ABOUT MONICA TAVAKOLI
BACKGROUND & VALUES
​As a parent to two young children in CUSD, I am committed to making a positive impact on CUSD. My objective is to bring data driven decision making, establish process and procedure for promoting open and collaborative communication between the district and all of its stakeholders, and implement accountability for fiscal responsibility. Achieving these objectives will create a more transparent and accountable district that prioritizes student well-being and success. Join me in advocating for the success of all CUSD students.
PRIOR EXPERIENCE
I earned a computer science degree from an engineering school, completed an entrepreneurial program, and worked as a year-round intern at Hewlett Packard while in college. Then, I went on to law school and continued interning at Hewlett Packard and then Halliburton. I have worked as an associate at an intellectual property law firm, as associate general counsel for a corporation, and now am the managing member of my own law firm. My background in engineering, law and business provides me with the analytical and problem-solving skills to analyze complex issues, find practical, common-ground solutions, and advocate for these solutions in a way that gets buy-in from a broad spectrum of stakeholders.
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I am currently serving my second term on the Executive Board of the Carmel River PTO and can often be found volunteering on campus both in the classroom and at various PTO events. I also participated on the School Site Council last year. My involvement at River School has given me a front row seat to see how dedicated the teachers and staff are to all students as well as the challenges facing them.
VISION & MISSION
Advocating For
the Success of
all Students
My vision is to create a more transparent and accountable district that prioritizes student well-being and success by fostering open communication and collaboration. I am dedicated to tackling tough issues head on and working with all stakeholders to shift the district towards thoughtful, strategic planning and execution and away from reactionary measures. The challenges facing the district are opportunities for the community to come together and build a better future for our students and staff. Together, we can create an environment that nurtures the potential of every student, ensuring they thrive and succeed.
Top 4 Goals
01
Restore Trust
CUSD and the school board's primary challenge is lack of trust after a string of questionable actions. Restoring trust will take time, but the school board and CUSD can start by increasing community engagement, improving its communications, and addressing tough issues head on with integrity.
03
Process and Procedure
Process and procedures ensure equity and transparency. Implementing processes and procedures leads to more thoughtful and thorough planning and less reactionary moves. Coupled with effective communication, all stakeholders will not only feel included in the decision-making process, but the decisions made have a higher likelihood of success.
02
Fiscal Responsibility and Accountability
Even though CUSD has a sizeable budget, that does not mean the funds should not be used efficiently. Start with eliminating large expenditures, such as employee dismissal payouts, that do not add value to our students' education or serve to directly support teachers and staff. Carefully review third party contracts to see if the services are necessary or if they can be performed internally. Assess lawsuits to determine if the legal strategy makes sense and to identify any changes that can be made internally to reduce exposure in the future.
04
Data-driven decision making
School Board decisions should be driven by the data, including science and community feedback. The district should do its due diligence to determine if later start is feasible for our middle and high school students since it is supported by science and would be a great benefit to students. Testing data should be examined to identify any learning gaps.