Bill Youstra top vote-getter in Portola Valley school election

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Bill Youstra, an Internet product and media consultant, is the top vote-getter in an all-mail election to fill the fifth seat on the school board of the Portola Valley School District, according to San Mateo County elections office.

The count as of Wednesday, May 7, is 784 votes for Mr. Youstra, or 54 percent, and 666 votes for the other candidate, Dr. David Morris, a physician and researcher.

The election was held to fill the remaining term of Donna Carano, who resigned from the board Oct. 17. Her term ends in December 2009.

A total of 1,458 votes were cast, 29 percent of the 4,994 registered voters in the district, according to the elections office.

Deadlocked on appointment

The school board had attempted in December to fill this fifth seat by appointment, but the four board members split 2-2 on the two candidates who had applied for the appointment: Karen Jordan, a former board member, and Brad Turner, who came in a close third in an election last November for two seats on the board.

The board then decided to call this special election to fill the seat, at a cost to the district of $10,000.

Candidates’ experience

Both Mr. Youstra and Dr. Morris have a strong academic background as well experience in teaching and working collaboratively in the academic and business worlds. Neither had run for a public office before.

They didn’t know each other until they met as candidates. They agreed to have a low-key, informational campaign and took part in two public candidate forums.

The key, they said, to successful schools is to hire and keep excellent teachers and give them the tools to teach a variety of learners. They both support such teaching approaches as project-based learning or investigative learning that motivates and challenges students.

If the district is faced with making budget cuts, they stressed these cuts should be made as far away as possible from the classroom.

Mr. Youstra and his wife Jennifer have lived in the community for eight years, have two sons in school and expect to have some of their four children in the district until 2014.

Dr. Morris and his wife, artist Annie Ahern, moved to Portola Valley a little over year ago. The older of their two daughters will start kindergarten at Ormondale in late August.

Both may run again

Both Mr. Youstra and Dr. Morris said Tuesday night they plan to be candidates in the November 2009 school board election. That’s when the terms of three of the five board members expire: Mr. Youstra, Ray Villareal and Don Collat.

“I’m delighted and honored the voters made the selection,” said Mr. Youstra. “Dave and I enjoyed the process and getting to know each other and hearing all the issues of the parents and from the really involved community.”

He thanked community members for their “attention to education and generosity to the schools.”

Dr. Morris noted that “the election was reasonably close in light of the fact that I’m new to the district.” He said he enjoyed “the opportunity to meet everybody and get to know Bill. I look forward to working with him as an involved parent and community member.”

“Absolutely, I would consider running for a board seat in November 2009,” said Dr. Morris. “I feel the election was run respectfully, and the district will be well served.”

For additional information, see The Almanac’s March 26 election story and candidates’ bios.