For the Palo Alto School Board election this November, four candidates have recently officially declared to run for the three open positions. These four candidates are Josh Salcman, Chris Colohan, Alison Kamhi and Nicole Chiu-Wang.
Salcman filed his papers to run on April 22. He previously served on the Nixon Elementary School PTA board as treasurer for two years and is now the special education and inclusion representative there. Salcman said one of his main priorities on the school board would be to maintain stability and to continue good governance of the school district, by addressing equity, mental health, wellness and balance in life for students.
“Equity is not that we should be giving every student the same thing,” Salcman said. “I think what equity should and can mean is understanding where each student is coming from, what their challenges are, what their opportunities are for success and giving them what they need to be able to pursue their own individual definition of success.”
Chiu-Wang, who announced her candidacy on April 29, also values student mental health and equity through closing the opportunity gap.
As an immigrant rights lawyer, we advocate for change on a national level. But all change is local, so I can think of nothing more impactful than working right here in our schools in our school districts for our families and communities.”
— Alison Kamhi, Palo Alto School Board election candidate
Kamhi filed her papers for candidacy on April 22. Since then, she has emphasized listening to the community, focusing on asking students questions, like what aspects of their school experience the board should pay attention to.
“As an immigrant rights lawyer, we advocate for change on a national level,” Kamhi said. “But all change is local, so I can think of nothing more impactful than working right here in our schools in our school districts for our families and communities.”
Colohan, who declared to run on March 4, said he would value good governance as part of the board, but especially
by ensuring that decisions are being made with transparency, improving communication and coordination.
“I’m going to have to get into communication with families,” Colohan said. “Right now, I can tell you that many parents, including myself, feel that you just get a firehose of information … It’s really hard to know how to prioritize what you read as a parent.”
More candidates are expected to enter the race in the coming months.