Kusiak defends school board president seat from Chung

As the school board election comes near, citizens of Trustee Area Five will have the opportunity to vote between two candidates who are ready to make a difference in CVUSD. The two candidates going against each other this year is the incumbent Michael Kusiak and the opposition, John Chung.

Michael Kusiak, the current board president, has over 20 years of experience in public high education. “I believe we can do even better,” Kusiak said, “which is why I listen to the concerns and ideas of every community member.” Endorsed by many, Kusiak has been actively involved in advocating for schools, including leading the Measure G bond campaign to success and bringing significant infrastructure investments to CVUSD. 

His focus on mental health includes making investments into mental health to help ensure that students are safe and ready to learn. With his leadership, CVUSD has focused on improving fundamental skills like reading, math, and science, and championing excellent art, music, and athletic programs hoping to push CVUSD to a brighter future. 

On the other hand, Chung offers a new perspective to the race. Chung has over three years of experience on the Board of Directors at the San Lorenzo Village Homeowner Association. During his time there, he was responsible for assisting residents with concerns, working alongside government agencies to improve community welfare and development, and so much more. Hoping to bring a fresh voice and perspective to the board, he has over a decade of experience running a small business and works actively in the mental health field as a registered associate. His main focus? Safety and security.  

“I would like to look at bringing School Resource Officers (SROs) back to our campuses,” Chung said. “If students can feel safer on campus, they can focus more on their education and extracurricular activities.” This focus on safety is especially important today, as schools across the country have faced increased levels of violence. 

Chung’s focus on improving safety addresses the concerns of parents and teachers, aiming to create a school environment where everyone can feel secure and focused.