dev.citrusheightssentinel.com

Tag: Murad Sarama

  • School Board: Who’s running in San Juan Unified School District?

    San Juan Unified School District candidates: top left to right, Zima Creason, Alex Zamansky, Jeffrey Perrine, Michael McKibbin, Tanya Kravchuk. Lower: Ben Avey, Ray Ward, Murad Sarama, Oleg Shishko, Steve Miller. // Images from SJUSD/Youtube

    Updated Oct. 29, 10:14 a.m.–
    By Phillip Pesola– Ten candidates are running for four seats on the San Juan Unified School District Board of Education in the Nov. 8, 2022, election. Trustee areas three, five, six, and seven are up for election, with areas six and seven being newly created.

    Below are highlights of each candidate, taken from their website, ballot statements, and the most recent financial disclosure forms. Candidates who did not have the most recent disclosures filed for donations through Oct. 22 have information cited from Sept. 24 filings, if available.

    Trustee Area 3

    • Zima Creason. First elected to the board in 2018, and currently serving as the board’s vice president. Has a child attending district schools. Key issue: ensuring access and opportunity for all. Top donor: San Juan Teachers Association ($5,250). Total contributions: $21,559, as of 9/24. Endorsed by the Democratic Party of Sacramento County and the San Juan Teachers Association. Website: voteforzima.com
    • Alex Zamansky. Attended Bella Vista High School, father of two, with daughter attending school in district. Key issue: “Kids in. Politics out.” Total contributions: $6,460, as of 9/24. Top donor: unclear. Endorsed by San Juan Parents Association. Website: alexforschoolboard22.com

    Trustee Area 5

    • Jeffrey Perrine. Attended San Juan schools from K-12, and now has two children attending. Key issues: concern about “indoctrination in education and mandates.” Member of controversial Proud Boys group. No financial filings posted, as of 10/24. Website: jeffreyperrine.com
    • Michael McKibbin. Currently serving as the SJUSD board’s president. First elected to the board in 2014. Son graduated from Casa Roble High School. Key issues: prioritizing students, empowering teachers. Key donor: San Juan Teachers Association ($26,530). Total donations as of 10/24: $36,705. Endorsed by the California School Employees Association and the San Juan Teachers Association. Website: mikemckibbin.org
    • Tanya Kravchuk. District alumna, mother of four. Key issues: Parental rights, increasing teacher pay. Key donor: self, $1,215. Total contributions: $6,527 as of 9/24. Endorsed by the Sacramento Republican Party and Citrus Heights City Councilman Bret Daniels. Website: tanyakravchuk.com

    Trustee Area 6

    • Ben Avey. Graduated from Del Campo High School, and has three children currently attending district schools. Key issue: Parental voice, COVID-19 policy. Key donor: Chris Hansen, $2,000. Total contributions: $12,075, as of 9/24. Endorsed by Sacramento Association of Realtors, Sacramento County Supervisor Rich Desmond. Website: benavey.com
    • Ray Ward. Currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce. Daughter graduated from schools in the district. Key issue: technical education options. Key donor: San Juan Teachers Association, $4,697. Total contributions: not posted, as of 10/24. Endorsed by Citrus Heights Planning Commissioner Andrew Van Duker and Citrus Heights Chamber Executive Director Diane Ebbitt. Website: vote4rayward.com

    Trustee Area 7

    • Murad “Moe” Sarama. Has a child enrolled in the district. Key Issues: Collaboration, prioritizing safety and security. Key donor: San Juan Teachers Association PAC, $3,598. Total contributions: not posted, as of 10/24. Endorsed by Citrus Heights Mayor Porsche Middleton and the Democratic Party of Sacramento County. Website: www.sarama.vote
    • Oleg Shishko. Served as a board member for CHASEN and Neighborhood Area 6, and has two children nearing school age. Key issues: parental rights, opposing mask/vaccine mandates. Key donor: personal loan, $1,824. Total contributions, $2,159, as of 9/24. Endorsed by Citrus Heights Vice Mayor Tim Schaefer and Councilman Bret Daniels. Website: voteoleg.com
    • Steve Miller. Has served on the Citrus Heights City Council since 2005. Son attended and graduated from district schools. Key issues: increased test scores and better funding. Key donor: Chamber PAC, $1,500. Total contributions, $2,975, as of 10/24. Endorsed by the Sacramento County Republican Party. Website: None

    Those interested in learning more about where each candidate stands on a variety of issues can find 25-minute interviews with each candidate posted on the district’s website: www.sanjuan.edu/boardelection.

    Questions asked in the interviews discuss school safety, changes in school start times, declining enrollment, ensuring high quality education, bond money, mental health, district fiscal health, union influence, combating hate and bias, and expanding student voices.

  • Citrus Heights vice mayor, mayor split on school board endorsements

    Citrus Heights vice mayor, mayor split on school board endorsements

    San Juan Unified School District’s new 7-member trustee area map, for 2022. // SJUSD

    Updated 9:58 a.m., Oct. 21–
    Sentinel staff report– In the three-way race for a newly created school board seat covering the majority of Citrus Heights, the city’s mayor and vice mayor are split on who to recommend for the seat.

    Citrus Heights Mayor Porsche Middleton has endorsed Murad “Moe” Sarama for the Area 7 seat on the San Juan Unified School District’s governing board, while Vice Mayor Tim Schaefer has endorsed Oleg Shishko.

    Both Shishko and Sarama are parents and residents of Citrus Heights, with Sarama touting his status as “the only candidate for the trustee area that has kids enrolled in SJUSD.” Shishko, who is the youngest candidate in the race at age 29, says on his website that his children have yet to reach school age, and focuses his messaging on parental rights and opposition to how schools handled the coronavirus pandemic with forced masking.

    In a press release announcing his endorsement, the vice mayor credited Shishko with being a key player in the campaign to defeat the city’s Measure M sales tax increase two years ago and said the candidate “also has a vested interest in providing the highest quality education for his children and as well as children of the city of Citrus Heights.”

    Sarama, 45, says on his website that top priorities will be encouraging collaboration and building bridges, providing support and resources, and prioritizing safety and security.

    The school board race, although nonpartisan, has attracted endorsements from the region’s major political parties. The Democratic Party of Sacramento County has endorsed Sarama, while the Sacramento County Republican Party has endorsed Steve Miller for the Area 7 seat.

    Miller, 64, who currently sits on the Citrus Heights City Council, announced earlier this year that he is retiring from the position. His son is a Mesa Verde High School graduate and currently coaches sports.

    From July: Miller to run for new school board seat in Citrus Heights

    Schaefer has also endorsed in SJUSD’s Area 4 election, encouraging voters to select Tanya Kravchuk. Middleton confirmed with The Sentinel last week that she has only opted to endorse in the Area 7 race.

    The SJUSD school board last year voted to expand its ranks to seven elected members, up from the original five, creating one dedicated seat covering Citrus Heights. The board also voted to elect its members by trustee area, rather than at-large.

    The trustee area map adopted by the school board gives Citrus Heights a guaranteed seat on the board with Area 7, whereas “at-large” voting before led to the city not having one of its residents on the school board for more than a decade. Voters will now elect one member from their specific area of the district to represent them on the board, rather than elect all school board members at large.

    Citrus Heights residents will have the chance to potentially occupy up to four seat on the board, as the newly created Area 5 includes a portion of the Citrus Heights, east of San Juan Avenue and Old Auburn Road. A small portion of Citrus Heights is also included in areas 4 and 6. (See map)