Ernest Koeppen enters ring in LCUSD school board election

A fourth candidate—Ernest Koeppen—officially entered the ring for the Nov. 8 school board elections Tuesday, just a day before the filing period deadline.

_________________________

FOR THE RECORD: This version corrects a headline. And also reattributes a quote.

_________________________

Koeppen, who ran for school board in 2009, joins his name to a list of candidates that includes newcomers Ellen Multari and Andrew Blumenfeld as well as incumbent Jeanne Broberg who will vie for the two board seats coming available in this election.

Motivated to run in this election cycle by his concern for the direction of La Canada schools under the financial pressures of the state economy, Koeppen feels that his expertise as a technologies in information systems and as a management consultant will lend a fresh take on how to finance and deliver education to La Canada children.

“Focusing resources, the scant resources we have, is key,” said Koeppen in an email. “We may have less to work with now, but it is our responsibility to assure we use them in the most expeditious manner.”

Koeppen has parented two children through La Canada Schools, Nicklaus, 19 and Alessandra, 15. For the past three years, Koeppen has mentored the La Canada High School Engineering Club headed by science teacher Steve Zimmerman.

“We have more resources than the average community, and they are not necessarily a purely financial one,” said Koeppen, “so let’s think outside the box a little more.”