Karlo Silbiger Elected New CCUSD President

Tuesday night was a night of firsts for the Culver City Unified School District Board of Education when were sworn in as the two new board members.

However, they weren’t the only people to fill new shoes on the board. Katherine Paspalis was unanimously voted in as the new vice president of the board; Patricia Siever was voted in as Clerk and Karlo Silbiger was also unanimously voted in as the new board president.

Silbiger took the opportunity Tuesday night to give a short welcoming speech and to thank those who have helped and supported him in his position as a board member over the past two years.

“I am honored, humbled, and excited by the unanimous vote of my colleagues allowing me to serve as the president of this school board for the coming year,” Silbiger said.  “I don't take this responsibility lightly. Having watched board presidents on and off for 18 years now, I have observed the important skills necessary to be an effective leader, especially over
the past two years from my former colleagues Steve Gourley and Scott Zeidman.”

Silbiger said he would work to ensure the board functions effectively and efficiently and that “all members of the public and the board are heard [at meetings].”  

Touching on the current economic crisis facing all schools in the state, Silbiger said the board needs to “take bold steps, some that may be scary, all that are going to require leadership. In January, we will work together to set meaningful goals for the coming year.”

Silbiger listed the following issues he plans to work on with the board in 2012 including:

• Creating a budget process that ensures complete transparency, making all decision in the open after full participation and the analysis of all options.  
  Working more collaboratively with employees.
  
  
• Looking at the way the schools are structured to make sure that each structure makes sense academically based on the research and is not done because of outdated traditions. Specifically, Silbiger said he wishes to “take a close look at k-8 schools, magnet programs, more and better language immersion programs, school start time, healthy school meals and calendars.

• Provide the needed oversight on the capital improvement projects so that each is completed quickly and appropriately, with increased amounts of
  public participation.

Silbiger concluded his comments stating, “As we install a new board I know that we will continue with the same level of energy, but that a new level of organization will allow us to deal with bigger issues more quickly, involve the community at all levels and find new ways to improve the education provided to the students of this city.”

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