Politics & Government

TAM School Board Race: Meet the Candidates

The race is on, with four people vying for three open seats on the Tamalpais Union High School District board. Get to know them.

 

Four candidates from across Marin have returned their nomination papers, and will be vying for the three open seats on the Tamalpais Union High School District Board. 

While there’s a chance that more residents will add their names to the ballot, so far the race is on for the Nov. 5 election among business owner Sheri Mowbray, of Larkspur; retired school secretary Nancy Malcolm, of Corte Madera; retired IT executive Conn Hickey, of San Anselmo, and soon-to-be-retired teacher Chuck Ford, of Lagunitas. 

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The deadline to file nomination papers is 5 p.m. Aug. 9. If an incumbent does not file for office by then, the filing period will be extended for that office until 5 p.m. Aug. 14 for non-incumbent candidates only.

Sheri Mowbray

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Mowbray is finishing up her term on the Larkspur-Corte Madera School District board, where she served for six years, including the past two as president.

“My top priority will be to keep the focus on the students, ensuring that each student at each of our schools receives what they need in order to learn and thrive,” Mobray said in her candidate statement. “I believe in teamwork and collaborative decision-making that benefit our students. And, I strongly believe that listening to and communicating with all constituent groups is critical to our success.”

A graduate of UCLA, she said students must be challenged to learn and grow both academically and emotionally, while adapting to our rapidly changing times.

Mowbray owns Mogo Marketing and Media in Corte Madera, and has two twin girls, Kyra and Chloe, who will be entering Redwood High School in the fall.

“There’s currently one board member who’s a parent in the district, and there’s no other candidate that has children in the district,” she said over the phone. “I think I will bring a fresh perspective.”

Nancy Malcolm

As a 17-year employee of the TAM District, Malcolm retired from her position as a counseling secretary at Redwood High, where she served as a Redwood classified representative, chapter union officer, negotiations committee member, and state communication committee representative.

Malcolm said she’s won state communication awards, and has first-hand experience of how the schools function.

“My longevity affords me an institutional memory as well as a sense of how some of the current changes are affecting the education of students and the morale of the staff in general,” she said in her candidacy statement. “I seek to represent the voice of the staff; a voice which has been greatly diminished in recent years. They have the knowledge, experience, dedication and passion to provide our students with the best education possible.”

Conn B. Hickey

A retired internet technology executive, Hickey has served on the Ross Valley School District board from 2003 – 2007, and again from 2009 – 2011. He said he’s developed a strong commitment to public education and providing students with the skills to survive in the 21st century: “being engaged and self-directed learners; working collaboratively; and critically analyzing information to solve unfamiliar problems.”  The theme is based on new Common Core State Standards. Hickey said he wants to combine his experience in the IT world with his experience in the public school world to implement that vision. 

“I believe this can only be accomplished by trusting teachers and empowering them to work collaboratively with each other in order to model these characteristics for and with their students,” he said.

Hickey has two adult children and an 18-year-old, Daniel, who just graduated from Sir Francis Drake High School. He said he wants to focus on educating students for the future.

“Change is difficult,” Hickey said in his candidate statement “My 33-year career as an IT Executive has also given me valuable insights into the changes we must make to prepare our children for this new world.”

Chuck Ford 

For the past 21 years, Ford has been the leader of Tamiscal High School’s popular outdoor academic TEAM program, which focuses on community service, career exploration and leadership through wilderness trips for 24 students a year across the district.

Ford is retiring at the end of the year, which sparked a public campaign to maintain the program when the district considered cutting it.

At 67-years-old said he's been considering running for a seat on the TAM District Board for the last year after announcing his retirement when teaching became too much for him. 

"I can still do the classroom and I can still do the trips, but when I got home at night and was looking at two to three hours of correcting papers, papers there was no gas left in the tank," he said. "This is something that seemed like a really good fit for me with my experience and my skills. 

A resident of Lagunitas, he served on the Lagunitas School Board from 1979 – 1983, and is the only teacher running so far. 

“With my background, I’ve seen first-hand how Marin schools work — and sometimes don’t — from every perspective,” he said.

Ford has launched a campaign with a public release declaring his candidacy, a personal website, and an endorsement from Marin County Supervisor Steve Kinsey.

“On the Tamalpais Board," he said, "I’ll bring students, teachers, parents, and District staff together to solve problems, improve communications, increase transparency, and prepare our students for successful careers and fulfilling lives." 


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