HomeLettersSchool Board Race Has Readers Excited

School Board Race Has Readers Excited

First published in the Oct. 13 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.

When I first met Debra Barsom six years ago, I quickly realized that she was the type of person who would step in and get things done.
She has demonstrated through her many volunteer and board positions that my initial impression of her was not wrong. While I knew her first as a parent, I got to know her even better working alongside her on the La Cañada Elementary PTA Board.
Debra was consistently an active organizer of events and enrichment opportunities for our children, and she was always motivated by what would benefit our children the most. Debra was also a person who wasn’t afraid to ask the hard questions in our board meetings, ensuring that we focused on matters that were important and had productive conversations about potential solutions.
Debra Barsom is an excellent candidate for the LCUSD School Board for several reasons. First, she is a transparent leader who encourages respectful conversations that can help bring us together as a community.
Second, her experience as an employment attorney indicates an aptitude for working through complicated situations and arriving at a solution collaboratively.
Third, her children will be attending La Cañada public schools for the next 11 years, which means she’ll be incredibly vested in the decisions that will be facing our School Board. I will be casting a vote for Debra Barsom, and I encourage others to do the same.

Brooke Niemiec
La Cañada Flintridge

As a former educator, Octavia Thuss certainly knows what teachers in La Cañada classrooms need.
But just as important, she understands the needs of a broad range of students, from those who struggle academically or have IEPs, to the district’s highest performers. She has worked tirelessly in support of the band, color guard and orchestra.
Octavia is always at the games and competitions, coming up with creative ways to fundraise for our program, and making sure everyone has what they need. She’s an outstanding parent, listener, collaborator and problem-solver. I’m convinced that’s exactly what we need on our school board.

Melinda Fulmer
La Cañada Flintridge

Whether you were fortunate to grow up in LCF and stayed as I did, or you moved here later in life, the quality of our public schools was most likely of paramount importance to your decision to live in this special community.
That’s why I am an enthusiastic supporter of Joe Radabaugh. He is approachable and a man of integrity and character. His ability to research and analyze complex issues, listen to all opinions with respect, come up with collaborative creative solutions, then make an informed decision that is in the best interest of our students, teachers and staff while also being fiscally responsible shows his true leadership qualities.
Please join me in reelecting Joe Radabaugh to the LCUSD Governing Board!

Wes Seastrom
La Cañada Flintridge

I am writing you to highlight what an amazing candidate Debra Barsom is for the LCUSD School Board.
My husband Robert and I have known Debra, Mike and her family through several different organizations, including church, LCE PTA, LCPC’s Parent Ed, Cub Scouts, et al. And every time, I am inspired by Debra’s tireless energy and dedication to each one of those organizations.
When we heard Debra would run for the School Board, it was a resounding “yes!” for us. We as a community would be incredibly fortunate to have her on our School Board.
I’ve seen her interface and engage with parents and families across La Cañada Flintridge for many, many years. I’ve seen her helm her Cub Scouts dens with great enthusiasm and expertise. And on the School Board, I trust she will decide and act swiftly and proficiently, with the right intentions in place.
I know every School Board member faces hard decisions and increasingly complicated, nuanced issues. I am confident Debra will tackle and address each one of those decisions and issues with poise, intelligence and courage.
We need a School Board member with the heart, mind and convictions of an engaged parent like Debra. She has amassed a huge amount of experience, and still has young kids at the elementary school level. She is plugged in and aware of the unique needs and concerns of elementary school parents.
So please join us in voting for Debra Barsom on Tuesday Nov. 8! Thank you.

Esther Cha
La Cañada Flintridge

I am writing in support of Debra Barsom for the school board. I am not here to ask you to vote for her because she’s my friend, rather because she’s not.
I met Debra about a year ago but didn’t really know her until I sat down with her to see if I would endorse her for School Board. Not only did she impress me enough to endorse her, but I joined her grassroots campaign team and have been continually awed by her character and leadership.
Today, our small community is wounded and fractured. I keep hearing divisive rumors swirling around and have been so inspired by how Debra has remained unaffected and steadfast in her conviction to run a civil and respectful campaign. She refuses to engage in the underhanded games that are being played. It’s just simply who she is. She leads by example; she isn’t willing to compromise who she is to win an election.
I ask you to please head to a coffee or drop in and chat with Debra to hear her platform. Her primary goal is to be an advocate for the best interests of our students, parents and teachers here in La Cañada and wants to restore the trust and unity that has been lacking.
Please consider voting for Debra Barsom for School Board. She will help us come together again to make our community stronger.

Jamie Abrahamian
La Cañada Flintridge

We’ve lived in LCF for 10 years, and I’ve been so fortunate to call Octavia Thuss a friend for the past four years.
Let me tell you about my friend:
She gives her time, so willingly, like nothing I’ve ever witnessed. She’s the Michael Jordan of time-donation.
She is not afraid of anything. She is not afraid to admit that everything in our small town may not be perfect. She is not afraid to attack those issues if needed. She is not afraid of change.
She sardonically allows me to call her Olivia on occasion, because I’m amused how many people get her name incorrect.
One of her sons says she makes every Halloween costume, by hand, every year, and they rock.
Another son says she plays catch until she needs a bottle of ibuprofen. Not to mention rides, food, fully supporting any and every extracurricular activity. (It’s a ton, with three boys.)
A husband (OK, it was Charles) says she is the most talkative “silent” auction organizer ever.
She dressed in a toga to teach LCE about Greece for world heritage week. This is Octavia.
There is no other person I would rather have influencing and shaping the education of our two daughters (currently at LCHS).
Please consider Octavia Thuss for school board. She is amazing!

Matt Koskenmaki
La Cañada Flintridge

Now that ballots have hit our homes, I am writing this letter because I have had so many people ask me who I’m voting for in the school board election.
Certainly not the younger set of parents, because I was most active volunteering when my three children were in LCUSD during 1989-2010.
After all the volunteering for the schools, district and community that I did for so many years, I still have a passion for what happens in our schools and community. Most recently, I served for 15 years on the Community Scholarship Foundation; four years as president. This experience kept me in touch with the schools, district and community leaders. I am currently a member of the Thursday Club and Los Altos Sycamores.
I spoke at length with Debra Barsom, asking her a myriad of questions, including about CRT and DEI. I very much like her philosophy of what the top priorities of our schools should be. She is in favor of equal representation if it is proportional to the whole, rather than favoring one smaller group (but vocal group) over a larger group (who get ignored). She is mindful of age appropriateness before introducing sensitive issues to our children.
Debra is the only one running who has elementary school children, and this perspective would be an advantage for our board. For the many years I was active in the schools, I was privy to the school board and their negotiations with the Teachers’ Union. I believe it’s the parent’s voice that is most needed on the board to advocate on behalf of parents.
Learn more about Debra at: debra@debra4lcusd.com.

Karen Mathison
La Cañada Flintridge

Every six years, LCHS is reviewed for accreditation (WASC Accreditation Report).
The outcome of these documents are made public and can be viewed at the high school office. These evaluations reveal the outstanding LCUSD programs and the programs that “need improvement.”
Consistently reported for a number of years: 1 – “Inadequate programs for special ed students,” 2 – “Outstanding programs for AP students.”
It’s just a known fact that our school district has focused on the students who will bring the highest scores for the district ensuring a high ranking; but the special ed students are continually swept under the rug.
While most outstanding school districts have an average of one or two special ed lawsuits annually, LCUSD has on occasion upwards of 20. Why is litigation the only option that special ed parents have to be heard? Why aren’t our current 394 special ed students included in the umbrella of Diversity, Equality, Inclusion (DEI)?
If, like me, you had/have a special needs child in LCUSD, then you also know the worry isn’t about the pronouns he/she/they; we worry about the other labels put upon the special ed students by other students: Retard. Freak. Stupid. Idiot. Loser. As well as comments such as “You don’t belong here. Why don’t you go to a school only for retards?” This is bullying, which should also be addressed under DEI, right?
Why have these last few years been heavily focused on the minuscule numbers of trans and gay students, while ignoring the much larger group of 394 special education students? Why don’t all students matter? Why don’t school board members champion for all students, and not just the ones who fit their political agenda?
I ask this question of Octavia Thuss and Dan Jeffries, the biggest proponents of the DEI program.
Let’s all ask the tough questions. Let’s understand why the partisan agenda of Octavia and Dan is focused so strongly on one of these groups of students.

Deborah Johannes
La Cañada Flintridge

I am voting for Joe Radabaugh for the school board. My wife and I have had children in the La Cañada schools since 1990, with the last two hopefully graduating in 2025.
As a long-time participant in the LCUSD and the La Canada Presbyterian Church pastor for 24 years, I have been positioned to observe firsthand leaders in our community. After three decades of observation, it was clear that some leaders tried to get much more out of serving than they invested in it. But then there were those notable exceptions who regularly gave more than they received. These were the difference makers who helped shape our wonderful community and school district. This is why Joe Radabaugh has my vote. I’ve watched him for 20-plus years. He is difference-maker par excellence, a man who regularly gives far more than he has received. He is the kind of leader that our school district needs.

Gary Dennis
La Cañada Flintridge

I am writing in support of Debra “Debbie” Barsom for LCUSD School Board.
Debbie is a smart, articulate and compassionate mother of three, who like most of us, moved to La Cañada to raise her children and send them to our amazing schools.
Her professional experience as an employment attorney and her volunteer experience — on the LCE and Council PTA boards, on the beloved LCF Parent Education Program board, and as president of Circle of Friends for Kidspace Museum — more than qualify her to represent the best interests of children and parents in LCUSD.
Debbie is the child of immigrants and values family, education and hard work. We served together on the LCE PTA Board and I can vouch for her work ethic, her professionalism and her responsible and thoughtful questions asked of our leaders in the decision-making process. Elementary parents make up half of our district, and if elected, Debbie will be the only board member with elementary-aged students as of next year.
I think there is incredible value, and arguably necessity, to have at least one active parent board member in the elementary schools. A lot can change in a year or two, so first-hand experience of new programs or teachers or a Wellness Center pilot for example, is important. Elementary school parents should feel like they have current representation on the board.
Lastly, I’ve heard false rumors are being spread about this upstanding citizen in our community that has done nothing but give of her time and money and trust in our school district. Debbie continues to take a tremendous amount of time away from her own children in an effort to serve all of our children, with the very best intentions coming from her heart and not a political agenda.
She is selflessly running because while she believes there is always room for improvement, she believes our district is fantastic and worth preserving. Debbie is in this for the long haul and the right reasons. You have three votes, and I hope you give her one of them.

Suzanne E. Jensen
La Cañada Flintridge

As an employment attorney and mother of three young children, Debra’s ability to engage in respectful conversation, be transparent and open-minded, and to question and listen, all make her an excellent choice for the school board.
She is the only candidate with elementary aged kids, soon to have a child in 7th grade, and she will give a voice to all families. She proposes more conversations and transparency with the community, through coffees or town hall meetings, outside of the formal board meetings.
Debra has a vested interest in the quality of our schools for years to come, and most importantly, she’ll put our kids first.

Stacey Ralphs
La Cañada Flintridge

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