Candidate for
Governing Board Member; William S. Hart Union High School District; Trustee Area 4

My name is Andrew Taban. I grew up in the Santa Clarita Valley, am a graduate of the Hart district, and have been actively involved in several community and nonprofit organizations including the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita, PFLAG SCV, The Michael Hoefflin Foundation, equestrian therapy programs, and others. I have organized educational workshops to raise awareness of student rights in public schools and have worked closely with legislators to draft education legislation. I've held multiple leadership positions throughout my education, and offer experience working with special needs and English language learners affording me recent hands-on experience working with the diverse array of students our district serves.

I am running for the board because there is a disconnect between stakeholders and district leadership. For example, as a student leader, I attended and spoke at many board meetings over the past two years. It was evident that my voice and the views of my peers were undervalued, unwelcome and dismissed. My first-hand experience allows me to bring the student perspective that is currently lacking and inspire new ways of embracing the diverse views and needs of students and teachers and collaborating on solutions.

Our district faces many challenges such as closing the achievement gap, the construction of Castaic High School, and ensuring the safety and security of our students, teachers, and staff - all of which could benefit from fresh perspective and increased transparency and community engagement.

I have ideas in regards to increased transparency and improved fiscal responsibility. We should begin to hold monthly fiscal reports, as well as facility updates to keep track on our progress of facilities, and Castaic High School to make sure your tax dollars are being spent conservatively and efficiently. We need to have greater oversight with our planning committees to make sure we do not run into future overruns. We continuously need to keep our community informed of our spending.

I am dedicated and possess the time, energy and work ethic needed to be an effective trustee. If elected I will push for new ways to engage parents so their questions, concerns, and ideas can be heard without taking significant time away from their family and work obligations. I will push for greater transparency and fiscal responsibility with your tax dollars. And, if elected, student achievement and safety will always be my utmost priority.