Published: Tuesday, October 31, 2000

Differences are in the details
Ravenswood school race does not feature a divisive issue

by Charlie Breitrose

Jacqueline Wallace Greene Age: 35 Residence: East Palo Alto Occupation: Administrator in Stanford's mechanical engineering department. Background: Greene's four children all attended James Flood Elementary School. She is a member of the Flood site council. Board member of the P.A.L. Football League. Goals: Design a curriculum that will prepare students to succeed in high school and go on to college. For all students in the district to learn a second language, and to maintain the current bilingual program. Create better communication between students, teachers and parents. Find ways to keep teachers in the district, including providing housing. Chester Palesoo Age: 40 Residence: East Palo Alto Occupation: Career counselor with Opportunities Industrialization Center West. Background: Incumbent. Palesoo's four children do not attend the Ravenswood schools, but he has been involved at district schools since since being elected. Points to district's success in bringing up STAR Test scores and collaboration with the Boys & Girls Club of the Midpeninsula as the board's biggest accomplishments during his tenure. Goals: Palesoo would like to raise teachers' salaries to keep up with the increasing cost of living. He would also like to strengthen the contacts between teachers and parents. Wants all students to learn a second language, whether it's a Spanish speaker learning English, or vice versa. Edward Moss Age: 64 Residence: East Palo Alto Occupation: Contractor and retired United Airlines mechanic. Background: All five of Moss' children attended Ravenswood schools over the past 30 years. He still serves on the Belle Haven Elementary School site council. This is his third time running for the school board. He was a union leader for 20 years while working as an airline mechanic. Goals: Higher and more clear academic standards is one thing Moss would push for. He would like to move non-English speaking students into all-English classrooms faster, he said, because there isn't enough money to pay for the numbers of bilingual teachers needed. Parents should be more involved with their children's education, Moss said. He would like to see more parents working in classrooms.

The race for two seats on the Ravenswood City School District board revolves not around how to fix what's wrong with the district, but how to make what's right better.

In terms of rhetoric, the race is fairly mild, perhaps because the district is in better shape than it has been in many years. District scores on the STAR Test, California's standardized test, have moved up in most schools over last year and school campuses look better thanks to school bond construction.

Incumbent board member Chester Palesoo is seeking to retain his seat, and Jacqueline Wallace Greene and Edward Moss are looking to fill one or both of the two open seats, including one being vacated by Donna Rutherford, who is running for City Council.

Both challengers have been involved in the Ravenswood schools for many years. Moss has five children, all of whom attended district schools. Moss has been involved with several district committees--including advisory and fiscal affairs committees--and is on the Belle Haven Elementary School site council. Greene has four children, all of whom attend James Flood Elementary School. She currently serves on the school's site council.

Palesoo first joined the board in 1993, when he took over for Myrtle Walker following her election to the City Council. In November 1994, Palesoo ran unsuccessfully for the seat. Then two years later, he was elected the the board.

Palesoo said he has been a good team player.

"I have experience, I have the ability to move the district into the 21st century," Palesoo said. "Our current school board team is making progress. Let us continue on this." Greene stresses preparing students for high school and beyond. She would like to see a district curriculum and programs that challenges students.

"We have a lot of programs to help students maintain a certain level," Greene said. "I would like to see programs for over-achievers."

Moss, who ran unsuccessfully in 1992 and 1996, said that parents are the key to improving education in the district. He would like to see more parents helping out in the classroom or working with students after school. Teaching children English is also important to Moss--not only students who don't speak English at home, but those who grew up speaking the language.

"We have African-American students who can't communicate, and they're born here," Moss said. "Our children need to learn English as soon as possible."