Candidate for
Council Member; City of Santa Clara; Seat 5

Biography

My name is Joe Kornder. I am running for Santa Clara City Council Seat 5 in the November 2006 election.

Thank you for allowing me to share some information about my life and campaign for City Council in Santa Clara. It is likely that our paths have crossed before. In my forty years with the Santa Clara Unified School District as a teacher, coach, principal, and associate superintendent, I have worked with thousands of students and their families and other members of the community. I have been extremely proud to serve our children and our community in this way.

Now I am asking that you support my effort to serve the community in another way. If indeed we have crossed paths, I believe you know me to be an honest, dedicated, intelligent, hardworking person. If indeed we have crossed paths, I believe you will remember that I have been fair and compassionate and completely devoted to the well being of the students and adults in my care.

I will bring this same package to my work on the City Council. I believe the City will be better for my guidance, my judgment, and my effort.

Biographical Information

I was born and raised in Southern California (mostly San Bernardino). I attended the University of California at Riverside (UCR), earning my BA in Comparative Literature (English and Spanish) in 1960. At Riverside, I played football, basketball, and baseball, sang in the school choir. I put myself through college, working nights and summers.

After a six month active duty stint in the Army (followed by six years in National Guard), I married Dorothy and we moved to Campbell, where she had already begun her teaching career at Rosemary School. I enrolled in graduate school at San Jose State and earned my teaching credential. In the summer of 1962 I was hired by then-principal Don Callejon to teach English and Spanish and coach at Buchser High School in Santa Clara. Son Mike was born that same year. Daughter Kelley arrived in 1966.

In 1965 we bought a house on Loyola Drive in Santa Clara. We had to stretch to qualify for that $20,000 house. We are still there.

My 40 year career in the Santa Clara Unified School District has allowed me to work with students and staff at all grade levels. I have loved every minute of it:

• English and Spanish teacher, Buchser High School, Santa Clara High School,Wilcox High School - 25 years
• Basketball coach, Buchser High School, Wilcox High School - 24 years
• Vice Principal, Peterson Middle School - 3 years
• Principal, Millikin Elementary School - 5 years
• Assistant to the Superintendent, District Office - 3 years
• Associate Superintendent, District Office - 2 years
• Associate Superintendent, Retired, and Consultant, District Office - 2 years

Son Mike, his wife Rosario, and daughter Rachel live in Santa Clara. Mike's career is in Parks and Recreation Administration. Daughter Kelley, her husband Tim, and daughter Charlotte live in Ben Lomond. Her career is in establishing and managing corporate philanthropic programs. My wife Dorothy served as President of the original Triton Museum volunteer organization, the Triton Guild, and was the Charter President of the organization that replaced the Guild, the Triton Alliance. For over thirty years she organized and mounted the SCUSD Student Art Exhibit at the Triton. She has been a member of the Santa Clara Women's Club. She continues to teach elementary school art in SCUSD schools.

Related Experience/Qualifications

My career in education with the Santa Clara Unified School District has given me valuable opportunities to work closely with City staff and the Santa Clara community:

• Leading Millikin Elementary School to the California Distinguished School award
• Serving on the District/City Liaison Committee
• Negotiating community/district agreements on design and use of Santa Clara High School Stadium
• Coordinating community/district planning for the Mission City Centre for the Performing Arts.
• Planning and developing key elements of the District's teacher housing complex (Casa de Maestro)
• Overseeing preparation for opening the new Don Callejon School
• Serving on the District Facility Needs Task Force and Bond Oversight Committee
• Leading the Facility Needs/Modernization Study for the District Adult Education school
• Co-chairing the successful Measure J $315 million School Facility Bond campaign

I am now serving as a Planning Commissioner for the City.

Why don't I have more civic involvement on my resume? Actually, education is a civic duty/activity. Beyond that, my teaching, coaching, administrator duties and responsibilities and family filled my days and nights for all those years, leaving little time to get involved in the City. The interest has always been there. Now the time is available too.

Why Run for City Council

I want to serve on the City Council for the most basic of reasons: I want to serve the City, its residents and its families; I want to give something back. My wife and I have lived in Santa Clara since 1965. I have worked here since 1962. Santa Clara has been a wonderful place for my wife and me and our family. I am dedicated to keeping our City a safe, comfortable, attractive place to live, work, raise a family, and grow old.

As a 40-year educator (teacher, coach, principal, associate superintendent), I am proud to have worked with and for the children and families in the Santa Clara Unified School District. As Councilmember, I will work just as hard, with the same high level of success, integrity, dedication, and compassion, with and for the families, residents, seniors, business men and women of Santa Clara. I will be privileged to have your support in this effort.