followed by: one, ensuring parents and the community have a voice in how and what our children are taught. Two, prioritizing security by allocating additional resources for improved campus security, by updating/installing access control systems, providing additional training for security personnel and school staff, and by expanding school resource officer programs to have officers on every middle and high school campus. Three, providing a quality education for all students at all levels, by adding resources to expose our students to technical careers and high-skilled trades all while continuing rigorous college preparation programs.
In what areas do you think the district is doing well and where would you like to see improvement?
Maryalice Alberg Owings: The district is doing well in retaining and hiring qualified teachers, administrators and classified staff. They encourage all staff to attend professional development so they can grow in their careers. I think there is always room for improvement. We need to ensure resources are getting to the students who need them. We need to encourage parents to be actively involved in their child's school, and everyone needs to communicate in a clear, respectful manner. We need to work with families to ensure students are attending school on a regular basis.
Beto Alvarez: The district is doing well in providing access to technology for students and has ensured to modernize and maintain facilities. The district also has a good credit rating. I would like to see an improvement in establishing for parents to provide feedback. Additionally, I am glad to see CTE programs coming back. I want to ensure CTE programs are always supported and funded. Another opportunity the district has is to strengthen the support for English Learners and provide opportunities for all students to succeed.
Jacob Alvarez: Communication can always be improved as not all parents have social media, internet access, or speak English as their primary language. Including various communication methods as redundancies will ensure more parents and students get the message. All communications should be delivered by all communication methods available to the district.
The district has been fiscally responsible during its recent capital improvement projects utilizing their existing bond funds. Yet, projects don’t always stay within the approved budget causing budget overruns, which can ultimately cost the tax payers tens of thousands of dollars and possibly more. This becomes an opportunity for the district to improve its commitment to fiscal responsibility. Having someone like myself, with experience in city planning, city finance and as the vice-chair of the Bermuda Dunes Community Council, ensures competent project management experience. Whether it’s building new schools or renovating old ones, I will work to have projects completed within budget or minimize budget cost.
Betty Callaway: The school board announced that DSUSD has a 94% graduation rate and that is commendable! The district is starting to take parents and community members into consideration at the board meetings, but more needs to be done to build the bridges between the parents, community and the Desert Sands Unified School District. There is a lack of transparency in the curriculum. Parents and the community need to have access to curriculum online. Also lower English and Math scores suggest some groups are not getting the support they need and this needs to be addressed.
Katherine Silveira: Our strength is in our people. Desert Sands has amazing students, families, and community members. Our teachers and staff are the best in the Coachella Valley. Students succeed when everyone comes together to gather information and collaborate, to create change. The board and district need to continue to expand access so all stakeholders can provide their voice and expertise. Examples include listening sessions with parents, trustees going to sites regularly to talk with staff, in-person committee meetings, setting policy that fosters academic and personal success, and dispersing information across multiple mediums to increase transparency. Our students need more resources to succeed academically. Our board and district need to budget appropriately to implement policy and direction to provide the staffing and tools needed for success. We need to continue to recruit and retain staff across all positions.
Kurt Schoppe: Our district has been successful in lots of programs. For example, the district did an amazing job providing special education to my oldest daughter, a special needs student, and I think they continue to do that. We also do a great job in preparing our students for college. I also believe we do better when our focus also serves those that may not be college bound, and by increasing access to technical and skilled trade opportunities.
Trustee Area 5
This area includes most of Indio north of Indio Boulevard and Interstate 10.
The winner of the Nov. 8 election will replace Board President Ana Conover.
Scott Baily, not to be confused with recently retired Desert Sands superintendent Scott Bailey, has been a teacher for 25 years.
Michael Duran has been a school counselor for about 25 years and was a school teacher for a few years before that. He’s also a water polo and swim coach at Shadow Hills High. He served on the Desert Sands Unified School Board from 2006-2018, when he was defeated by Conover.
On the issues
What is motivating you to run for school board?
Scott Baily: I am motivated to run for school board because I have the expertise necessary for the position. I am an expert in the field of education. I believe in supporting the teachers, students, district and the community. It is essential for the school board to have experts in the field of education who know how specific actions will properly impact the areas needed. We need people on the school board with educational backgrounds, just as you’d want the head of plumbing to have many years of experience in plumbing, not someone who’s never used a wrench.
Michael Duran: There are still some areas that I am passionate about, such as music, the fine arts and counseling. And, I feel there’s an opportunity now to invest in these areas along with social-emotional learning as the needs of families progress through this COVID-19 crisis.
What are your top priorities?
Scott Baily: My priorities lie in making sure that the district is doing every thing they can to help every child every day to become the best that they can become educationally and socially. I will work to assist teachers in making sure they have all the necessary tools and supplies they want and need so that they can provide the best quality education that they can. The teachers are the front line workers with our students. It is imperative that they have everything they need while inside our classrooms so that they and the students can succeed. I will assist with the administration and the district side of the coin to assist that proper decisions are being made to best direct the education system that betters our students. I want to make sure any and all programs purchased do not turn into wasted tax payer money. I will help to make sure that money spent is well spent and properly spent. Finally, I will reach out to our communities to be a liaison between the community and the school system.
Michael Duran: One is social emotional learning for staff and students. (Social emotional learning, just as it sounds, is a broad idea about teaching the social and emotional skills needed to succeed in school, work and life.) I know firsthand that staff has has been affected by the last couple of years tremendously. I think that we need a lot of support. Another area that I care about is physical fitness. it's time we address physical fitness as a way that can enhance a student’s whole learning experience. We can do that by lowering PE class sizes.
In what areas do you think the district is doing well and where would you like to see improvement?
Scott Baily: I believe the following areas the district is doing well: They maintain opportunities for all students, student safety is a priority, their technology, technology programs and their technology department last but not least is the district attracts and retains talented professionals. I believe the areas the district could improve is mitigating learning loss from COVID-19 and continuing to improve and provide social emotional learning support for staff and students and the district while excellent at safety needs to know that safety can always get better.
Michael Duran: We have great AVID (a college prep program), and we have great school climates. Our graduation rates are the best in the valley. Our career technical education programs are very good. I would like to see us invest more in arts, choir, band, music and lower physical education class sizes.
Jonathan Horwitz covers education for The Desert Sun. Reach him at jonathan.horwitz@desertsun.com or @Writes_Jonathan.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Elections 2022: Three seats for grabs on DSUSD Board of Education
