Two would-be incumbents on the Cabrillo Unified School District Board of Directors have chosen not to run for re-election in November, leaving behind two openings for fresh faces on the five-member board.
With current President Ken Jones and Ruth Palmer now out of the running, the filing deadline for candidates has been extended to 5 p.m. today.
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Gardner is a civil engineer, who resides in Montara. He served on the Midcoast Community Council for less than a year before resigning last Sunday to pave the way for a concentrated campaign to get on the school board. He says his focus is now on schools, adding that he doesn't foresee any elections in the next four years that will tempt him to run for another governing body.
Gardner wrote in his letter of resignation of the desire to "eliminate any potential conflict, perceived or real, which may affect (his) candidacy."
He wants first-rate facilities, world-class curriculum and more active participation from students' families as well as the community.
Lundell is not new to CUSD politics. He's a chief technology officer, who lives in Half Moon Bay and has probably been one of the most vocal critics of the current board.
He opposes the school district's years-long attempt to build a new middle school at the proposed Wavecrest development, adding that the district is relying on data from 1996 for its planning and that assumptions made at that time have proven to be exaggerated.
He also wants the board's actions to be more open. He's long criticized the board for what he thinks is an excess of closed meetings. Lastly, he hopes to improve school performance, citing a low ranking that three schools received on standardized state tests.
Moseley is an airline pilot, who makes his home in El Granada. He couldn't be reached for comment by press time.
Palmer, who served on the board for 12 years, said she decided not to run again largely because her youngest son just graduated high school.
She looks back with pride on the district's programs for English-as-a-second-language, the language-immersion program and full inclusion for severely disabled students.
"There's a pretty steep learning curve if you're new to the board," she said as warning to the candidates.
Palmer said she supports Gardner and Moseley in this election, mostly because they each have children in the district. Lundell does not have children in the schools.
The largest problem facing public education is funding and government's unwillingness to increase spending, Palmer said.
"Maybe it's a matter of priorities," she said.
She sees the increased focus on standardized tests as another worry.
"That is an inequity that is intolerable to me, but continues to exist. We have to ask more of our education system I'm afraid.
"The common good seems to have taken a few hits," Palmer said.
Jones, the other would-be incumbent, is on vacation for the month and couldn't be reached for comment.
The election is set for Nov. 2.
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