ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES : Unified School Districts

More than 60 candidates are vying for board seats in nine of Orange County’s unified school districts. Several districts are coping with sharp increases in student enrollment that might require the construction of new schools. Other issues include maintaining safe campuses and encouraging greater parental involvement.

BREA OLINDA

Boundaries: Serves Brea and a small portion of Fullerton

Enrollment: 5,704; grades K-12

Facilities: One high school, one alternative high school, one junior high school and six elementary schools

Issues: Investigators are trying to find out who altered hundreds of student transcripts at Brea Olinda High School. Board must decide how to resolve the grade-changing scandal. District is also experiencing increased enrollment.

Open seats: Four

Candidates:

* Cliff Berning

Age: 40

Occupation: Educator/businessman

Qualifications: Third grade teacher at Maywood Elementary School, Los Angeles; member of the California Republican Assn.

* Janae Brolin

Age: 43

Occupation: Homemaker

Qualifications: Served as a district volunteer for 10 years; past president of Fanning Elementary School parent organization; member of the Brea Foundation, a fund-raising group.

* Brian R. Burt

Age: 53

Occupation: Financial analyst

Qualifications: Served on school board from 1979 to 1992; Boy Scout leader; active member of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

* Teresa Hampson

Age: 42

Occupation: Writer/editor

Qualifications: Former high school teacher; author of the book “Brea: Celebrating 75 Years”; former president of Fanning Elementary School parent organization.

* Kenneth A. Kegel

Age: 34

Occupation: Fifth-grade teacher

Qualifications: Vice president of Computer Using Educators program in the San Gabriel Valley; state-certified trainer of technology teachers; member of several district committees.

* Willie McMillian

Age: 44

Occupation: Business owner

Qualifications: Member of the U.S. Army Reserve; served as coach of a Brea national junior basketball team; works as school volunteer.

* Carol L. Norum

Age: 48

Occupation: High school teacher

Qualifications: President of Brea Olinda Academic Booster Club; board member of Laurel Elementary School and Brea Junior High School PTAs; member of Glenbrook Women’s Club.

* Barbara R. Paxton*

Age: 48

Occupation: Community volunteer/homemaker

Qualifications: 1994-95 president-elect of the Orange County School Boards Assn.; Brea Girl Scout troop leader.

CAPISTRANO

Boundaries: Serves San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo and parts of Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita

Enrollment: 33,300; grades K-12

Facilities: 26 elementary schools, five middle schools, five high schools and an adult education center

Issues: District plans an overhaul of its organizational structure that would give more decision-making responsibilities to officials at each school site. Board must contend with rapid enrollment growth, which requires the construction of new schools.

Open seats: Two

Candidates:

Trustee Area 4

* Maurice Hansen

Age: 59

Occupation: Medical equipment business consultant

Qualifications: Founder of the Capistrano Unified School District Foundation, a fund-raising group; representative for Assemblyman Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside).

* Crystal Kochendorfer*

Age: 51

Occupation: Interior designer

Qualifications: Trustee for six years; former elementary school teacher; past president of the Orange County School Boards Assn. Trustee Area 7

* Dorsey Brause

Age: 67

Occupation: Executive vice president of Simon Greenleaf University in Anaheim

Qualifications: Former superintendent of school district in Ohio; served as president of Spring Arbor College in Michigan.

* Annette B. Gude*

Age: 64

Occupation: Homemaker

Qualifications: Trustee for 14 years; served on California School Boards Assn.; former Orange County Traffic Commissioner.

GARDEN GROVE

Boundaries: Serves most of Garden Grove and portions of Santa Ana, Anaheim, Westminster, Cypress, Stanton and Fountain Valley

Enrollment: 42,300; grades K-12 plus adult education

Facilities: 43 elementary schools, nine intermediate schools, eight high schools, two special education centers and two adult education centers

Issues: District is working to adjust its curriculum to deal with increasing ethnic diversity of its student body. Candidates want to spark greater parental involvement and maintain safe campuses.

Open seats: Two

Candidates:

* Chuck Buchanan

Age: 54

Occupation: Self-employed sales/marketing consultant

Qualifications: Serves as president of the Ralston Intermediate School PTA and as legislation director for the Garden Grove Council of PTAs.

* Terry Cantrell

Age: 41

Occupation: Principal at Bethel School

Qualifications: Has worked as an elementary school and high school teacher and principal for 20 years.

* Dick Hain*

Age: Declined to state

Occupation: Retired educator

Qualifications: School board member since 1981; worked as a teacher, principal and administrator from 1946 to 1978.

* Bob Harden

Age: 38

Occupation: TRW supervisor/project manager

Qualifications: Served on Garden Grove General Plan Advisory Committee; coached local Little League team.

* Arturo Rudy Moreno

Age: 64

Occupation: Language professor for the Rancho Santiago Community College District

Qualifications: Longtime president of Rancho Santiago’s Continuing Education Faculty Assn.; serves as national delegate to the National Educational Assn.

* Touyer Moua

Age: 31

Occupation: College counselor

Qualifications: Served as instructional assistant for the Santa Ana Unified School District; works as an academic counselor at Rancho Santiago College.

* Frank E. Noe*

Age: 65

Occupation: Part-time instructor at Cal State Long Beach, where he supervises student teachers

Qualifications: Appointed to the board in 1992; worked as an instructor both at Cal State Long Beach and at the school district.

IRVINE

Boundaries: Covers Irvine, the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, some residents at the Tustin Marine Corps Air Station and unincorporated areas north of Irvine

Enrollment: 21,500; grades K-12

Facilities: 22 elementary schools, five middle schools, three high schools and two alternative high schools

Issues: Board has launched a national search for a leader to replace Supt. David E. Brown, who is leaving the district after seven years. District is working with the city to prevent youths from joining gangs.

Open seats: Two

Candidates:

* Hank Adler

Age 48:

Occupation: Certified public accountant

Qualifications: Former city finance commissioner and planning commissioner; member of city-school district joint-use task force.

* John Gordon Chytraus

Age: 28

Occupation: Computer support manager

Qualifications: Parent of four children who attend district schools.

* James A. Graves

Age: 29

Occupation: Free-lance writer for Disneyland

Qualifications: Private elementary school teacher from 1990 to 1993.

* Diana R. Griffiths

Age: 37

Occupation: Paralegal, taking bar exam to become an attorney

Qualifications: Served on School Site Council at the Rialto Unified School District; children attend district schools.

* Steve McArthur*

Age: 43

Occupation: Real estate broker

Qualifications: School board member since January, 1994; served on numerous school district committees.

* Margie Wakeham*

Age: 50

Occupation: Director of Irvine Temporary Housing, a nonprofit agency that provides short-term housing for Irvine families

Qualifications: School board member since 1985; worked with district’s education committee for 15 years.

LAGUNA BEACH

Boundaries: Serves Laguna Beach and a small portion of Aliso Viejo

Enrollment: 2,434; grades K-12

Facilities: Two elementary schools, one middle school, one high school

Issues: Officials want to improve scholastic performance of students who currently show average academic capabilities. District recently completed a major renovation project at Laguna Beach High School.

Open seats: Three

Candidates:

* S. Lee Winocur Field

Age: 58

Occupation: Educator

Qualifications: Serves as president of the Huntington Beach-based Center for the Teaching of Thinking; former administrator in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

* Karen Linden*

Age: 42

Occupation: Homemaker, registered nurse

Qualifications: Serves as president of School Power, the district’s fund-raising group; co-chair of the Capitol Campaign school fund-raiser.

* Susan Mas*

Age: 52

Occupation: Business analyst

Qualifications: Worked for 20 years in the private sector; has been active in school district issues for nine years.

* Barbara B. Norton

Withdrew from race

* Catherine L. Smythe

Age: 49

Occupation: Educator

Qualifications: Worked as a teacher, administrator, academic director and teacher trainer for 25 years.

* Kathryn A. Turner

Age: 58

Occupation: Community college administrator

Qualifications: Serves as instructional dean at Long Beach City College, where she supervises the math/science and nursing/health technology divisions.

LOS ALAMITOS

Boundaries: Serves Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Rossmoor and parts of Cypress

Enrollment: 7,300; grades K-12

Facilities: Five elementary schools, one middle school, one high school and one continuation high school

Issues: Board has decided to reopen Oak Middle School in response to overcrowding at McAuliffe Middle School. To finance the reopening, board will sell the vacant Weaver Elementary School in Rossmoor, despite protests from residents who think the campus will be needed in the future.

Open seats: Two

Candidates:

* Matthew Duggan*

Age: 35

Occupation: Child psychologist, head of Dr. Duggan and Associates, a child psychology clinic in Long Beach

Qualifications: Appointed to the board five months ago; child psychology consultant for several schools districts.

* Diane E. Gilkenson

Age: 40

Occupation: Teacher and realtor

Qualifications: Teacher at La Habra High School; holds Spanish degree from UC Irvine; longtime Los Alamitos resident who attended local schools.

* Kathi O’Brien

Age: 45

Occupation: Parent and community volunteer

Qualifications: President of the Parent-Teacher Assn. Council for the past two years; served on school district committees.

* Michael Pintek

Age: 47

Occupation: Lawyer, specializing in real estate law

Qualifications: Has two children in the system; serves on board of the Exchange Club, a nonprofit group dedicated to child abuse prevention.

NEWPORT-MESA

Boundaries: Serves Newport Beach and Costa Mesa

Enrollment: 16,434; grades K-12

Facilities: 14 elementary schools, one primary center, two kindergartens, a school for the “trainable mentally challenged,” two intermediate schools, four high schools and an alternative high school

Issues: District might use drug-sniffing police dogs on high school campuses; school board is considering a request by parents at three elementary schools to require students to wear uniforms.

Open seats: Four

Candidates: Trustee Area 2

* James M. Ferryman

Age: 46

Occupation: Commercial property manager and leasing agent

Qualifications: President of Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce; member of the Orange County Sanitation District board; served on the Newport-Mesa Summit Committee.

* Paulette Witt

Age: 48

Occupation: Community volunteer

Qualifications: Former teacher; active in local PTAs and school committees; served on district panels that made hiring recommendations for top district jobs. Trustee Area 4

* Ana Chu

Age: 36

Occupation: Anesthesiologist

Qualifications: Experience managing a private medical practice; served on the UCLA Cooperative Housing Committee and the Orange County-Los Angeles Anesthesia Assn.

* Harold G. Parker

Age: 52

Occupation: Management consultant

district’s Community Involvement Task Force.

* Serene R. Stokes

Age: 65

Occupation: Retired principal, property manager

Qualifications: Educator for more than 30 years; served as principal of various Santa Ana schools for 17 years; former president of the Administrators Assn. of Santa Ana.

* Karen Wilson

Age: 45

Occupation: Volunteer/homemaker

Qualifications: Director of Royal Family Kids Camp for abused and neglected children; vice president, Newport Beach chapter of the National Charity League. Trustee Area 5

* Karen M. Evarts

Age: 53

Occupation: Homemaker/textbook editor and writer

Qualifications: Former head of the Health and Safety Committee for Newport Harbor High School, where she was Academic Decathlon coach; former Newport Beach library commissioner.

* Judith A. Franco*

Age: 57

Occupation: Retired teacher

Qualifications: Served on the school board since 1980; president of the Newport Harbor Republican Women’s Club; works with YMCA youth camps and the local PTA. Trustee Area 7

* Wendy Leece

Age: 46

Occupation: Homemaker, teacher, writer

Qualifications: Served on the Costa Mesa Cable Television Committee; member of the Estancia High School parents group; works with “Enough Is Enough,” an anti-obscenity committee.

* Roderick H. MacMillian*

Withdrew from race

PLACENTIA-YORBA LINDA

Boundaries: Serves Placentia, Yorba Linda and portions of Anaheim, Fullerton and Brea

Enrollment: 23,186; grades: K-12

Facilities: 19 elementary schools, five middle schools, three high schools and a continuation school

Issues: Board will soon decide whether to add sixth-grade students to Kraemer Middle School. District faces overcrowding in schools on its east end and declining enrollment at some schools on the west side.

Open seats: Two

Candidates:

* Cathy Ann Brooks

Age: 43

Occupation: Homemaker/businesswoman

Qualifications: El Camino Real school PTSA board member; art docent at Brookhaven Elementary School.

* Karin M. Freeman*

Age: 47

Occupation: Community volunteer

Qualification: Member of the Yorba Linda School District board of education from 1986-1989; served on the Placentia-Yorba Linda board since 1990.

* Patrick L. Hanrahan

Age: 40

Occupation: Estate planner

Qualifications: President-elect of the Yorba Linda Rotary Club; member of the school site council.

* Roger J. Kavigan

Age: 27

Occupation: Teacher

Qualifications: Holds a degree in political science; participant in the Big Brother program.

* William Kielty*

Age: 46

Occupation: Business consultant

Qualifications: Elected to the board in 1990.

* Anthony J. Roberts

Age: 33

Occupation: Business owner

Qualifications: Runs school food service company; works with high school athletic programs; PTA board.

* Constance Underhill

Age: 52

Occupation: Businesswoman

Qualifications: Served on board from 1990 to 1992; president of two PTA boards.

* Juliet H. Zaidi

Age: 55

Occupation: Cal State Fullerton instructor and community volunteer

Qualifications: Held many PTA positions at several schools; former president of the local chapter of the American Assn. of University Women.

* Roseann Thorn

Age: 40

Occupation: Community volunteer and businesswoman

Qualifications: Coordinator of school tutorial program. Served in various positions on local PTA board.

SADDLEBACK VALLEY

Boundaries: Serves Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Trabuco Canyon, Portola Hills, Foothill Ranch and parts of Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita

Enrollment: 29,000; grades K-12

Facilities: 26 elementary schools, four intermediate schools, four high schools, one continuation high school

Issues: Three-member board majority criticizes the other two members for their “religious right” views. Board must shape the district’s curriculum as well as contend with enrollment growth during tight fiscal times.

Open seats: Two

Candidates:

* Bobbee Cline*

Age: 49

Occupation: Homemaker

Qualifications: Served for 17 years as a classroom volunteer at schools attended by her children; former music and English teacher.

* Dore J. Gilbert*

Age: 44

Occupation: Dermatologist at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach

Qualifications: Served on the board for the past 12 years; children attend schools in the district.

* Susan Krumpotich

Age: 41

Occupation: Accountant, auditor and homemaker

Qualifications: Financial background and member of the National Assn. for the Education of Young Children.

* Sandie Gonzales

Age: 49

Occupation: Homemaker

Qualifications: Former elementary school teacher; volunteers at Gates Elementary School.

* Williams J. Goodwin

Age: 36

Occupation: Deputy city engineer for Lake Forest and instructor at Cal State Long Beach

Qualifications: Fourteen years’ experience as engineer and manager, active in United Way and Boy Scouts of America.

* Arleen Brown Withdrew from race

* Pamela S. Rush

Age: 46

Occupation: Assistant principal at Roosevelt Elementary School in Santa Ana

Qualifications: Has worked in public education for 23 years.

* Dave Schultz

Age: 33

Occupation: Director of customer services for a computer software company in Santa Ana

Qualifications: Extensive experience in customer relations; has three children who attend district schools.

* Kathy Kirlin Withdrew from race

* Pat Soriano

Age: 45

Occupation: Homemaker

Qualifications: Volunteers at district schools; holds California teaching credential; former substitute teacher in West Covina.

TUSTIN

Boundaries: Serves Tustin and portions of Santa Ana, the North Tustin foothills area, the Tustin Marine Corps Air Station and parts of Irvine

Enrollment: 12,600; grades K-12

Facilities: 10 elementary school, four middle schools, two high schools, a continuation high school and an adult education program

Issues: Board must decide whether to sell or lease surplus school properties the district no longer intends to use. It must also deal with overcrowding in some schools. Officials are concerned about the increasing cost of busing students.

Open seats: Three

Candidates: Four-year seats (two elected)

* Jonathan W. Abelove

Age: 39

Occupation: Business owner

Qualifications: Has 17 years of management experience with three Fortune 100 companies; volunteered at a Los Angeles school where his wife works.

* Jane Bauer*

Age: 49

Occupation: Lawyer

Qualifications: Board member since 1985; former board member of the Regional Occupation Program; active in various parent organizations.

* Nimesh Desai

Age: 24

Occupation: Business owner

Qualifications: Master’s degree in electrical engineering from UCI; product of a public education; keeps abreast of school district issues.

* Robert Louis Douglas

Age: 36

Occupation: Maintenance services/reserve deputy sheriff

Qualifications: Criminal justice degree from Cal State Long Beach; member of school district’s advisory committee on special education.

* Karen M. Judkin

Withdrew from race

* Nancy Cast*

Age: 52

Occupation: Homemaker

Qualifications: Appointed to the board in 1993; founder of the Tustin Public Schools Foundation, a fund-raising group; active in PTA.

* Gloria Tuchman*

Age: 52

Occupation: Elementary school teacher

Qualifications: Member of the board since 1985; former member of the Presidential Commission on Bilingual Education Reform. Two-year seat (one elected)

* Malcolm D. Jones

Age: 71

Occupation: Part-time professor

Qualifications: Radiology professor at UCI; served on UCI faculty committees; participated in long-range planning for academic programs.

* David A. Lampert

Age: 42

Occupation: Business owner

Qualifications: Active in local PTA; chairman of school-site council at Barbara Benson Elementary School; children attend district schools.

* Robert D. Machado

Age: 48

Occupation: Computer software engineer

Qualifications: Member of the Tustin High School school-site council; former director of the Tustin Public Schools Foundation board.

* Gail Michelsen

Age: 35

Occupation: Computer product manager

Qualifications: Graduated from Tustin schools; three children attend district schoools; active in parent-teacher organizations.

* Jon H. Soeder

Age: 43

Occupation: Business owner

Qualifications: Active in YMCA and Big Brother/Big Sister youth programs; former middle school teacher in Florida; children attend district schools.

* Incumbent

Sources: Individuals and school districts; MIMI KO, JEFF BEAN, JON NALICK, RUSS LOAR, LESLIE EARNEST, BERT ELJERA, HOLLY J. WAGNER and DANIELLE A. FOUQUETTE / For The Times