Marin Board of Education seats up for grabs in November election

Marin voters in Novato, the Ross Valley and West Marin will select their area representatives on the Marin County Board of Education in the Nov. 5 election.

The county board is a seven-member panel that serves as the appeals board for interdistrict transfer requests, student expulsions and charter school petitions. The board also adopts an education plan and budget for the Marin County Office of Education, including setting the salary for the county superintendent.

The Marin County Board of Education and the Marin County Office of Education oversee about 30,000 K-12 public school students in 17 school districts.

Area 1

Two people are challenging incumbent Li DelPan in Area 1, which represents part of Novato. They are Adam McGill, a former Novato city manager, and Barbara Clifton Zarate, a community foundation director.

DelPan, 69, a resident of Novato, was elected to a two-year term on the board in November 2022.  A commercial banking officer, vice president and portfolio manager at Bank of Marin, she has more than a decade of experience in banking and finance.

Originally from the Philippines, DelPan came to the U.S. to advance in her career and raise her daughter, mostly without a support network, she said.

“My experience as a single mother who raised my daughter without any relatives in the United States to count on for support, and how I navigated through the child care, day care and school system, makes me a great trustee,” she said.

DelPan’s daughter graduated from private school, but DelPan believes her experiences as a school parent translate to the public sector.

“I am dedicated to improving children’s lives by supporting programs that equip them with values to face life’s full cycle,” she said.

She said her two years on the board has expanded her knowledge of education challenges that Marin families face. The areas she would focus on in another term include achievement gaps among students, early childhood education, literacy and college and career readiness.

McGill, 51, is a resident of Novato. A former Novato police chief, he was named city manager in 2019. He resigned from the city manager’s post at the end of last year.

In all, McGill has 32 years of public sector experience, including 15 as a senior executive, he said.

“I’m the only candidate in my race with children in Novato schools,” said McGill, who has two children in high school and two in pre-kindergarten and transitional kindergarten.

“I want to represent the parents’ voice, which seems lost to career school board politicians and those with no direct participation in the educational system,” he said.

In addition, McGill said he would focus on keeping schools safe.

“Safety is my first priority,” he said. “For all students, staff, visitors and faculty.”

McGill said he would “serve as the voice of parents with school-aged children, representing those experiencing contemporary parenting issues.”

Zarate, 58, a Novato resident, is a consultant. She formerly worked with Marin Community Foundation and the First 5 Marin Children and Families Commission on early childhood education equity issues.

At the commission, she said, “my work involved overseeing countywide programs in community health and school readiness, equipping me with a deep understanding of the educational needs of our youngest learners.”

“I am committed to fostering inclusive, equitable educational environments,” she said. “I care about the students, the families and the educators and want to offer my experience and expertise to making our education system the best it can be.”

Zarate said she would work “to ensure that all students, regardless of their background, have access to high-quality educational opportunities and resources.”

She said she also would make sure that “educators and staff have competitive salaries, professional development opportunities and adequate classroom resources.”

Area 4

In Area 4, which represents Ross Valley, part of Kentfield and part of San Rafael, two people are competing for the open seat to be vacated by incumbent Fel Agrelius, who declined to seek reelection. They are Victoria Canby, an educator and artist, and Nancy McCarthy, an attorney.

Canby, 46, is a resident of San Anselmo and the parent of a middle school student. Canby herself previously attended schools in the Ross Valley School District and the Tamalpais Union High School District.

Canby is an educational consultant with the Alliance for Felix Cove, a group working to preserve the land and buildings of the Coast Miwok tribe at Point Reyes National Seashore. She also teaches Indigenous studies with various groups.

In all, Canby has more than 25 years experience in the educational system, including roles at preschools, after-schools and extracurricular classes such as art and gardening, and in leading workshops on Indigenous studies and the Civil Rights Movement.

Most recently, Canby was executive director of the Museum of the American Indian, where she said she collaborated “with countless educational partners and developing curriculum and programming which served schools all over the Bay Area.”

On the education board, she said, she would support a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion on school campuses, where every child “feels celebrated.”

“By supporting DEI initiatives and programming, it will ultimately impact other concerns like mental health and school safety,” Canby said.

McCarthy, a resident of San Anselmo, said she has more than 20 years of experience serving on various public financial oversight panels, involving more than $500 million of public bond money. Those include bonds for Tamalpais Union High School District, Edna Maguire Elementary School in Mill Valley and College of Marin. She is the vice chair of the bond oversight committee at the college.

“I am experienced and knowledgeable in the critical review and evaluation of complex financial records school-related,” she said. “MCOE must assure the financial solvency of each of the local school districts in Marin County.”

McCarthy said she also has experience in collective bargaining, hearing appeals and special education issues in her work with various clients.

McCarthy also is interested in supporting early childhood education, such as the new center at Short School in San Rafael, which combines several early grades programs under one roof.

“Early offerings are often the most critical,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy said she also would focus on school safety, anti-bullying programs and equal access for all pupils.

“I believe that education is our future and it must be preserved, improved, financially viable and excellent and local,” she said. “All students should have high-quality educational opportunities.”

Area 7

Two people are running for the open seat in Area 7 to be vacated by Clairette Wilson, who declined to seek reelection. Area 7 represents coastal areas, Lagunitas, Nicasio and part of Novato. The candidates are Denise Bohman, a trustee in the Lagunitas School District, and Jill Sartori Manning, a trustee in the Shoreline Unified School District.

Bohman, 63, a resident of Forest Knolls, has served about 25 years on the Lagunitas School District board. She is a property manager for Two Valleys Community Land Trust, an affordable housing nonprofit in Nicasio and the San Geronimo Valley. Bohman has also served on countywide education committees and is familiar with the operations of a range of Marin school districts.

“My strengths are in facilities and in budget oversight,” Bohman said.

She said her work in affordable housing would be an asset as Marin educators grapple with a lack of affordable staff housing throughout the county. Marin educators are looking at projects in progress in the Novato Unified School District and on state land near San Quentin.

“Retention of teachers and all staff depends on local and affordable housing for their families,” Bohman said.

Manning, 55, a Tomales resident, is an attorney and mediator. She has been on the Shoreline Unified School District board for 15 years.

She is a native Californian and longtime resident of West Marin who attended Marin public schools from third through 12 grades. She graduated from Tomales High School and went on to earn degrees at University of California at Davis and the University of San Francisco School of Law.

“I will bring a unique understanding of West Marin, a proven track record of strong advocacy for students and strategic thinking, leadership and communication skills,” Manning said.

Manning said she would bring to the county board the qualities she nurtured as a trustee.

“I have demonstrated a dedication to advancing student achievement, advocating for equity in education, promoting student wellness and always putting kids first,” Manning said.

“My background and experience have trained me to articulate complex ideas in an accessible manner, negotiate effectively and to use and analyze data to identify and solve problems,” she said.