Candidate statements: SV School District, District Four
In their own words, meet the two candidates for Area Four of the Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees.
Adam Lobsinger
My name is Adam Lobsinger. I am running for the District Four seat on the Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees. It’s time to invest in the future of Sonoma Valley.
Schools are for life. And if this year has taught us anything, we know that life can throw us obstacles which test our very core values and our ability to be flexible, creative and above all patient. We are in a time unlike any other. Education is changing. Sonoma Valley is changing. The District needs to recommit to excellence in leadership from the school board and the administration. We need to work together to come up with responsible solutions that put teachers and students first.
As School Board members we must be willing to explore all avenues to prepare students for their best life. We must look at career paths as well as college pursuits. Each student is unique, and each student deserves a pathway that offers fulfillment.
I approach this challenge with the support of teachers. Teachers, next to their parents, are closest to the students- their support and input are what this campaign is all about. My wife is a teacher at Adele Harrison and my aunt is a teacher at Prestwood. Soon my two daughters will be starting their formal education here. They along with many others inform my decisions and inspire my direction.
I am a fourth-generation Sonoman. I attended Prestwood, Altimira and graduated from Sonoma Valley High. I am a graduate of UC San Diego and the University of San Diego School of Law. Following law school, I moved back to Sonoma because Sonoma is my home. I served as a firefighter with the Schell-Vista Fire Protection District for many years before being hired with the San Francisco Police Department. I choose to work in the places where people need critical assistance. I was taught dedication and community service by my teachers, and I try to pay it forward every day.
We demand the best in our arts, our food, our wine and our work. We have the resources we need to provide quality education for our children and to recruit and retain the best teachers that will make Sonoma better. It’s time we tap into these resources. It’s time we demand the best of our school leaders.
I would be honored to have your vote.
Troy Knox
The children are waiting! My name is Troy Knox and this mantra drives my focus as an Elementary Principal in Napa where I have served as an educator for over twenty years. These words capture the sense of urgency I feel to support all students. While this moral imperative becomes more complex in the midst of a pandemic, we will rise to the challenge by listening to each other and working together. I am deeply committed to serving all students in the community in which I live as SVUSD Board Trustee representing Area 4.
Sonoma Valley families are looking to district governance and leadership for reassurance that every child will receive a robust educational program while preserving the health and safety of students and staff. We must deliver a safe and rigorous school experience for all students. Every student deserves an opportunity to shine, and I will work tirelessly to see that each student, beginning in Kindergarten, is afforded a pathway to college or career opportunities upon graduation.
I possess a unique perspective that will serve our Board of Trustees well. The district’s top priorities in their Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) mirror my priorities as a Title 1 elementary school principal: 1) Ensure high achievement for all students; 2) Close the achievement and opportunity gaps for all students; and 3) Provide a safe and engaging environment for all students. I am well-versed in many of the programs and action steps Sonoma Valley Unified is currently implementing in order to achieve improved outcomes for students. As Board Trustee, I will closely inspect what we all expect from our schools.
I have taken a keen interest in SVUSD since my family and I moved to Sonoma six years ago. I see how our community embraces and takes great pride in our schools. This should not be taken for granted and we must continually invest in our students, our school employees, and our school facilities.
Likewise, we must continue to bring to light the inequities that exist in our school system. Sonoma is not alone in this regard, but together we can take steps to remove barriers for many of our families and promote equity and access for all students. Increasing participation rates for all student groups in pre-school and Advanced Placement classes in high school are two areas where we can start.
I am proud to have the Sonoma County Democratic Party’s endorsement for Area 4, and I respectfully ask for your vote this November 3rd. Together, we will elevate our approach to teaching and learning so that we achieve the outcomes that every student deserves. To learn more, follow me on Facebook @troyknoxforsvusdboard. Remember, the children are waiting!
