Cypress School District Duel
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Two candidates are vying to complete the term of former school board Trustee Ventura Cornejo, who resigned in 1995. The board appointed Rick Gaede as an interim trustee, and he is now running to fill the two remaining years of the term, opposed by Dave Giese. Incumbents Donna McDougall and Donna Erickson have no opponent and will automatically be reelected to four-year terms. A look at the district and the two candidates for the two-year term:
THE DISTRICT
Area: Cypress, parts of La Palma and Buena Park
Enrollment: 4,600
Facilities: 10 elementary schools
Trustees: Five
Issues: Managing class-size reduction, enrollment growth and new technology
THE CANDIDATES
Rick Gaede
Age: 39
Occupation: Hotel general manager
Background: Trustee by appointment; former president of Los Alamitos Chamber of Commerce; former secretary of Cypress Chamber of Commerce; and youth sports coach
Major issues: Smaller classes and expanded technology in classrooms, including advanced computer systems
Dave Giese
Age: 61
Occupation: Retired teacher-administrator
Background: Teacher and administrator for 38 years, including 28 years in Long Beach Unified School District; has served as elder and board chairman of Cypress Evangelical Free Church
Major issues: Balanced budget; smaller classes; continued implementation of computer technology; and appropriate teacher training
Sources: Individual candidates, school district; Researched by BILL BILLITER/For The Times
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