The Culver City Community Coalition has endorsed Kelly Kent in her race for a seat on the Culver City Unified School District (CCUSD) Board of Education.
The Community Coalition invited all candidates to participate in the selection process, but the other two candidates, Anne Burke and Scott McVarish, did not respond.
Dr. Kent is a neuroscientist with a doctorate from the University of Southern California and a commissioner with the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission of Culver City. An active parent of a Linwood E. Howe Elementary School student, she is co-founder of the school's Spanish enrichment program.
"I am so pleased to endorse Kelly," said Meghan Sahli-Wells, Culver City city councilperson and immediate past mayor. "She will be a strong voice for students, parents and teachers. As a commissioner, Kelly has important experience working on city issues. She will champion valuable collaboration between the school district and the city, which will benefit all residents. I look forward to helping Kelly implement her plan."
"The endorsement of the Community Coalition means a lot to me," Kent said. "My values are very much aligned with those of the Coalition, and I welcome the support of this group."
Kent, a professor of neuroscience, teaches teachers. In working with the other board members on education issues, she intends to apply her knowledge of the brain and how it learns.
"It's important that we encourage an educational culture of collaborative team teaching practices, where the teachers are themselves innovators rather than simply implementers," Kent said. "This must be supported by professional development that includes essential modeling, mentoring and professional learning communities."
Gary Silbiger, former Culver City city councilperson and former mayor, has endorsed Kent as well. "Kelly Kent is the most qualified Culver City School Board candidate. Although you do not need to be a rocket scientist to be a good school board member, it is extremely helpful to be a scientist who studies the brain--the subject of her doctorate and her employment--to help students learn.
"Add to that Kelly's work as an active parent, Culver City commissioner, a university professor, a mentor teacher, and her proven ability to work well with others, and Culver City has the complete school board member, Silbiger said."
One of the city's most active environmentalists, Michelle Weiner, said she appreciates Kent's views on the food served to students, which both believe lacks the nutrition necessary for students to prosper.
"Kelly has talked to me about her vision: The CCUSD could purchase food locally from community supported agriculture networks, as some neighboring districts do. The students would eat healthier meals, and buying from local sources would enormously decrease landfill trash from packaging as well as decrease the carbon footprint that results when mass produced public school meals are delivered from far away.
For more information visit http://www.culvercitycommunitycoalition.net or email the organization at culvercitycommunitycoalition@gmail.com.
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