ON MAY 20, LET’S ELECT FOUR EXPERIENCED COMMUNITY LEADERS TO THE SALEM-KEIZER SCHOOL BOARD
We support our community, our kids, and our schools when WE ALL VOTE.
Vote by May 20!
We need school board members who understand education, who are focused on students, and what our students need to graduate ready for college or a career in the 21st century.
We need Lisa Harnisch, Angelo Arredondo, Karina Guzman Ortiz, and Mel Fuller on the Salem-Keizer School Board — experienced leaders who know that students thrive when they get the support they need to meet high expectations.
But first, we need you. Your vote can have a huge impact in school board elections. Please take a moment to check your voter registration.
This election directly impacts almost 40,000 Salem-Keizer students. Every single one of them, no matter their background, deserves:
Safety and a sense of belonging at their school
To graduate prepared for what’s ahead, whether it’s college, technical education, or the workforce
A rich academic experience with support to meet critical literacy benchmarks
Our Values
We believe protecting public education is top priority. Education matters for every student– and every student should be able to take part.
We believe every parent and student should have a say in the decisions made by the school board.
We want to advocate for students facing poverty, houselessness, racism, and social and economic disparities. Our district needs to be there for children in need.
These School Board Candidates Share Our Values
Community for Salem-Keizer Schools facilitated a community-driven process to identify school board candidates committed to honesty, transparency, and to improving representation of some of Salem’s most underserved voices. We’re proud to support these tireless working parents who share our values.
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Lisa Harnisch
ZONE 1
Lisa has lived in Salem for over 30 years, and raised two kids in our public schools. She’s spent her career supporting educational opportunities for our community’s youngest kids. Lisa has been involved since her kids were in school, including being on the Budget Committee, Co-chair for the Facilities Task Force, and Co-chair for the committee directing the school bond which provided funding to enhance all of our school buildings. Lisa’s community service includes leading Awesome 3000 for 12 years and is currently the President of the Salem Art Association.
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Angelo Arredondo Baca
ZONE 3
Angelo was born and raised in Salem and attended school here in Zone 3 the whole time. He comes from a farmworker, working class family and currently serves as a guardian for his sister, who is a junior in the district. Angelo advocates for underrepresented students at the state level through his work as a the Outreach Coordinator for the Oregon Community Table on Post Secondary Education & Training (OCTPET). He’s running for School Board because he wants to keep serving our kids, especially those who are falling behind.
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Karina Guzmán Ortiz
ZONE 5
Karina is the mother of two Salem-Keizer School District students and the daughter of dedicated and resilient Mexican immigrants. A Salem-Keizer graduate, she attended community college and went on to earn her Masters of Social Work. Not only has she worked as a substitute teacher in SKPS and run the local CAPACES youth program, Karina served on the Governor’s Education Recovery Council. She’s the current zone 5 School Board Director and works at the Oregon Department of Early Learning & Care.
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Mel Fuller
ZONE 7
Mel has lived in Salem for 15 years and is raising two awesome kids in SKPS. She’s the President of the Parrish MS Parent Club and and a daily school volunteer. You can find Mel reading with students, popping popcorn, on a field trip, or raising money for enrichment projects! loves volunteering at her children’s school! Mel’s work experience includes serving the community for seven years as the Meals on Wheels Program Manager at the Marion Polk Food Share, planning family activities at an assisted living center, and working as a Park Ranger, helping kids learn about the outdoors hands-on.
Community for Salem-Keizer Schools PAC is a coalition of education advocates, racial justice organizations, parents, educators, students, labor leaders, and community leaders committed to helping all children in our community succeed.
contact: community4salemkeizerschools@gmail.com
