From burned-out staff to struggling student mental health to concerns over school safety, a full platter of issues is on the table for this year’s upcoming school board elections on Nov. 8.
The candidates for Area A, the Belmont Redwood-Shores seat on the Sequoia Union High School District (SUHSD) Board of Trustees are Suvarna Bhopale and Amy Koo. Both have served on the Belmont Redwood Shores School District Board (BRSSD) board since 2013.
At a candidates’ forum hosted on Friday, Sept. 30 at Menlo-Atherton High School, Bhopale noted the fact that she had two children attending Carlmont.
“With all due respect to the board members who are here tonight, no current board member actually has students currently in the school district. I think that that parent voice is really important,” Bhopale said. “I will bring my nine years of experience as a trustee, my legal background, and my perspective as a district parent to the Sequoia Union High School District Board to ensure that all students receive an enriching educational experience: academics, sports, extracurriculars and civic engagement – that’s why I’m running.”
Koo is running because she wants to enable all students to reach their full potential.
“There are eight different feeder districts sending kids to the high school district, which means there’s a lot of different experiences and backgrounds students have,” Koo said. “It really takes a village to be able to support each child the way they need to be supported to be successful.”
Lately, there has been a lot of discussion of teacher burnout. When it comes to teacher burnout, Koo emphasizes the importance of listening and communication.
“I’ve had a chance to talk to some teachers, and they really care but the sense I get is that they don’t feel heard. One of my important priorities is getting the engagement of teachers because they’re the ones that are on the frontlines,” Koo said. “In talking to some of them, they feel that sometimes the direction is more from the top down, and their feedback is not taken as seriously. I’d have to do some more digging once I’m elected, but that concerns me.”
I’ve had a chance to talk to some teachers, and they really care but the sense I get is that they don’t feel heard. One of my important priorities is getting the engagement of teachers because they’re the ones that are on the frontlines. — Amy Koo
Bhopale notes that this trend is not uncommon.
“The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an already difficult problem, which is teacher recruitment and retention. Some took early retirement. Some decided to take a sabbatical, and others just chose to leave the profession entirely. If that trend continues, [it’ll be] a big problem for the state of education,” Bhopale said.
Both Bhopale and Koo were on the BRSSD board when the pandemic happened.
“I actually was board president of BRSSD during the pandemic,” Bhopale said. “I remember March 13th. Very well…I feel that I was really effective as a president of the board in guiding our district. As a board, we took a conservative approach; we weren’t the first to reopen, but we weren’t the last either.”
Bhopale reflected on the response to the pandemic and its challenges.
“In terms of what we could have done better, I wish that, knowing what I know now, we could have been able to open faster,” Bhopale said. “But we had to bring along all of our stakeholders, especially our teachers, some of whom either had health issues themselves or were living with family members who had health issues and were rightfully scared. I think all in all, I feel comfortable with how we handled it.”
Koo was the BRSSD board vice president when schools shut down, and board president when schools reopened.
“I really saw the whole thing from beginning to end,” Koo said. “As a district we actually did do some pre-work, making sure that parents had an idea that Friday might be the last day of school, letting teachers know something might be coming down the pike.”
When the topic of safety came up, Bhopale emphasized that the shooting outside Carlmont last April was an extreme example but an important reminder than schools are often very vulnerable.
“I was actually very near campus at the time, and one of the things I was happy about was the Belmont police response was rapid and it was responsive,” Bhopale said. “It was pretty amazing how they were able to lock down, shelter in place, do all the right things. I think one of the things the incident revealed to us was how vulnerable our campuses can be.”
Bhopale recalled her previous experiences with campus safety in BRSSD. When the district engaged a consultant, they discovered that many schools lacked proper barriers and fencing and then worked to erect them.
“Before, at some of the campuses we had some barriers and at some of the campuses like Sandpiper you could just walk in and no one would even know you’re there,” Bhopale said. “That wasn’t a safe situation.”
Bhopale believes that such improvements could improve the safety of Carlmont and other district high schools as well. “Luckily, it didn’t happen on campus. But there were students on that side of campus. It was literally just one street over,” Bhopale said.
Koo is focused on the preventative aspect of school violence, through strong mental health support and catching the warning signs early.
“Some of it I feel is very related to mental health,” Koo said. “A lot of times the perpetrators of violence have other issues going on that sometimes are missed. If we have a foundation, not just within the school, but in the broader community, of those different levels of support for health and well-being that’s a long-term, preventative solution.”
Koo describes her top three priorities as recruiting and retaining teachers, clear and transparent communication with stakeholders, and being a district where students are able to achieve success in a safe and inclusive environment.
Bhopale said her top three priorities were student achievement, school safety, and fiscal responsibility.
“When I say student achievement, I’m talking about advanced students, struggling students, and all the kids in between, who we can forget about sometimes. Safe schools mean both physically and emotionally safe, because kids can’t learn if they’re not safe. And fiscal responsibility, because we’re parents, but also taxpayers, and we want to see our tax dollars spent wisely,” Bhopale said.
Safe schools mean both physically and emotionally safe, because kids can’t learn if they’re not safe. — Suvarna Bhopale
Koo is endorsed by all members of the San Mateo Board of Education, Carrie Du Bois, the SUHSD Board President, Alisa MacAvoy, a trustee on the Redwood City School District, the San Mateo County Stonewall Democrats, and the San Mateo County Latinx Democratic Club.
Bhopale is endorsed by all her current colleagues, the San Mateo County Democratic Party, APSME, the classified union for all district staff, the Sequoia District Teachers Union, Kevin Mullin, the Speaker Pro Tem of the California Assembly, and the San Mateo Daily Journal.
Koo is very aware of the importance of public education and its impact on society.
“I always think of education as the great equalizer, especially in terms of public education. People from all walks of life can reach their potential,” Koo said. “It’s really based on people’s passion, you can’t dictate what success looks like for one person. Obviously, people will need guidance from teachers, parents, and organizations. I see education as a way for society to really flourish and democracy to grow stronger.”
Similarly to how Koo views education, Bhopale also views education in a very holistic way.
“Schools aren’t just there to teach core subjects,” Bhopale said. “The mission of schools is really to create good global citizens who are tolerant. Students who can see things from multiple perspectives, students who are able to collaborate, and students who are critical thinkers. That, to me, is the real mission of schools.”
