Foothill-De Anza
seeks $248 million
Voters won't have to decide who will fill the two available four-year terms on the Los Altos School District Board of Trustees next month. The number of candidates who filed equals the number of empty seats, so there will be no election.
Newcomers David Casas and Margot Harrigan will join the board, filling the seats of incumbents Kristine Salmon and Terri Sachs who are not seeking re-election.
Casas and Harrigan will join the board during a period of massive renovations at each of the district's eight schools and the re-opening of the Covington site as a seventh elementary school.
Name: David Casas
Employment: Business analyst.
Marital status: Married with two children.
Previous public experience: Member of the Los Altos Parks and Recreation Commission, key organizer in this year's Fourth of July celebration at Shoup Park, member of the district's boundary committee and the Springer and Covington school site facility committees. Motivation for running: Casas said he believes in creating a strong sense of community for children. He wants to be a part of the district's plan to "renovate and reinvigorate our schools. What we do at this threshold will impact our community for years to come."
Name: Margot Harrigan
Employment: Former marketing manager and independent consultant for Hewlett-Packard Company. Currently a community volunteer.
Marital status: Married with one daughter.
Previous public experience: President of Los Altos-Mountain View Council of Parent-Teacher Associations, a member of the Loyola School PTA, served on the district's curriculum, facilities, school boundaries and Covington School site committees, served as co-chairwoman at Loyola School for the district's Measure H campaign.
Motivation for running: "We're facing a really exciting four-year period, and I want to be part of it. There are a lot of issues" - facilities, staffing standards.
The Foothill-De Anza College District is seeking a $248 million bond measure on this November's ballot to repair, renovate and rehabilitate facilities at both Foothill, located in Los Altos Hills, and De Anza College in Cupertino.
School officials say a bond is necessary to maintain its facilities, which are between 32 and 42 years old and to keep up with growing enrollment and changing needs - especially training in technology and related careers.
Officials say the facilities were designed for 13,000 students when built in 1957 and 1967. Enrollment is now more than 40,000.
Measure E would cost local property owners $14 per $100,000 of assessed valuation.
If approved, Measure E would:
Replace aging roofsUpgrade electrical systemsRenovate outdated science classroomsReplace deteriorated plumbing, restroomsReplace heating and ventilation systemsImprove access to technologyRetrofit for seismic safetyBuild new classroomsProvide facilities for job training.