Candidate for
Board Member; Belmont-Redwood Shores School District

I have lived in the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District (BRSSD) for 10 years (1 in Belmont and 9 in Redwood Shores). I am a mother of two boys (5 and 2 years old). I have the skills and experience to improve BRSSD. With a BS from MIT and an MBA and MS from Stanford, my career has been focused on cutting costs while increasing job satisfaction by improving business processes. I have managed supply plans and distribution channels to ensure that customers get their products at the right time and right place. My expertise is in formulating strategies based on analysis of data and understanding what drives the stakeholders.

I have a passion for improving the neighborhood education system and building community amongst neighbors. In 2009-2010, I advocated for a language immersion program in BRSSD. In 2010, I joined School-Force's inaugural "I'm In" campaign soliciting donations from local businesses and hosting a garage sale fundraiser. In 2011, I addressed the school board again about language immersion + one of the options considered by the board's Alternatives Committee + to alleviate overcrowding at Central and Cipriani Elementary Schools by attracting students to a desired program at a non-neighborhood school. I am a 2005 graduate of Redwood City's Partnership Academy in Community Teamwork (PACT) and have strengthened community both as a Neighborhood Liaison and as a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member.

My vision is to instill a sense of belonging in children by keeping them at neighborhood schools so they can grow, learn, and play with the support of their local community. We will realize this vision by adhering to these core values:

• Neighborhood schools strengthen the sense of community and children benefit when the entire "village" helps to raise them.

• Every stakeholder viewpoint will be valued and respected, and all stakeholders will be included in the decision making process.

• Open and candid communication will create a culture of transparency and trust that will inspire great minds from diverse backgrounds to craft innovative solutions to solve problems in the district.

1. We need to be proactive, not reactive, and make an accurate assessment of future needs with a clear understanding of changes to the funding landscape and academic standards.

2. We need to be creative and ensure we maximize and utilize all resources efficiently and effectively. We need to understand the lead times and tasks required to implement various solutions and incorporate those into the plans.

3. We need to have a clear path going forward and invest for the long term. We cannot wait for all the facts to make decisions, but rather we must come up with likely scenarios, mitigate risk by accounting for those scenarios in our plans, and understand when we need to commit resources to lock in a solution for a given scenario.

These are difficult tasks, but I have the experience required to lead a problem solving and decision making process that is transparent, fact-based, and involves all stakeholders.

Please vote for me so together we can change the district for the better.

How to reach Amy Koo

Email: amy@advancebrssd.com

Phone: 650-522-1921

Website: http://smartvoter.org/vote/amy_koo

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/amykoo4schoolboard

Twitter: @amykoo4BRSSD

Donations: http://www.americandreamfund.org

Blog: http://belmont-ca.patch.com/blogs/amy-koo