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Published on 10/19/1998 All articles from this issue

Four join school board race for three seats in the Fremont District

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Town Crier Staff Report

Four candidates are vying for three seats on the five-member Fremont Union High School District Board of Trustees. Elected candidates will each serve a four-year term.

The district, which includes five high schools and a student enrollment of about 8,650 - including 288 from Los Altos - is in the midst of beginning facilities upgrades under its $144 million construction bond, which passed with a 78.8 percent majority last April.

The following candidates will be on the Nov. 3 General Election Ballot:

Kathryn P. Ho, 49, is an educator and counselor with a master's degree in marriage, family and child counseling and a bachelor's degree in microbiology.

As an 11-year resident with two sons who graduated from district schools, Ho has served as the president of the Lynbrook PTA from 1994 to 1995; as a board member on the Fremont High Schools Foundation; a counselor at Monta Vista and Lynbrook high schools; and as a math and science teacher.

Ho's goals include building trust and respect in the community; expanding programs to enhance positive school climate and success for all students; and creating instructional opportunities for both college-bound and vocation-oriented students.

Randy Okamura (incumbent), 44, is a director of external affairs at Pacific Bell with a bachelor's degree from the University of California at Los Angeles and a master's in business administration from San Diego State University.

As an 11-year resident with two elementary-age children who will attend district schools, Okamura has served on the Silicon Valley Manufacturer's Group, Education Task force; on the technology Network public policy committee; the Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors this year; and on the San Jose Parks and Recreation in 1996.Okamura's goals include setting and achieving world class academic standards; developing and supporting teaching excellence; and providing accountability to students, staff and community.

Michael E. Boyd, 41, is an engineer/physicist with a bachelor's degree in physics from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

As a five-year resident with two preschool children who will be attending district schools, he has served as a director on the Santa Barbara County Private Industry Council, the Isla Vista Recreation and Park District, the Goleta West Sanitary District; and he served on the city of Sunnyvale Housing and Human Services Commission.

Boyd's goals include improving hard sciences courses including math, physics and chemistry; developing detailed objectives and principals to monitor performances; and concentrating on what is taught more than how to teach it.

Avrum C. "Avie" Katz, 57, is a teacher at a San Jose continuation school with a bachelor's degree and master's degree from San Francisco State University.

He completed his graduate work at the University of California at Berkeley. An 11-year resident and the father of two children who attend Monta Vista High, Katz is a past member of the Music and Art Booster; a PTA member; and has been a speaker at district diversity meetings. Katz has 25 years of teaching experience at middle and high school levels.

Katz's goals include encouraging more communication among students, teachers, administrators and board members; developing technical support from private enterprise; and introducing new approaches to learning.

For more information about the upcoming school board elections, go to the League of Women Voters's "Smart Voter" Web site at www.smartvoter.org.