Candidate for
Board Member; La Mesa Spring Valley Elementary School District

My name is Jay Steiger, I am a parent of two children attending school in this district, and I am running for the La Mesa Spring Valley School District Board because I want to help develop educational opportunities for our children and be a public voice for education in the community. I am concerned that too many parents have lost confidence in public schools. I will work to build strong parent and community outreach to both hear concerns and celebrate school success.

I have been a parent representative to the La Mesa Spring Valley School District Budget Study Committee since January 2008, and have gained a comprehensive understanding of school finance, budgeting, and operational needs. As a committee member I attempt to base all decisions on accurate data and solid input from the education and parent community.

I am the Vice President for Legislation for the Mt. Helix Council of PTA's, which is the governing body for the 21 school site PTA's in this district. I have worked with fellow parents and district advisors to help make parents aware of the impact of the ongoing state budget cuts, and how they can be a strong voice for their child's education. I have spoken at education town hall and school site meetings across the district, and greatly value hearing parent concerns and educational suggestions. My PTA role has repeatedly taken me to the local and Sacramento offices of our legislators and governor to call upon them to protect education within the state budget.

In addition to my PTA council role, I am also the PTA President at Murdock Elementary and a longtime classroom and school volunteer. Working directly with the children in reading, spelling, civics, and PE is both a wonderful investment of time and a constant reminder of the importance of a strong and comprehensive education for all our children no matter which district school they attend.

I have lived in the La Mesa Spring Valley School District for 40 years, attending Casa De Oro and Highlands Elementary, and Spring Valley Middle School. I graduated from Monte Vista High School and have a BA in Psychology from UCSD. I have a diverse employment background including over 10 years as a software support analyst.

Youth sports and recreation programs are an outstanding option for building physical fitness, fostering teamwork, and making new friends. I am an AYSO soccer coach and a La Mesa National Little League volunteer scorekeeper and game announcer.