2 incumbents hoping to retain seats in H.B. high school district
Five candidates are vying for two seats in the Nov. 8 election for the Huntington Beach Union High School District board. Trustees Michael Simons, who joined the board in 1991, and Susan Henry, who was first elected in 2000, are up for reelection. Challenging them are criminal-justice professor Saul Lankster II, engineer Trung Ta and store supervisor Colin Melott. The district consists of six high schools and three alternative education schools in Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley and Westminster.
Here are the candidates in the order they appear on the ballot:
Michael Simons
Age: 72
Professional occupation: Podiatrist
Education: Doctor of podiatric medicine; master’s, medical education; bachelor of science, zoology
Time lived in city of residence: 42 years
Previous public service: Board of trustees, Huntington Beach Union High School District; Board of Podiatric Medicine, California Department of Consumer Affairs; Community Services Commission, city of Huntington Beach; Infrastructure Advisory Committee, city of Huntington Beach; Delegate Assembly, California School Boards Assn.; Huntington Beach Sunrise Rotary; Robinwood Little League, administrative vice president and certified Little League umpire
Immediate family: Wife Judy, son Brad, stepson Jeff and stepdaughter Jennifer
What are three things you hope to accomplish if elected?
1. Continue strong fiscal integrity and budgetary control. The HBUHSD was able to avoid the layoffs, furlough days and staff reductions seen countywide a few years ago due to a prudent budget reserve and control of spending while being able to adequately compensate all employee groups.
2. Ensure safe, well-maintained schools for students to learn in. This is being accomplished by completely modernized campuses with newly updated security features and by state-of-the-art classrooms and playing fields and having student safety monitored by a school nurse on every campus and newly hired wellness counselors.
3. Meaningful educational programs for students of all capabilities and interests. The AVID program provides our slower-learning students a plan and support to attain their goals while we continue to exhibit a continued growth in the number of Advanced Placement tests taken and passed. The Academy for the Performing Arts provides a vehicle for students interested in the arts, and our athletic teams compete on the highest level.
Susan Henry
Age: 60
Professional occupation: Registered nurse, artist
Education: RN/ADN, Santa Ana College; BFA, Cal State Long Beach
Time lived in city of residence: 11 years in Huntington Beach, 26 years in Fountain Valley
Previous public service: Huntington Beach Union High School District trustee since 2000; Coastline Regional Occupational Program trustee, 2014 to present
Immediate family: Husband Kim Henry, son and daughter-in-law Brian and Brandy Henry, daughter and son-in-law Sara and Tim Beck, son Keith Henry
What are three things you hope to achieve if elected?
1. Continue to ensure student safety and strengthen learning environments.
2. Continue to focus on the preparation of our students for college and career. HBUHSD works hard to ensure students have the opportunity to be ... prepared for CSU and UC.
3. Expand and increase the opportunities for our high school students to experience hands-on learning through internships and work study programs through our career/technical education programs.
Saul Lankster II
(Note: Lankster did not provide a photo.)
Age: Not stated
Professional occupation: Criminal-justice professor
Education: Doctorate
Time lived in city of residence: 10 years
Previous public service: Community college board of trustees and board of education president, both in Los Angeles County
Immediate family: Wife Clara Amador-Lankster, four adopted children. Saul has four adult biological children.
What are three things you hope to achieve if elected?
1. Make our teachers the highest-paid in the state.
2. Make our schools the highest-ranked in the state.
3. Make our facilities for disabled students second to none.
Trung Ta
Age: 62
Professional occupation: Principal engineer and project manager
Time lived in city of residence: 26 years
Previous public service: Member of Measure C and Measure M Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee, Coast Community College District; executive vice president of Vietnamese American Aerospace Professionals Assn.; former vice chairman of the St. Anselm’s Cross-Cultural Center
Immediate family: Wife Holly, sons Viet and Don
What are three things you hope to achieve if elected?
1. Provide better educational services to students by promoting stronger cooperation among teachers, PTA, school administrators and the board of trustees. Also make our schools as safe as possible by providing more security at each campus.
2. With my expertise in education and project management, conduct studies and make recommendations to improve our school standings. The best high school in the Huntington Beach Union High School District is ranked below 1,200th in the nation and below 300th in California, according to U.S. News & World Report in 2015.
3. Provide after-school programs and promote a College Day that helps students select the right college and career path. Also promote science, technology, engineering and math by advocating STEM to prepare students for challenges when they graduate.
Colin Melott
Age: 27
Professional occupation: Lego Store supervisor
Time lived in city of residence: In Huntington Beach Union High School District since 2010, currently in Fountain Valley
Previous public service: Huntington Beach Historical Society staff volunteer, honored volunteer for the Republican Party of Orange County, eight years as a docent teacher for the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in Los Angeles, served two election cycles for the Orange County registrar of voters
What are three things you hope to achieve if elected?
1.Support the three institutional pillars for a successful education — students, parents and teachers — ensuring that they all have a member on the board to whom they can turn that will take their input and utilize their advice for a better school district.
2. Maintain the high standards of the district in order to produce the best graduates in California by increasing student involvement in the community and ensuring that the fundamentals are not forgotten.
3. Maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of educational programs such as STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) and civics courses to produce the accomplished citizens of tomorrow.
Twitter: @AlexandraChan10
