Chuck Rairdan. Courtesy photo

Chuck Rairdan, recently a member of the Davis school district’s Strategic Planning Committee and father of two in the public schools, is seeking a seat on the Davis school board. He has applied for the appointed position and intends to run in the Nov. 4 election.

Rairdan said he believes the district is at a vital crossroads and that many of the choices being contemplated today will have a significant impact on the quality of our schools well into the foreseeable future.

“With the challenges and opportunities currently facing the district, the consideration of diverse perspectives in an open and respectful environment and thoughtful, well-informed decisions will be essential to moving forward,” he said.

A native Californian, Rairdan is the first in his extended family to earn a college degree. He graduated cum laude from Humboldt State University in biology, and went on to earn a doctorate in environmental science and engineering from UCLA.  He has worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers since 1996 and is currently serving as chief of real estate acquisitions for the Corps’ South Pacific Division, headquartered in San Francisco.

Rairdan and his wife, Xin, who works as a lab supervisor for Genentech, are the parents of two daughters, one attending Holmes Junior High and the other at Pioneer Elementary.

Rairdan said he is committed to preparing all children for success in a rapidly changing world and ensuring that a broad range of instructional options and tools are available to serve the diversity of educational needs in our community.

“We should endeavor to provide a set of choices that are appropriate to each student’s individual aptitudes, needs and aspirations,” he said. “Leveraging technology will help to improve access to these educational options and expand the available methods of teaching as well.

“I believe a significant part of closing the achievement gap will require a more inclusive culture and helping the students who are struggling in our schools to reach their personal bests,” he added. “I am also encouraged by the move toward more inquiry-based learning and creative problem-solving skills.

“Opportunities for advancing these modes of learning will be provided with the implementation of Common Core (academic standards), and the district has a considerable opening with this new curriculum to introduce both proven and innovative instructional techniques.”

Rairdan said he supports “investing” more in teachers and school staff members.

“Many district employees will be eligible to retire within the next five years, and the ability to offer competitive compensation will be crucial to the district’s efforts to attract, hire and retain quality talent,” he explained. ” The dedicated teachers and staff of the district are a cornerstone of educational excellence in Davis and we must not take their valued contributions for granted.”

Long-term, Rairdan said he wants to help transform the district into a 21^st century leader in educational innovation.

“The recently adopted strategic plan is a positive step in that direction and I am honored to have been part of the visionary group of district staff and community members involved in its creation,” he said.

For more information about Rairdan’s campaign, visit RairdanForSB.org.

— Reach Jeff Hudson at [email protected] or 530-747-8055.

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