Candidate forum for PSUSD planned at Palm Springs HS

The Palm Springs High School Instrumental Band Boosters will be hosting a candidate forum for the Palm Springs Unified School District Board Elections.

According to Amber Conroy with the Palm Springs Spirit of the Sands Bands, the forum takes place on Thursday, October 30, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Palm Springs High School.

The candidates for the three open seats will have the opportunity to present their platforms and positions on various issues including the future of music and fine arts within PSUSD.

Karen Cornett is the only candidate running for re-election. She is running against challenger Anna Nevenic for the Trustee Area 3 seat. Candidates James Williamson, Vanessa Sheldon, Noel E. White and K. Magdalena Andrasevits are running for the open Trustee Area 4 seat, and the Trustee Area 5 race features candidates John Gerardi and Eduardo Medina, according to ballotpedia.org.

The audience will be allowed to ask questions to determine each candidate’s position on key educational issues.

This is the first year all candidates will be elected by trustee areas, which means there will be equal representation among all schools throughout the district for the first time as well, Conroy said in a release.

Prior to 2014, members were elected at-large.

Because three of the five school board seats are up for election, the forum is designed at providing parents and others interested in quality education an opportunity to hear directly from all candidates before November 4.

The candidate forum will be held in the Performing Arts Center (Band Building), located at 2248 East Ramon Road in Palm Springs.