EL SEGUNDO HERALD October 22, 2020 Page 9
Election 2020
Wiseburn Unified School Board Candidates Q&A
WUSD Candidate
Neil Goldman
WUSD Candidate
Jessica Daugherty
WUSD Candidate
Joanne Kaneda Vote nov. 3
By Duane Plank
What is something about you that
people would be surprised to know
about?
Neil Goldman: I’m back in high school,
and I’ve just finished the final performance of
“Lights on Broadway,” a musical theater revue
where I played leading roles from Grease,
The Music Man, and more. Backstage, after
the show, a reputable talent agent approached
me with an extended hand, a smile, and five
simple words: “I can make you a star!” Pretty
temping for an 18-year-old … but her take on
my talent was assuredly exaggerated.
Instead, I obtained a communications degree,
an MBA, and a doctorate in education, and
built businesses where we’ve helped companies,
non-profits, and schools make better decisions,
better understand stakeholders’ needs,
and find increasing success. I recently turned
my learnings on business and education into
an Amazon best seller: The Escalator Effect:
Four Essential Steps to Lead and Inspire Your
Organization to Rising Success.
AND … if I think I’m alone, you’re still
likely to hear me singing.
Jessica Daugherty: I have lived and worked
in 4 countries and have travelled extensively in
over 23 countries. These international experiences
taught me to see the world in different
ways, be open to new experiences, and to
trust in the power of my fellow humans. In
Ghana, in West Africa, I worked at a Liberian
refugee camp where I fought for the rights of
refugees in a country that opened its borders
to them but then left them in a disease-filled
camp with no ability to earn a living. In
that harsh environment, I learned about the
strength of the human spirit and the immense
opportunity of an education. Some of the
women refugees wanted to learn to read so I
began teaching literacy. By the second class
there were 80 women ranging in age from
3 months to 80 years old-all eager to learn.
These women and children knew that if they
learned to read, they could find work. In
that moment I also learned that I cannot do
everything alone nor is doing everything alone
as effective as doing things in community and
teaching others along the way. By the time
I left Ghana, I had trained fifteen Ghanaian
university students to work at the camp which
ensured the work would continue and expand.
Joanne Kaneda: I have a passion for discovering
languages and cultures. Being raised in
a bilingual, ethnic household speaking English
and Croatian gave me insights into diverse
traditions and behaviors that enrich my life.
I also explored Spanish, French, Japanese and
Russian, and taught Russian in High School.
This familiarity with multiple languages and
cultures guides me to fully appreciate the
importance of diversity and inclusion.
Diversity has multiple forms: gender, race,
economic status, ethnicity, and those with disabilities.
Each form of diversity has its own
“language” and culture. As your WUSD Board
Member, my perception into the languages and
cultures of diverse groups leads directly to
opportunities for inclusion in our classrooms.
WUSD enthusiastically offers opportunities
for inclusion. As your Board Member, I will
vigorously enrich WUSD training and learning
to result in a lively culture of teamwork
and inclusion for teachers, staff, and students.
Learn more at: https://kaneda4wiseburn.com/
What one agenda item would you
bring to the Board, and if elected, why?
Jessica Daugherty: One agenda item that
I would bring to the Board if elected is a
proposal to create a working group to enhance
collaboration and communication between the
Wiseburn Unified K-8 schools and Da Vinci
Schools high schools. Enhanced communication
is essential to having a truly “unified”
WUSD and will facilitate the following: 1)
Create a cohesive bridge for students and
families from middle school into high school;
2) Articulate project based learning practices
down into middle and elementary school; 3)
Provide an increased opportunity for joint
professional development and integrated cost
savings; and 4) Strengthen the WUSD District
Community. Our current District is somewhat
fragmented leaving both the K-8 schools and
Da Vinci Schools separate from each other
and thus unable to benefit from the others’
knowledge, resources, and phenomenal staff
and students.
Joanne Kaneda: If re-elected, I will guide
WUSD to act on learning breakthroughs realized
during the COVID pandemic distance
learning experience. 1. During COVID,
teachers facilitate distance learning by defining
“cohorts,” or small groups of students to
enable clear instruction and inclusive response.
This instruction method forms the foundation
of project-based learning. 2. My proposal to
the Board is to extend project-based learning
when we return to our classrooms. This
approach enables all students to contribute
to their project group at their level, ensuring
equitable involvement. Project-based learning
incorporates critical thinking and problem
solving, providing practical life tools for
all students to be future-ready for careers
and community. Inclusion happens naturally
when we encourage participation on an equal
basis from all students. 3. My Board proposal
to extend project-based learning endorses
the WUSD philosophy to deliver lifelong
learning for our community, equitably and
responsibly. 4. Check my website at https://
kaneda4wiseburn.com/.
Neil Goldman: A “Life Ready Initiative”
– including critical thinking/problem
solving skills and financial literacy. This
would build upon Future-Ready, and Student-
Centered learning—two of the five Wiseburn
Assurances (https://www.wiseburn.org/board/
goals)—WUSD’s core priorities I led with
community, teacher, and administrator input.
It’s projected that 65% of children starting
Kindergarten today will ultimately work in
completely new jobs that don’t yet exist. Our
world will only continue to change: we must
prepare and empower our students accordingly.
Wiseburn is on the right track, yet we can do
more. Clearly developed educational practices
and individualized student assessments can
be collaboratively created by our teachers
and administration to ensure our students
are indeed “life-ready” for the world ahead.
If re-elected, I will continue to spearhead
initiatives to engage, empower and elevate all
Wiseburn stakeholders. This already includes
Wiseburn-DV integration, communications
and calendar improvements, enhanced field
utilization, performance dashboards, and fiscal
responsibility. Please VoteGoldmanWUSD(.
com). Thank you. •
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