Elect Estela DePaz

A Letter to my Neighbors

Hi Everyone!

This November, for the first time, residents of Hercules, Pinole, Bayview-Montalvin, and Giant (now known as District 1) will get to vote for their own representative on the West Contra Costa Unified School District board. I’m running to be your WCCUSD District 1 Trustee.  I am asking for your support so that together we can address the multitude of challenges currently facing our school district. There are a number of areas that need to be scrutinized, but specifically, I believe there are some key issues:

  • The $54M budget deficit needs to be addressed. We have to demand accountability and align school activities to educational outcomes.
  • Mental health and social-emotional learning – Many support programs have been cut due to budget deficits. We need to identify creative and community-based approaches to assist our students.
  • Computer technology-assisted instruction – With COVID-19 and the budget crisis, we have to figure out how to fully leverage technologies to help our teachers provide rich and engaging instruction.
  • Community, communication, and collaboration – We must create spaces for constructive dialogue, to share of knowledge, and gain agreement.

As a community, we must recognize the individual needs of our children. I believe it is essential that we understand that each of our children are unique individuals who perceive life and learning in different ways. Being a Special Education parent has taught me the value of perception taking and learning differentiation. What counts is what our children can do, not what they cannot do.

Staying on the sidelines is now not an option – the community is in crisis. I have 20+ years of management experience in financial services and information technology. I served 10+ years leading multiple School Site Councils and district-level advisory committees. I’m rolling up my sleeves and jumping in to ensure District 1 is represented effectively in West Contra Costa Unified School District. I am looking forward to meeting you and earning your trust!

Respectfully,
Estela DePaz