Panel on Public Education

Posted on February 25, 2024 by isajubes in Politics, History, Opinion and related, Radio Show "Atenea Americana", SHOW ENG // 0 Comments

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Today, we are privileged to host a panel discussion on Public Education, broadcasting live from Stanford University. Our focus centers on the pivotal role of public education as the cornerstone of equality and the linchpin of democracy’s future.

For that, we are honored to welcome some guest: Dr. Mary Ann Dewan, the Superintendent of the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE); Albert Gonzalez, President of the California School Boards Association; and Jessica Speiser, President of the Santa Clara California Latino School Boards Association (SCCSBA). Throughout our discussion, we aim to explore the significance of targeted groups in public education.

Dr. Mary Ann Dewan,

The Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools has served in education for over 33 years. Her distinguished work in education reform and change leadership is grounded in her commitment to serving the community and underserved, vulnerable youth and a mission centered around diversity, inclusion, equity, and social justice. A strong advocate for expanding early learning services, health, and education, Dr. Dewan believes in providing every child with opportunities that promote high-quality, equitable, and inclusive experiences.

Dr. Dewan has served in a variety of leadership roles, which have led to several local and state recognitions, including the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Commendation in 2019, the California Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (CASCD) Outstanding Instructional Leader Award, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors President’s Medal for Exemplary Service During the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020, and the 2021 Region 8 ACSA Superintendent of the Year Award.

Albert Gonzalez

President of CSBA, Trustee of Santa Clara USD

Albert Gonzalez is a Santa Clara Unified School District board member and the Region 20 Director of the California School Boards Association, representing Santa Clara County. Gonzalez was elected to the Board of Directors of CSBA in 2014 after serving as a Delegate since 2010. Gonzalez has served on CSBA’s Legislative Committee since 2012 and has been a board member with Santa Clara Unified since 2008.

Gonzalez attended California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo, and works in Silicon Valley. An avid soccer fan, Gonzalez has coached in youth soccer leagues and is a certified United States Soccer Federation referee.

Jessica Speiser

She is the president of the SCCSBA and a member of the LASD Board of Education. She is also a Wellesley College alumni, Class of 1997, who later graduated from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, Class of 2004, and was admitted to The California State Bar on 12/1/2004

She worked as a criminal research attorney for the County of San Mateo Superior Court, and one of her most recent positions was Chief Outreach Officer for VoterCircle (now Outreach Circle)

As a public official, in 2012, she became VP of Fundraising and joined the Los Altos Educational Foundation. In 2013, Speiser became the Executive VP of the PTA. Later, after much local educational work, she helped run the successful Measure GG parcel tax campaign for her district schools.

In late 2016, she ran for election to the Los Altos School District Board of Trustees and joined the Board in December 2016. From December 2018 to December 2019, Speiser served as the LASD Board of Trustees Board President, overseeing all the school board efforts and the district. Now, she is also the president of the SCCSBA.

I got a co-producer and host for this show, my friend and colleague Bridget Watson for this show.

Bridget Watson

Bridget is a dedicated community volunteer and teacher who has served thousands of hours in the Sunnyvale School District (SSD). From 2012 to 2016, she taught second and third grade at Fairwood Explorer School, SSD’s Program of Choice, focusing on project-based learning and family participation. She teaches English as a Second Language (ESL) at Fremont Union High School Adult School.

Bridget is the Santa Clara County School Boards Association (SCCSBA) Past President and a District Representative of that association. She serves as a SCCSBA’s Legislative Action Committee member, advocating for our students’ unique needs with local, county, state, and federal legislators. She has completed the Masters of Governance Program from the California School Boards Association and served in CSBA’s Equity Network, learning ways to create and apply systems change towards equity district and state-wide.

She is a reader for the Hoffmann Awards, SCCSBA’s team that reviews and acknowledges innovative, impactful, and inspiring school programs throughout Santa Clara County. Bridget serves on the Delegate Assembly, CSBA’s policy and advocacy arm, for Region 20. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Sunnyvale Education Foundation. This nonprofit facilitates community support in collaboration with Sunnyvale School District for an enriched, high-quality education at all schools in the district. She visits every school in our district throughout the year and volunteers in classrooms and at school sites for hundreds of hours yearly.

The Panel

On this show, we touch on many topics, like equity in education programs, Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Programs like “My Name = My Identity,” wellness centers, the state of minorities in the county and the state, different programs and efforts to lower the educational gap of achievement that exists amount races, ethnicities, and socio-economic populations, and about different programs and efforts state, county, and district-wise that are implemented right now throughout the region. We will also discuss the budgetary issues with public education and its future.

As usual, thank you for listening to our show “Atenea Americana” as part of my effort at Stanford Hispanic Broadcasting. You can listen to all our shows here or on your favorite podcast apps. You can help to make programs like this possible by leaving your comments, subscribing to our website and podcast channels, following us, sharing links, contributing with your ideas or materials, sharing our social networks, and more. Remember to check our “Contribute” to learn more.