April Northrup

This post is over-due, but I was hoping for a repeat of the Measure K results, where on Election Night we just had 64% yes, and once all the votes were counted, we passed with 67.7% yes. With each release of data from the County Elections office, the percentage of votes I have received for School Board has held steady at around 16%. I came in 4th out of 6 candidates, and the 3 incumbents received the highest number of votes, at approx. 27%, 22%, and 20%. I congratulate Amy Koo, Rahila Passi, and Suvarna Bhopale on their successful campaigns, and wish them continued success, along with Huan Phan and Robert Tashjian, as the stewards of our school district.

I am so honored and grateful for your support, and humbled by the 6,066 votes I received. I don’t know 6,066 people! Thank you to all the parents, teachers, and community members who supported my campaign. I appreciate every one of you who encouraged your friends and neighbors to vote for me. I especially appreciate my wonderful volunteers who helped by knocking on doors: Sapna Dixit, Virginia Blackwell Merwin, Ying Gonikman, Colleen Gleeson Greshock, and Dena Tran. I am honored by the support of the many community leaders who endorsed me: Carole Groom, Charles Stone, Julia Mates, Warren Lieberman, Brian Matthews, Cathy Mostasisa Wright, John Violet, Adele Della Santina, Ardythe Andrews, Tim Hoffman, Jeff Schnitz, Jeff and Cheryl Glicksman Selman, Mary Morrissey Parden, and Haifa Khoury. I am honored to have received the endorsement of the San Mateo County Democratic Party, and the Belmont-Redwood Shores Faculty Association. Finally, I am thankful to my husband Alan and my children, Andrew, Abigail, and Ava, for their support and understanding. Between Measure K in the spring and the School Board campaign, my family is eager for “Campaign Mommy” to take a break.

Where do we go from here? Where do I go from here? For myself, I will focus on doing the best I can in my current roles as SchoolForce Cipriani Co-Chair, and member of the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee. I remain committed to the students of Belmont and Redwood Shores. I am proud of the education our students receive through the tireless efforts of our dedicated teachers. I will continue to advocate for better communication from the school district to our community, and for improved oversight and transparency on our budget. I invite you to join me.

I am a parent of 3 kids in the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District, a Belmont resident, and a former public school teacher. I am an education advocate, a classroom volunteer, and I was the Co-Chair for the Yes on Measure K campaign. As the Yes on Measure K co-chair, I led a team of committed volunteers in advocating for the passage of Measure K in June 2018, which resulted in $1.4 million more annually for our Belmont-Redwood Shores schools.

My priorities for our Belmont-Redwood Shores School District are fiscal responsibility, increased communication, and improved collaboration. I would like to ensure that the school district puts ALL the taxpayer revenue it receives to the best possible use, while ensuring a high-quality education for all students. I will increase communication between the school district and the community, and foster a greater connection between the community and the schools and students. I will improve collaboration throughout the district, between administrators, teachers and staff, parents, and community members.

As an educator myself, I understand how much experienced teachers impact the quality of education.  I will work to attract and retain high-quality teachers, and make sure our academic programs stay on top.  I would be honored by your vote.