Six Applicants Move Forward for Appointment to School Board Seat

Each of the six applicants for appointment to the vacant La Mesa-Spring Valley School District board seat were moved forward to the interview process on Thursday, March 14, the board decided Tuesday.

Each of the four board members were eligible to nominate two applicants apiece, but given that only six people applied, a motion was made, seconded and approved to advance all of the candidates. 

With the question of “who” being answered in less than a minute, the discussion then turned to “how” the interview process was going to go.

The board debated the merits of two systems of interview: one that has all of the candidates in the same room at the same time, answering the same question in succession; the other involving a candidate answering a series of questions one-at-a-time, followed by the next candidate, with the other candidates removed.

“Historically, we have used  a process where all candidates are seated at a table in front of the dais, and the board will answer the candidates in order,” said Superintendent Brian Marshall. “The other option as Mr. Baber described would be for each candidate to come in individually and be asked the exact same questions by the board, to make it as fair as possible.”

The board members said they had no preference of options, but spoke to the merits of both.

“I will say this in regards to the second option where it’s just one person at a time, it is more intimidating and you also don’t get to pick up on the answers from the other candidates, which might be more informative for the board,” said Rick Winet.  

“I was thinking option two for a similar reason,” said Emma Turner. “When I was going through the appointment process, we were all in the room together, which is fine, but we as a panel would probably gain more if they were here by themselves.”

Board member Bill Baber asked if there was any chance that the board could ask specific questions to each candidate, rather than the same questions to each.

“If  one of the candidates has something in their application that is unique, how could I ask that question and be fair?”

Assistant superintendent Claudia Bender urged caution from an HR point of view.

“The legalities of varying the questions can lead you to problems down the road,” she said. “People will have not have had a fair process with equal questions.”

“To be as fair as possible, remember, this is taking the place of the public voting,” Marshall said. “That is what this is doing. It’s legal and it saves us $300,000 to run an election, but it is taking the place of the public’s opportunity to select their board member. In my mind, to make that process as fair and transparent as possible, we should ask the candidates the questions as similarly as possible so that you’re given the exact same information from each candidate.”

Winet praised the candidates for the quality of their applications.

“I would like to say something to the candidates, I think most of them are here. The applications were outstanding. You guys did a fabulous job. It was much better than anything I’ve ever put together.”

The candidates will be interviewed during a public meeting at the district offices on Thursday, March 14 at 4 p.m.

The applicants, in order as presented on the district website are:

• Steve Babbitt
• Robert Divine II
• Gerald “Jerry” Lecko
• Ben Motten
• Jay Steiger
• Mike Stewart

Babbitt has lived in Spring Valley for 14 years. He owns a small business designing and developing websites, and is the lead pastor of Spring Valley Community Church. Babbitt, an engaged advocate Spring Valley, currently has three children that attend school in the district, a wife that teaches in the district, and he is a PTA representative on the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee.  He has also been a longtime volunteer on many district committees and for many Spring Valley area organizations.

“I am motivated by a desire to make a difference in my community and to improve the lives of students,” Babbitt wrote in his application. “As a hands-on volunteer in some of our most challenging schools for more than a decade, I have witnessed firsthand the measurable difference our engaged and insightful board has made. As a lifelong believer in volunteering, I have been inspired by our district’s board and staff’s willingness to roll up their sleeves and work in the trenches.”

Divine II has lived in the district for 60 years. A lifelong resident, he attended elementary, junior high, and high school in the area, and is a Monte Vista High School graduate (’65). Divine has also run for political office locally and in state elections for assembly and congress. Divine also served in the Vietnam War as a Naval officer.

Coming from an education family, Divine’s father helped start schools in the 1950s and was a teacher, coach and athletic director for Helix High School. Divine has experience on the PTA and was a substitute teacher for nearly every elementary school in the district at some point.

 “I am in it for the people. I want them to be happy,” Divine wrote in his application. “I want to build faith, strengthen families, and our community. And most of all to build a sense of joy and accomplishment in parents raising children, teachers developing productive young citizens, and children growing up happy. And if the kids learned something along the way, that would be good too.”

Lecko, a La Mesa resident, has lived in the district for 25 years. He has worked as an architect as a career, and currently owns his own private design studio. He is a member of the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee, and has served on various PTAs, and on the Mt. Helix Council PTA. He was a seven-year member of the District Advisory Council, and was its chairman from 2005-07.

“I have found great satisfaction, reward, and accomplishment in my involvement  in the LM-SV School District, and would continue to serve the La Mesa-Spring Valley community with a great sense of pride and serious responsibility,” Lecko wrote in his application. “It would be a privilege and honor to work with such a fine, dedicated group of educational professionals and support staff in educating and supporting our children.”

Motten has lived in Spring Valley for two years. He works as a research scientist, serves on the board of the East County Boys & Girls Club, the California Conservation Corporation, the Education Committee for the San Diego Chamber, and is the chair of the Economic Development Committee in Spring Valley.

“Education has been and continues to be a large part of my life, and I hope to pay that forward,” Motten wrote in his application. “It is my hope that my diverse background and experience would assist the board in its goal to deliver greater public education. As with any goal or vision, I would like to be able to look back and say I left an organization better off than when I started. Small steps and small victories lead to big change over time.”

Steiger, a Spring Valley resident, has lived in the district for 40 years. He is a lifelong student of the district, having attended Highlands Elementary, Spring Valley Middle and Monte Vista high schools. He has served on countless district committees and organizations, including the district’s Budget Study Committee, the District Advisory Committee, vice president for Legislation with the Mt. Helix Council of PTAs, President of the Murdock Elementary PTA and more. Steiger also has strong family ties to the district, as his grandmother was a teacher at Spring Valley Elementary, and his parents and siblings attended district schools, and his children attend district schools.

“I will be a strong voice for all children and work to ensure that the district provides educational opportunities for every student now, and in the future,” Steiger wrote in his application. “I celebrate achievement of all schools and for all children. We are the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District, not La Mesa and Spring Valley separate. Where we see challenges, we should work to attain improvement, where we find success, we should highlight and take note of transferrable practices.”

Mike Stewart, a Spring Valley resident, has lived in the district for 15 years. He works as a civilian employer for the Department of the Navy, as an IT Technical Architect. He is the former vice chair of the Spring Valley Community Planning Group, and a former volunteer coach with Special Olympics. He is also currently a representative to the  GUHSD Parent Music Advocacy Group, and was formerly on the district Citizens Bond Oversight Committee, and on various PTA and volunteer groups.

“Our responsibility as parents and citizens is to provide children an educational opportunity with the core subjects of reading, writing and mathematics, as well as art, science, music and physical fitness that enrich and truly provide a basis for a well rounded and educated person,” Stewart wrote in his application.