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Ms. Paspalis addressing supporters at Cohen-hosted fundraiser.
The first time you run for office, since everything is new, hiccups are forgiven.
Second time, the candidate, Kathy Paspalis in this case, and the community – a gathering last Saturday afternoon at the home of Mr. Culver City, Mike Cohen – know each other.
For that challenging reason, Ms. Paspalis’s kickoff fundraiser for her re-election campaign to the School Board was and will be held to a lofty threshold.
“We have gotten a lot accomplished the last four years,” she told the crowd of committed supporters and the curious. “We have great schools. We have been getting great scores, but we need good facilities to go along with that,” she said by way of inserting a pitch for the presently parked bond measure campaign.
“We need to work on the facilities, and I am hoping to get that done during the next four years.”
Ms. Paspalis did not canvas the crowd to learn how many allies she has in her desire to put the bond question on November’s ballot. “But I have not talked to many parents who are not in favor of it,” she said. “Those who are not for it may not have spent enough time on our campuses.”
Three and a half months before Election Day, Ms. Paspalis, mother of school-age twins, was asked if her second campaign would be more comfortable than her maiden venture in 2009.
“Somewhat,” she said. “It’s different running a second time because you now have a record. You now have an idea of how some things get done.
“You go in with an idea about what you want to get done, and you must temper that with realities, how, for example, the Education Code works and how things get done in the public education system.”
The spine of Ms. Paspalis’s campaign will be that she has grown into an effective leader “because I listen to folks. It is not just about meetings. It is about getting things done.
“You cannot get one thing done by yourself. You are part of a board. To accomplish anything, you have to meet with community leaders, whomever the stakeholders are, staff, teachers, parents, students – and find out what the scoop is. Get the whole picture.
“That,” she said, “is what I believe I have done.”
Ms. Paspalis’s competition for the three seats are incumbent/colleague Karlo Silbiger, first-time contender Steve Levin, third-time contender Robert Zirgulis. Colleague Prof. Patricia Siever has not yet decided. She has until early August.
