Dry Creek race draws five for three seats

Five candidates are in the hunt for three seats on the Dry Creek Joint Elementary Sch-ool District Board of Trustees this fall.Incumbents Diane Howe, Wayne Roberson and Tracy Pittman will be joined by newcomers Anne Silberstein and Nikolay "Nick" Borichevskiy in the Nov. 7 election. The candidate filing period for the election ended Aug. 11.The winners will join a board overseeing a district straddling Roseville and Antelope that has grown from a handful of schools just a few years ago to nine built and one on the way. The district's newest school, Barrett Ranch Elementary in Antelope, opened this school year.Silberstein said her decision to enter the race stemmed from her substantial involvement in the district already. The Dry Creek Community resident has three boys who have either gone through the district or are currently attending its schools, where she also volunteers."I've always felt passionate about our district and our kids," Silberstein, 46, said. "I truly feel that parents, while we may not be educators, play a vital contribution to the success of our children in school." A homemaker, Silberstein said she wants to ensure school facilities are used to their fullest potential and would also support a look at the district's calendar to bring it more in line with the high school's. She said she would also focus on ensuring the new West Placer Middle School offers the same academic programs as other schools when it opens. Supporting an Internet-based student reporting system accessible to parents would be a priority as well.Borichevskiy is a church administrator and Antelope resident also looking to take a crack at the board."My children, I care about their education, and even my decision to move to the Dry Creek district came because this is a good district," he said. Borichevskiy, 37, lives in Antelope and has two children in district schools. Another will enter the district when becoming old enough.Borichevskiy said he came to the U.S. from Eastern Europe about 15 years ago without speaking a word of English, and within 10 years was attending Sacramento State. "If I who came to U.S. with no English, and in 10 years am able to go to Sac State University, it should be possible for everybody," he added.He said although the district is doing a good job educating students, there's still room for improvement, particularly in math and science."If there's anything I can do to influence the school district to do differently, with my experience, it would be awesome," he said.Howe, the current board president, is looking to retain her seat, which she's held for 21 years.A day care provider, Howe joined the board back when the district consisted of one school - Dry Creek Elementary. Her two children attended the school, as her two grandchildren do today."I started on the board in the very beginning of the growth," said Howe, 58. "I have a passion for the children and I think that education is the key."Along with planning for expansion, Howe said a major focus of hers is keeping academic achievement trending upward."Our standards are very high, and we keep improving, making gains every year on the state testing and the federal testing," she said.Howe said she's also focused on opening West Placer Middle School on time and accommodating students with more diverse needs, including an increase in English language learners and special education students.She's also looking at creative sources of funding, including a possible grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which gives heavily to education.Pittman, 52, has 12 years of experience on the board and is hoping to add four more this November. Seeing the district grow over the years has been rewarding, she said, as has been working with staff and parents. Pittman's three children attended or are attending school in the Dry Creek district.She said she's most proud of work done on her watch to expand the district's curriculum department and adequately measure student academic achievement."Today, we have an assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, we have all kinds of standards, standards-based report cards, an intervention program, and a great program of staff development," she said. In the future, Pittman said she would like to see the district further develop its Gifted and Talented Education program, promote the performing and fine arts, and look at expanding options for middle school electives.Pittman also wants to keep a close eye on development to ensure the district isn't caught off-guard by an unexpected influx of students from the developing West Placer area, she said.Roberson said he's running again to continue the "positive things that are happening within our district."The 47-year-old Roseville resident and retail manager for Airgas has been on the board since 1999. His son, currently a sophomore at Woodcreek High School, went through Dry Creek schools.Roberson said the district is doing well in its primary mission - educating students - but it must persist in improving student scores further and staying on top of potential hazards."As the district matures and we get to the point that we're not building schools anymore, we have to look at what keeps you good," he said.Roberson said his voice has been important in matters of fiscal responsibility, and that it's important to understand where the money is coming from when starting new programs. "We're spending the public's dollar and it's our responsibility to see that that dollar's spent the right way possible," he said. "It's no different than doing your own household budget."