Voters can pick two in race for Healdsburg Unified School board
By Kat Gore
Staff Writer
Three people are running for two seats on the Healdsburg Unified School District Board of Trustees: incumbents Vince Dougherty and Donna del Rey and challenger Tina Guerrero.
Vince Dougherty, who has been a trustee for the past four years, said that he is running to continue what the school board has been doing. “We’re in charge of spending the bond funds on the school improvements and I think we’ve made a lot of great strides the last four years and I decided to run because I want to see that process through,” Dougherty said. “We have a major project underway at the junior high right now and then projects start at the high school next year, and those projects are going to take the next three or four years.”
Dougherty said that the school district has been able to address many issues in the past few years. “We’ve got a very strong leadership team that I enjoy working with and I feel a great sense of collegiality with my other trustees,” he said.
Dougherty is a longtime Healdsburg resident, another reason why he is running.
“I’m a big believer in the town and I want to do what I can to support it,” he said.
Vice president of the board Donna del Rey was appointed two years ago. Del Rey said that she wants to “give back and contribute” to the district.
“I feel like I’m just getting started, there’s a lot to learn; from state and local policies, to the workings of the board,” del Rey said. “I think we’ve accomplished a lot in two years but I feel like there’s still so much more I can do and that’s why I want to run again.”
Guerrero said that she is running for a trustee seat because she believes it is vital that involved parents take part in the highest levels of decision-making in Healdsburg schools.
“I am excited about the prospect of working with our wonderful, diverse community and staff to take our schools to the next level,” Guerrero said.
Guerrero said that the areas she would like the district to pursue further include: increasing student leadership opportunities, aggressively pursuing additional resources for Healdsburg schools, ensuring equity in all learning objectives, improving parent outreach and involvement and advancing the strategic use of educational innovation and technology for both teachers and students.
Dougherty said that important issues to him include implementation of the new Common Core state standards curriculum, being inclusive to all the different community members, continuing to work on the budget and hire the best staff possible, and he also wants to see athletics be strengthened. Construction, technology, the mentorship program and the trade programs: the Construction And Sustainability Academy (CASA), the culinary program, and the agriculture program, are also critical, he said.
Del Rey said that when she joined the board she didn’t have an agenda of tasks she specifically wanted to accomplish. “I just wanted to contribute, to give back to this wonderful community,” del Rey said.
She said that she is focused on managing and optimizing the changes that are happening in the school district. Examples of the changes are Common Core, 21st century learning, remodeling the high school and junior high and introducing new technology into the schools.
“We are blessed that we have a budget that allows us to not just do the minimum, and to implement under pressure. We take these new standards and approaches and do really amazing things with them, and that’s what we’re in the process of doing.”
All three candidates have strong backgrounds volunteering in Healdsburg.
Dougherty has been involved in the community since his move to Healdsburg.
“I’ve lived here for almost 30 years and I have been a volunteer since I got to Healdsburg in 1985,” Dougherty said. “I’ve spent years in community groups and different boards.” Dougherty has been on the Strategic Planning Committee for the school, and has been active in Kiwanis, the Healdsburg Animal Shelter, Boys and Girls Club, Relay for Life, has coached Little League and he plays Santa for the Cub Scouts. Dougherty is the liaison for the district’s athletics programs and has been on the school board since he ran four years ago. Dougherty works fulltime in Healdsburg doing technology consulting.
“I grew up in a small town in Oklahoma and that’s what makes these small towns go: volunteering,” Dougherty said.
Del Rey worked for a high-tech company for 20 years in the Bay Area prior moving to Healdsburg with her family in 1997. She started her current business, Relish Culinary Adventures, in 2003. Del Rey has a son who just graduated from Healdsburg High School and a daughter who currently attends. Del Rey said that she has been involved with her children as they went through the Healdsburg School District, and she was previously on Live Oak Preschool’s board.
“I’m a big believer and supporter in this community and all we can accomplish here, and I just really look forward to hopefully contributing to changes and improvements in the schools that benefit everybody,” del Rey said.
Guerrero has been involved in volunteering throughout the school district for the past six years, “every year adding a new commitment to the agenda,” she said.
Guerrero is a stay at home mom, although she said she is rarely home because she likes to be out and a part of volunteer services.
“I have a passion for volunteering and learning how the school district runs,” Guerrero said. She has served in leadership roles on PTO committees, Site Council Committees, booster clubs and English Language Acquisition Committees. She has also been involved in the Governing Council for the charter school and junior high and she has led a local Girl Scout troop for the past four years, Guerrero said.
“I have an in-depth understanding of the district’s instructional goals, finances and operations. It has been a true joy and privilege to use my Spanish language and cultural skills to advance educational improvement and collaboration. Further, I bring a unique and informed perspective as I am an HUSD graduate, and have children at all three instructional levels; HES, HJH, and HHS,” Guerrero said.
