Politics & Government
Ed Gilardi, D-Cotati, Canidate for Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District Board of Trustees
Gilardi hopes to continue serving Cotati-Rohnert Park students as a board member.
General Information
Name : Mr. Ed Gilardi
Age : 55
Place of residence : Cotati
Education
College
Attended college : Yes
College : College of Marin
Degree : Associate of Science
Year of graduation : 1977
Grad school
Employment Information
Job titles held : NA
Employers : United Markets
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Political Information
Party affiliation : Democrat
Running for a: Local office
Running for position: Trustee Cotati Rohnert Park Unified School District
Chamber/district:
Incumbent: Yes
First elected: 02 November 1996
Previous elective offices : None
Unsuccessful bids for elective offices : None
Party HQ
Address 45 Nelson Lane
Cotati
CA
94931
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Other facts
I am committed to public education and ensuring young people get a strong and healthy start in life. Serving on the school board has allowed me to have a positive influence in this arena and I look forward to continuing in that capacity. -Current Trustee for the past 16 years -California School Boards Association Masters of Boardsmanship degree -Delegate Assembly Representative for Sonoma County to the California School Boards Association Having been on the school board for the past 16 years I have an institutional memory and unique understanding of the challenges our schools face and what has worked in the past. Public schools are struggling in this current economic environment and I believe my experience over the last number of years will serve the district well as we negotiate the challenging road ahead. The loss of State and Federal funding combined with declining enrollment has had a major impact on our District. As a way to attract new students and retain those we currently have, this year we have started a year round elementary program, converted two elementary sites from K-6 to a K-3 and a 4-6 to allow a more focused learning environment and converted one site to a K-8 with a focus on environmental and technology studies. These changes were made following a survey of student and parent needs. Over the past 16 years I have advocated in Washington DC for improved funding and changes to the reauthorization of the Federal No Child Left Behind Act and for the passage of school modernization funding. I have also advocated in Sacramento to protect the current funding we receive, flexibility with categorical program funding and the lowering of the threshold for approving parcel taxes to 55 percent. This year I was also elected by the School Trustees from school districts throughout Sonoma County to be their representative to the Delegate Assembly of the California School Boards Association. My top 4 goals are: 1) To maintain district wide accountability and fiscal stability while continuing to provide quality educational programs that meet the needs of all of our students with a wide range of both academic and vocational programs. 2) Expand our vocational programs to better meet the changing needs in the workplace and those of our business community. 3) Completion on the final remodeling phases at Rancho Cotate High School 4) Reopening La Fiesta School as an interactive hands-on, parent-based elementary school.
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