Candidate for
Board Member; Saddleback Valley Unified School District

Suzie Swartz, past Board President and current Board Member, has been a strong advocate for SVUSD schools on the local, state and federal levels. Throughout the financial crisis she has worked tirelessly to provide the classroom support needed to raise student achievement and to provide safe, nurturing learning environments.

Recently the California School Boards Association recognized Suzie's strong voice on behalf of SVUSD children by appointing her a Federal Government Relations Chair where she can expand efforts to bring more education dollars back to our neighborhood schools. Suzie also represents SVUSD and serves as President of Coastline Regional Occupational Programs, she is Vice President of the Orange County School Boards Association and has served in every capacity as an officer of the SVUSD School Board.

Suzie has been honored with the Phi Delta Kappa Golden Triangle Citizen of the Year Award for her years of community service to our public schools. She has served several terms as PTA President for Del Cerro Elementary and on the Executive PTA Boards for Del Cerro and Saddleback Valley PTA Council. Suzie has also served on various parent booster boards, including music boosters, at the secondary school levels, as well as on education committies at the district, county and state levels. She is proud to be a founding member of Asset Building Communities for Kids in South Orange County, an Assest Building Trainer and has been a presenter at Positive Youth Development Conferences.

As a school board member and teacher, Suzie Swartz knows how to build consensus among various partners to create positive results. She has a reputation for being accessible and a considerate listener who weighs issues thoroughly, looks at the big picture and offers reasoned, thoughtful responses. Suzie undertands the importance of fostering an environment that values high expectations, encourages parental involvement, promotes accessibility of teachers, administrators and school board members, and that emphasizes mutual respect.

Suzie is married and lives with her husband and youngest son who attends an SVUSD school. Her oldest son, an SVUSD graduate, attends college in the east.