Candidate for
Board Member; West Contra Costa Unified School District

About Madeline

Madeline moved to the Bay Area in 1967. She has been married to her husband, Hale Kronenberg, for 30 years, and they have successfully raised 5 children. Four of their children have attended schools in the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD).

Madeline was a full-time Adult Education Vocational Instructor before retiring in June 2010. She has 30 years of teaching experience and won the State Excellence in Teaching Award in 2003.

She spent 15 years as an active parent leader in our school district (WCCUSD) -- serving on five District-wide committees including the Redistricting Committee, the Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee and the Facilities Subcommittee. In 2005, she served as Co-Chair of Measure J. The successful passage of Measure J raised $400 Million to continue the upgrades of our antiquated schools.

Madeline was actively involved in PTA/PTSA. She continuously served in a volunteer capacity as President, Co-President, Site Council Chair and on many other boards and committees beginning in 1991. She has been a dedicated parent volunteer for our school district and has advocated on behalf of ALL children in our district for many years.

As a teacher and parent leader, Madeline brought her unique perspective to the School Board. She values the safety and security of our students and staff above all else. She has a thorough understanding of the resources and limitations that face our district. She understands that serving on the school board means that she serves you, the parents and staff of our district. She has been fiscally prudent with your tax dollars and at the same time made sure that students have all available resources at their disposal so that they can be challenged to their full potential and to achieve their best.

On the School Board, Madeline has been a hard worker and a consensus builder, with the ability to get things done. Having served during the most difficult budget period in recent history, she has been a leader in the fight to keep the District solvent and moving in the right direction.

Despite losing 28% of its state revenue, Madeline has been successful in preserving small class sizes, instructional time and adult education (things most other districts reduced or eliminated). She collaborated with cities to find additional funding to keep schools from closing and to develop daytime curfew programs to reduce truancy and drop-outs. As a Board member, she has served on the Facilities Subcommittee, the Academic Subcommittee, the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee, the Safety Subcommittee.

Upon becoming Board President in December 2009, she stated: "Optimism is an ethical duty." She believes in our children and their teachers and knows that "the best is yet to come."