Candidates join race for school board

Two new candidates have joined the race for three open seats on the Moorpark Unified School District board.

Donna Lacour and Natalie Panossian will face two incumbents and two other contenders in the November election. Members of the school board represent the interests of Moorpark students.

Donna Lacour

Lacour and her husband, Maurice, moved to the Campus Park area 16 years ago. The couple have a 15yearold daughter who attends Moorpark High and a son, 10, who will enter fifth grade at Flory Academy.

As a teacher with more than 20 years of experience working with students, parents and administrators in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Lacour said her professional background would be an asset for the board position she's seeking.

"I support collaborative decision-making," she said. Parents, students, teachers and the community must be able to work with school administrators at all levels.

"My ideas and decisions will come from the perspective of someone that has firsthand experience working in the classroom and whose own children are currently attending Moorpark schools," Lacour said.

The local mom believes parents and students need to have more input in the decisionmaking process.

"Parents should have a greater voice in the district policies, and schools need to be accountable to the community for every decision they make," Lacour said.

Lacour opposes staffing cuts and the elimination of transportation for high school students.

"If elected, I will seek to ensure that any cuts made are those that are the furthest away from the students and classrooms," she said.

Lacour said she's concerned about the board's decision to eliminate school bus services for high school students. The perspective of the school district is not in line with parent concerns, she said. Good programs don't have as much value if students don't have a safe and reliable way to get to school, she said.

Changes implemented last year also need to be revised, according to Lacour.

"When the district implemented a change in schedule to include a late-start day rather than an early dismissal day for secondary schools last year, the change lacked support from many parents, yet the district chose to implement the late-start day again this year," she said.

One of the greatest challenges facing the school district will be to maintain programs and services despite budget shortages.

Moorpark school leaders made great strides in the past few years, said Lacour, referring to high test scores and greater program choices offered through the magnet schools program.

"All schools are doing really well, and as a school board member I would want to work to continue that excellence in this time when budget cuts have to be made," Lacour said.

The safe atmosphere and improvements that were made to campuses must also be preserved, she said.

Natalie Panossian

Panossian has lived in Moorpark for about 20 years, and she's a product of the local school system.

"I understand the importance of obtaining a good education and the successes that come from it and want to make sure that each child of Moorpark receives an education that will help him or her succeed in life," she said.

Panossian, 33, graduated from Moorpark High School with honors in 1993. She earned a law degree from Whittier Law School and continued her studies at Pepperdine University, where she earned a business degree.

The local resident and candidate now is a corporate lawyer for Ricco Printing Systems in Simi Valley.

The excellent education she received in Moorpark provided the groundwork that enabled her to achieve her professional goals, she said.

Panossian is confident that her professional experience in both legal and fiscal matters prepared her well to handle challenging issues of increased academic demands and decreased funding sources.

"I am running to provide needed leadership and accountability to the school board in a time of fiscal crisis, and I seek to create an environment that will help ensure that every child in Moorpark receives an education that will allow them the opportunity to reach their fullest potential," she said.

Panossian enjoys being involved in the community. She teaches Sunday school at Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village and does pro bono work with the Alliance Defense Fund, handling constitutional law and civil liberty issues. Panossian has been an officer in the U.S. Army Reserves for two years.

Since school boards are a link between residents and the school district, local trustees need to create clearer channels of communication between the community and schools, Panossian said.

"Since decisions about schools can have an impact on the entire community, it is important to have increased involvement by local residents and to openly discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the schools," she said.

Extensive participation by the community will help create a shared vision which will enhance student achievement, Panossian added.

Budget cuts must be made to balance the budget, but officials must try to minimize the impact on education provided to children, she added.

If elected, Panossian also hopes to start a mentorship program within the district to enable local leaders to serve as mentors to students who seek to learn about various career fields.

"I realize the importance of having a mentor in one's life and the significant positive impact that they can make," she said.

Panossian said she is a dedicated and hardworking individual who truly cares about the wellbeing of Moorpark's children.