Tam Union High School District board: seven candidates, two questions

Seven candidates are running for three seats on the Tamalpais Union High School District board in the Nov. 3 election. We asked each the same two questions and a limit of 90 words per answer.

Candidates are listed in the order they filed their declarations of candidacy, earliest first. Claims are the candidates' own, and we have not independently verified them.

Tell us about yourself in a sentence or two: your background and why you're running.
I am a parent and practicing appellate and constitutional lawyer who has long advocated for our public institutions. I am running to bring sound judgment to the board and build community support to help our students succeed.

What are your top two priorities for the district if elected?
To promote continued academic excellence and student belonging, I have two top priorities. First, AI. I'll form a task force to help teachers design assignments and assessments for the AI era. Teachers should be supported in designing work where AI use is effectively impossible, or conversely, where it's expected and part of the assignment. Second, the budget. Costs are rising faster than revenues, and that gap will not close without action. I'll prioritize responsible stewardship and sustainable, long-term solutions.

Tell us about yourself in a sentence or two: your background and why you're running.
I am a former Fortune 100 litigator and a 17 year and counting high school AP English teacher. I have been an elected trustee for 21 years, 13 in the Kentfield school District and 8 in the Tam Union district. I combine proven experience in high performing districts with a lawyer's mind and an educator's insight. Both of my children graduated from Redwood High School.

What are your top two priorities for the district if elected?
I will continue my focus on securing academic rigor for all 4200 students and making fiscally responsible decisions on behalf of the District. Fiscal responsibility has allowed us to balance our budgets, keep our teachers the best paid in the North Bay with a 35% raise over the last 8 years and maintain a responsible 17% reserve. My platform is built on academic rigor, fiscal responsibility and proven experience.

Tell us about yourself in a sentence or two: your background and why you're running.
I am a Spanish teacher with more than twenty years of experience in public, charter, independent, and community education. I have also served as a Marin County Library Commissioner and am the author of bilingual children's books that promote literacy and cultural understanding. I am running because I believe excellent schools are built through strong academics, thoughtful leadership, and meaningful partnerships with families, educators, and the community. I hope to contribute a perspective shaped by living, learning, and working across multiple educational systems, cultures, and languages.

What are your top two priorities for the district if elected?
My first priority would be rebuilding trust through listening, respectful dialogue, and transparent decision-making. Strong schools depend on strong relationships among students, families, educators, staff, and district leadership. My second priority would be ensuring that academic excellence and student well-being go hand in hand. High expectations, excellent teaching, and meaningful support systems are not competing priorities, they strengthen one another. Every student deserves to graduate prepared for college, careers, and civic life with the knowledge, confidence, empathy, and critical thinking skills needed to thrive.

Tell us about yourself in a sentence or two: your background and why you're running.
I'm a Bay Area native, and Mill Valley has been home for the past 40 years. I recently retired as a civil engineer/program manager — and before that, I worked as a Registered Nurse. I also served on the TUHSD board, finishing my term in 2024. I'm running again because I want to support our new district leadership team and keep building on the progress our high schools have made to ensure all 4,200 + students have access to a strong and supportive education.

What are your top two priorities for the district if elected?
Our schools have some challenging decisions ahead, and my first priority is to work with the board to weigh competing priorities while maintaining excellence and staying within our fiscal realities. My second priority is to help the district build a stronger, more inclusive approach to community involvement. We are fortunate to have a supportive community, and we should be engaging with them regularly, not only when a tax measure is on the table. The challenges ahead will require real partnership with our community.

Tell us about yourself in a sentence or two: your background and why you're running.
I'm a Bay Area native, a product of the public school system from kindergarten through UCLA, and a supporter of public education, and I know that my expertise has resulted in positive outcomes for the district. I am running for reelection in order to maintain the current trajectory and build on our work.

What are your top two priorities for the district if elected?
My primary focus is on maintaining sound financial management in order to underwrite smooth operations for the district. That should generate improving student outcomes, and we are already seeing the results.

Editor’s note: This profile draws on Saavedra’s answers to our candidate questionnaire, submitted on Sep. 16. On Oct. 8, a Marin County Superior Court judge granted a petition for a civil harassment restraining order against Saavedra, a sitting Tamalpais Union High School District trustee (case CV0011301), according to the court’s online docket. District board documents describe the petitioner as a district parent. We emailed Saavedra on the evening of Oct. 8 for comment and had not received a response by publication.

Updated Oct. 9: The board will consider a motion to censure Saavedra at its Oct. 13 meeting, which begins at 6pm in Larkspur. Board President Cynthia Roenisch brought the motion, and a draft resolution cites the restraining order. The board has not voted. We will update this page if Saavedra responds.

Tell us about yourself in a sentence or two: your background and why you're running.
Until 6/2025, I taught social studies for nearly a decade at Archie Williams, and before that I was an attorney with the San Francisco City Attorney's Office representing public boards and agencies. Both my chidren graduated from the Tam district, and I've stayed involved for years: the PTA board, Kiddo! board, the Tam High Site Council, and tutoring with Bridge the Gap. I understand how our district actually works, and can hit the ground running. We need a new school board that's trustworthy and thoughtful.

What are your top two priorities for the district if elected?
My top two priorities: first, trustworthy governance. We deserve a board that respectfully and genuinely listens to students, families, community members, and teachers, and acts with transparency, not behind closed doors. Second, making sure every student gets a meaningful, relevant and substantive education that challenges them and prepares them for the what's next. This requires fiscally sound decisions to protect the district's resources and a real commitment to equity, so these resources go where they'll actually help kids grow and thrive.

Tell us about yourself in a sentence or two: your background and why you're running.
I am Joy Koo, a Tam parent, Columbia engineer, MBA, with twenty years of professional experience and a decade of community service in our schools. I am running because our board has lost sight of the students, teachers, and families it is supposed to serve. Over the last 18-months, I watched nearly 300 young people address this Board asking for support. I believe this district deserves collaborative leadership and I am running to provide it.

What are your top two priorities for the district if elected?
I will focus on restoring trust between our Board and community because it is foundational. Our district faces urgent challenges: a structural budget deficit, a persistent opportunity gap, an expiring parcel tax, and upcoming teacher contract negotiations. None of these can be solved by a board that lacks the community's confidence. Trust is earned through consistent engagement over time; creating genuine opportunities to evaluate difficult tradeoffs while treating everyone with civility. I'll prioritize respectful board dynamics, transparent decision-making, and genuine partnership with students, parents, and educators.

More information on every race and measure on the Nov. 3 ballot is on the Marin County Elections website.