San Juan Unified School Board election: Who are the candidates for Trustee Area 3?
Voters in the San Juan Unified School District are choosing trustees by geographic district instead of at-large for the first-time this fall.
In District 3, Trustee Zima Creason is running for reelection against Alex Zamansky, a parent who on his website said he was critical of the district’s decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. He did not respond to The Sacramento Bee’s voter guide.
They are running to represent neighborhoods in the Arden-Arcade area near Rio Americano High School.
Zima Creason
Age: 42
Occupation: Executive Director of the CA EDGE Coalition
Offices held: San Juan Unified School District Board of Trustees, elected in 2018
Campaign Website: www.voteforzima.com
If elected, what strategies or changes should San Juan Unified focus on to improve educational outcomes for all students?
A lot needs to be done to improve outcomes. Less than desirable outcomes are not a challenge unique to the SJUSD. Systematic changes need to be made at the federal, state, and local levels.
We need to serve the whole child. It is really hard to focus on education when you are hungry, face challenges with housing, and don’t have additional academic support or resources at home such as technology or access to tutoring. We must do more to serve the whole child and whole family so that students can truly focus on their education.
We need to evaluate how success is measured. Irwin’s bill, AB 705 (and most recently strengthened AB 1705 (on governor’s desk for signature), seeks to do away with the practice of placing students in remedial classes that do not earn college credit as a result of a placement test. It has been demonstrated that testing alone is not an appropriate or accurate measure of a student’s understanding of curriculum or competency. I am prepared to partner with educators and other leaders to define new ways of demonstrating growth and proficiency.
We need to evaluate how we teach subjects like English and Math. Curriculum changes could educate students in a way that is more applicable to real life and career. Many CTE programs do a great job of providing education in a way that is related to a specific career track. Students will be more successful when the learning is tied to practical use.
Across the state, teacher and staff recruitment retention could be a concern for years to come. What should the district do to ensure teachers come and stay at San Juan Unified?
There are several strategies including bonuses, ensuring great wages and benefits, and improvements to work conditions that can make the SJUSD a destination district.
I’m really excited to explore pathway programs that allow students to access careers in education. This opportunity should be available to our adult education students as well as our K-12 kids. A kind of “grow your own”model that includes opportunities to cohort with other students interested in a job in education, specialized services/support, opportunities for field trips and job shadowing, access to college dual enrollment opportunities, and more - all focused on supporting students to land good jobs in education.
About 15% of your school district identifies as English Language Learners. What additional support would you like to see for students to reach more academic success?
Increased access to support during school hours, after school hours, and access to technology outside of school would greatly support our students that are ELL. More whole child support as I mentioned above is needed. We need more teachers and staff with lived experience of being an ELL student. They have a unique understanding and expertise as a result of their lived experience that will greatly support our students. Lastly, we need sustainable funding to provide ongoing student support and living wages to staff who can provide tutoring and other assistance before and after school hours.