Voter Guide: Menlo Park schools: Three candidates campaign as team Voter Guide: Menlo Park schools: Three candidates campaign as team (October 23, 2002)

Contest has 'shadow candidate' that triggered election

By Marjorie Mader

Almanac Staff Writer

For the first time since 1994, there's a contested election for three seats on the Menlo Park City School District's governing board.

But, this November 5 election is different. Three candidates -- incumbents Nancy Serrurier and Laura Rich and community volunteer Carol Orton -- are campaigning as a team, facing a shadow challenger.

Candidate Nora Zasslow, listed first on the ballot, triggered the election when she filed during the last days of the extended filing period to become the fourth candidate. Listed on the ballot as a translator/justice department, she did not file a candidate's statement for the county voter information pamphlet. She also did not respond to repeated phone calls from the Almanac, requesting an interview.

The trio of Orton, Serrurier and Rich decided to join forces and pool financial resources because they share the same commitment: To continue improving learning and teaching at the district's four schools, Laurel and Encinal in Atherton, and Oak Knoll and Hillview Middle in Menlo Park. Their campaign slogan, "Working Together for Children," has struck a chord with about 300 parents and community members who have endorsed them.

The three candidates' support for education and the district's schools goes back a decade and more. When the district faced difficult financial times, they supported the district's parcel tax elections, dating back to 1992 and 1995, and in April 2000 when voters approved the largest parcel tax of $298 (currently set at $321.90).

Parcel-tax funds of an anticipated $ 3.202 million this year are being used now to lower class sizes in the upper grades; offer art, music, computer technology and physical education for all students; and provide a librarian at each school. Resources also are being used to challenge all students and provide staff development programs for teachers.

Nancy Serrurier, currently board president, served as co-chair of the $23 million bond campaign in 1995 that funded the renovation of the district's four schools and construction of additional classrooms and facilities. She and Mrs. Rich were on the school board when the district's strategic plan was developed and the Measure A parcel tax was put on the ballot to raise funds to carry out the plan.

Mrs. Orton, a member of the steering committee for Measure A, has contributed her skills as a board member and former president of the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation. The foundation raises funds to provide grants to the district each year for educational programs and innovative teaching and learning projects.

While the three candidates share a vision for the schools, they say, they aren't running as a slate and, if elected, won't vote as a block. They share a strong interest in the district's upcoming strategic planning process, evaluating how programs are working and determining the next steps for the district. The parcel taxes, they agree, have had a tremendous impact on the district and provide a cushion of funding -- above what the state funds provide -- to offer a more comprehensive program.

Here are some of their thoughts:

** Carol Orton. The excellent work of school volunteers, teachers and administers inspired her to run. She supports paying stipends to teachers in hard-to-recruit areas, such as math, science and special education. She is concerned about the faltering economy, its impact on the state budget, and how that will affect allocations to schools. It's vital, she says, to focus on how parcel-tax revenues are spent, and determine if they're working well and helping every child.

** Nancy Serrurier. "The hard work ahead is improving [the schools], and not becoming complacent," says Ms. Serrurier. "Nothing could be more dramatic than the impact of the parcel taxes and support from the Menlo Park-Atherton Foundation on the district. It gives the district local control over the scope and the quality of the education program for 2,000 kids."

** Laura Rich. Seeking a second term, Mrs. Rich says she wants to be a part of new Superintendent Ken Ranella's transition and support him as the district fine-tunes the programs initiated by the 2000 parcel tax. One concern of hers is the challenge to recruit and retain excellent teachers despite the high cost of housing. "Teachers have moved out of the Bay Area because of the housing situation," she said. She would like to see affordable housing built that would give a high priority to teachers, firefighters, policemen, and others who serve the community.

Carol Orton

Education: Stanford University, BA, 1978; Indiana University, JD, 1981

Civic Service: Board member, Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation, 1998-present; president, 2000-2001. Oak Knoll School Site Council member, 1996-2002. Steering committee for school district's Measure A parcel tax election, 1999-2000.

Experience: Practicing attorney for 10 years for Gordon & Rees, a litigation law firm in San Francisco; partner for seven.

Years in district: 9 @smalltext :Age: 46

Family: Married to Luther Orton, an attorney with Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison; two daughters, Sara, second-grader at Oak Knoll, and Katie, sixth-grader at Hillview Middle; stepmother to three adult children.
Laura Linkletter Rich

Education: Stanford University, BA, 1984

Civic service: Incumbent, Menlo Park City School District Board 1998-present, board president, 2000-2001. Currently president of the San Mateo County School Board Association; Menlo Park PTA Council president, 1998-99; Encinal School PTA president, 1995-97; chair of Encinal School Site Council, 1997-98.

Experience: Designs Web sites for clients and pro bono for organizations, including the Menlo Park school district and Hillview PTA. Formerly, a technical writer of computer manuals.

Years in district: 18 Age: 40 Family: Married to Mark Rich, chief technology officer for Skypilot Networks; two children, Tyler, a sophomore at Menlo-Atherton High School, and Michelle, seventh-grader at Hillview Middle School.
Nancy Serrurier

Education: Brown University, AB 1977; Stanford University, MBA 1983

Civic service: Incumbent Menlo Park City School District Board of Trustee, 1998-2002; currently board president. Member of Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation board, 1992-98; and foundation president, 1996-97. Co-chair, Menlo Park district's school bond and parcel tax election, 1995. Member of the district's Fiscal Oversight Committee for $22 million bond expenditures, 1996-97.

Experience: Worked as legislative director for Sen. John Chafee for seven years in Washington, D.C.; management consultant, involved in new foods development for seven years; joined a food start-up.

Years in district: 12

Age: 47

Family: Married to Greg Serrurier, an investment manager at Dodge & Cox; two children, Kate, 15; Ben, 13, students at Menlo School.
Noria Zasslow

Candidate Zasslow did not respond to repeated requests from the Almanac for an interview and did not submit information about her candidacy or a photo. She did not file a candidate's statement for the county's voter information pamphlet.

Meet the candidates

A candidates' night for the four candidates running for three seats on the Menlo Park City School District Board begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 23, in the Encinal School Library, 195 Encinal Ave., Atherton. The forum is sponsored by the Menlo Park District PTA Council and moderated by the League of Women Voters.