UWGLA BD7 MEDIA ALERT

MEDIA ALERT

MORE THAN 600 RESIDENTS EXPECTED TO ATTEND LAUSD CANDIDATES FORUM FOR SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 7 AT GRANADA THEATER

HOSTED BY UNITED WAY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS

WHO?:            LAUSD School Board candidates for District 7: Richard Vladovic, Euna Anderson and Lydia Gutierrez.

The United Way of Greater Los Angeles, CLASS, South Bay Center for Counseling (SBCC), I Heart Wilmington, Children’s Defense Fund, LA Education Partnership (LAEP), California Community Foundation, CORO of Southern California, Great Public Schools LA, media, educators, students, and local residents.

WHAT            ?:         The United Way of Great Los Angeles and it community partners will host a forum for school board candidates for District 7 (San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City, Carson, Harbor Gateway, Lomita, Garden, Willowbrook, and Watts). All candidates, including the incumbents, from the district have been invited to attend. Community members are expected to turn out en masse. The public is encouraged to attend the event. Food, childcare and translation will be provided free of cost. Attendees can also register to vote or sign up to receive mail-in ballots.

The seven-member LAUSD school board approves an annual budget of $7 billion for the second largest school district in the country. This forum will provide the public the opportunity to learn about each candidate’s values, strategies and goals during his/ her term on the board. Questions will cover a range of topics including priorities for the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), restorative justice, parent and student engagement, teacher retention, charter schools, strategies for advocating for English Language Learners and technology initiatives. There will also be an opportunity for community members to submit their own questions to be answered at the event.

WHERE?:       Granada Theater, 632 N. Avalon Blvd., Wilmington, CA 90744

WHEN?:         Friday, February 6, 2015  6-8 p.m.

WHY?:            Board District 7 has the largest concentration of high-need schools, some high schools show high suspension rates and have less than 54% of students graduating within 4 years. The United Way of Greater LA hosts these forums every school board election season in an effort to promote an informed and broad base of voters across LAUSD. These events are part of a larger strategy of empowering the voices of parents, teachers, students and community members to advocate for policies that are rooted in equity. We aim to create pathways out of poverty by promoting the achievement of children of color and children living in high poverty areas.

OTHER FORUMS:

Board District	Date & Time	Location	Area Served	Candidates Present	Co-Hosts
Board District 3	Thurs, 2/12, 6-8pm	North Hollywood HS, 5231 Colfax Avenue, North Hollywood, CA 91601	Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Northridge, Winnetka, Reseda, Lake Balboa, Sherman Oaks, West Hills, Van Nuys, Studio City, North Hollywood	Tamar Galatzan	*United Way, CLASS, Valley Education Action Committee, Great Public Schools, Children’s Defense Fund, LA Education Partnership (LAEP), California Community Foundation, CORO of Southern CA, Northridge East NC, Northridge West NC, Winnetka NC, Canoga Park NC
				Elizabeth Badger
				Filiberto Gonzalez
				Ankur Patel
				Carl Petersen
				Scott  Schmerelson
Board District 5, Northeast	Wednesday, 1/28, 6-8pm	Goodwill Center, 3150 N. San Fernando Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065	Atwater Village, Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, Mt. Washington, Cypress Park, Highland Park, Montecito Heights, El Sereno, Lincoln Heights, East Los Angeles, South Gate, Cudahay, Maywood, Huntington Park	Bennett Kayser	United Way, CLASS, Los Feliz Improvement Association, InnerCity Struggle (ICS), Children’s Defense Fund, Educators For Excellence, KIPP LA, LA Education Partnership (LAEP), California Community foundation, CORO of Southern CA, CHIRLA
				Ref Rodriguez
				Andrew Thomas
Board District 5, Southeast	Tuesday, 2/10, 6-8pm	Old Timers Foundation, 3355 East Gage Avenue, Huntington Park, CA 90255	Atwater Village, Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, Mt. Washington, Cypress Park, Highland Park, Montecito Heights, El Sereno, Lincoln Heights, East Los Angeles, South Gate, Cudahay, Maywood, Huntington Park	Bennett Kayser	United Way, CLASS, KIPP LA, Children’s Defense Fund, LA Education Partnership (LAEP), California Community Foundation, CORO of Southern CA, Great Public Schools LA, CHIRLA
				Ref Rodriguez
				Andrew Thomas
Board District 7	Friday, 2/6, 6-8pm	Granada Theater, 632 N. Avalon Blvd., Wilmington, CA 90744	San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City, Carson, Harbor Gateway, Lomita, Garden, Willowbrook, Watts	Richard Vladovic	United Way, CLASS, South Bay Center For Counseling, I Heart Wilmington, Children’s Defense Fund, LA Education Partnership (LAEP), California Community Foundation, CORO of Southern CA, Great Public Schools LA
				Euna Anderson
				Lydia Gutierrez

*Lead Organizations