Candidate for
Board Member; Orinda Union School District

My name is: Bekki Van Voorhis-Gilbert

My age is: 46

My occupation is: Mother/Educator

Education and Qualifications:

As a mother of two children in the Orinda Schools, I am running for the OUSD Board of Trustees. I believe that my experience as an educator and leadership in a wide range of voluntary activities along with my professional training in law, social welfare policy and child development make me well- qualified to serve our community in these difficult times. (To learn more about me, please visit http://www.bekkigilbert.com)

I have attended many OUSD School Board Meetings. I have visited all 5 OUSD school sites - talking with parents, teachers and staff to learn about what they see as currently working well in the OUSD and their hopes for the future.

What I have learned has helped shape my platform.

Advancement of 21st Century Student Skill: OUSD students have consistently achieved an outstanding record on the conventional measures of academic performance. However, the academic requirements of the 21st century are changing. New skills are in demand based on, for example, advanced information technology, critical thinking and project-based learning. The OUSD has tremendous potential to provide intellectual leadership in reshaping the standard educational model to meet this challenge.

Fiscal Responsibility and Academic Excellence during Difficult Economic Times: State Budget Projections for the next five years are bleak. The District needs to formulate a thoughtful Strategic Plan that generates greater efficiencies, explores cross/intradistrict collaboration and advances creative revenue generating ideas.

Responsiveness to Community, Parent and Teacher Opinion: Parents, teachers and community members should be treated as partners in the educational enterprise; District Surveys of parents and teachers should be initiated and used to help inform decision making.

If elected I will do everything in my power to make informed and responsible decisions that will benefit the entire OUSD Community.

Thank you for your consideration.

Bekki Van Voorhis-Gilbert, JD, PhD