Two newcomers to the Scotts Valley political scene have jumped into the race for two open seats on the school board.
Art Bubb, a retired school teacher and administrator, and John Abel, an information technology director, will together vie to join the Scotts Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees.
Two seats, now filled by Allison Niday and Jondi Gumz, will open on the school board in November. Gumz has given word that she will not run for another term.
If elected, Abel and Bubb have said they hope to foster trust and communication among parents, teachers, administrators and board members, with a common goal of improving the educational system.
“It’s about taking on board and listening to the ideas of parents and teachers,” Abel said. “That communication is not there today.”
Abel, 41, is vice president of information technology applications at Symantec and Hitachi Data Systems in Santa Clara. He has three young children, one at Brook Knoll Elementary and two who will soon begin school. He says his work on negotiations in a corporate setting will lend itself to working on the board.
Bubb, 61, retired this year as a vice principal in the Santa Rita Elementary School District. He’s been a professional educator since 1975, working as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, dean of student services and assistant to the superintendent.
“I’ve spent 35 years in education, and I’m looking to continue my career and my passion,” Bubb said. “I’ve heard and am quite concerned about the lack of communication between parents, teachers and the district.”
The two will be running mates in the November election. They are supported by Derek Timm, a parent and businessman who is launching a political action committee, Scotts Valley Parents for Change, to raise money for their campaign.
Timm said Abel and Bubb could rebuild trust that’s been lost in interactions he and other parents have had with the schools administrators and trustees in the past year.
“After spending countless hours attempting to work with the current school board, it became clear that the district’s current leadership was neither open-minded nor solutions-oriented,” Timm said in a prepared statement. “We concluded that the best way to impact change was to get involved in the political process.”
The candidates said they will send mailers, talk with people in the district and spread their message in other ways.
At a glance
John Abel’s Web site: www.abelforschools.com
Art Bubb’s Web site: www.bubbforschools.com
