We were not heard after all by LAUSD. After voting (5-2) in September FOR Calendar Change, the Board quietly REVERSED its decision, voting in December to keep the failed Early Start Calendar and start the 2017-18 year on August 15th. School Board Reps Garcia (district 2 - up for re-election Tuesday), Schmerelson (district 3), Zimmer (district 4 - up for re-election Tuesday), Rodriguez (district 5), Ratliff (district 6 - seat up for election Tuesday) ALL voted to overturn Superintendent Michelle King's proposed calendar, which moved the LAUSD start to a week before Labor Day. This move guarantees a sixth year of sweltering school days, poor air quality school days, astronomical AC costs, angry parents & kids, failure to improve AP or SAT test scores, NO childcare availability over weirdly extended holiday breaks causing serious hardship for working families, lack of summer jobs for kids who have to return mid-August, and a school schedule that doesn't fit the needs of LA families for countless reasons. This isn't about the number of school days - unchanged at 181 - this is about asking LAUSD to get the job done within the calendar used by top schools in our community and our country. The same calendar used in LASUD prior to 2012. This isn't a selfish or elitist issue, as opponents try to say - it affects all 640,000 children in Los Angeles the same way - as the unnecessary extended holidays get in the way of all LA kids learning, and school in early August steals away Summertime from all LA kids and places them in an unsafe, scorching schoolyard instead. Reps McKenna (district 1) and Vladovic (district 7) drafted the resolution to fix the calendar and continue to share our concerns and fight for calendar change. However, they are outnumbered on the board -- but Tuesday we can help change that. If you agree, then please tell everyone you know to go vote this Tuesday, March 7th for NEW LAUSD Board Members from Districts 2, 4, and 6. Blog, report, tweet and Facebook about this issue now! See the list of Candidates below, learn who supports fixing the LASUD failed Early Start calendar and vote! This is a primary election, so if the incumbent can't secure a majority of votes there will be a second election 5/16. So go fight these incumbents (Garcia, Zimmer and Ratliff's empty seat) who have failed to hear our concerns, by voting for another candidate. In my home District 4 Allison Holdoroff Polhill and Nick Melvoin both oppose Steve Zimmer - who has never been responsive or been effective representing our concerns - and both new candidates support fixing the LAUSD early start calendar. If you don't know which district you live in see this map: http://achieve.lausd.net/Page/8686 If you find a great candidate in your district get the word out in social media and by commenting on this update page on change.org. District 2 Candidates: Candidate’s Name: Lisa Alva Candidate’s Name: Carl J. Petersen Mailing Address: 108 S. Sunol Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90063 Daytime Phone: (818) 430-0274 Campaign Headquarters Telephone Number: Same Website Address: changethelausd.com E-mail Address: changethelausd@gmail.com AGAINST CALENDAR REFORM Incumbent Candidate: Mónica García Mailing Address: 777 S. Figueroa St., Ste. #4050 Los Angeles, CA 90017 Daytime Phone: (213) 452-6565 Campaign Headquarters Fax Number: (213) 452-6575 E-mail Address: monicagarciaforschoolboard@gmail.com District 4 Candidates: Candidate’s Name: Allison Holdorff Polhill Mailing Address: 15332 Antioch St., Ste. #562 Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 Daytime Phone: (310) 804-8424 Campaign Headquarters Telephone Number: Same Website Address: allisonforstudents.com E-mail Address: campaign@allisonforstudents.com Candidate Representative: Brian Van Riper Representative’s Telephone Number: (323) 638-9243 Candidate’s Name: Nick Melvoin Mailing Address: 149 S. Barrington Ave., Ste. #420 Los Angeles, CA 90049 Daytime Phone: 323-379-2017 Campaign Headquarters Telephone Number: Same Website Address: nickmelvoin.com E-mail Address: info@nickmelvoin.com LIKELY AGAINST CALENDAR REFORM Candidate: Gregory Martayan Mailing Address: 650 S. Hill St., Ste. #331 Los Angeles, CA 90014 Daytime Phone: (213) 725-8683 Website Address: votemartayan.com E-mail Address: contact@votemartayan.com AGAINST CALENDAR REFORM Incumbent: Steven Zimmer District 6 Candidates: Candidate’s Name: Kelly Fitzpartick-Gonez Mailing Address: 16633 Ventura Blvd., Ste. #1008 Encino, CA 91436 Campaign Headquarters Telephone Number: (323) 655-4065 Website Address: kellygonez.com E-mail Address: info@kellygonez.com Candidate’s Name: Jose Sandoval Mailing Address: P.O. Box 44342 Panorama City, CA 91412 Daytime Phone: (818) 984-2133 Campaign Headquarters Address: Same Campaign Headquarters Telephone Number: Same E-mail Address: sandoval4schoolboard@gmail.com Candidate’s Name: Patty Lopez Candidate’s Name: Gwendolyn R. Posey Mailing Address: P.O. Box 921875 Sylmar, CA 91392-1875 Daytime Phone: (818) 794-0544 Campaign Headquarters Telephone Number: Same E-mail Address: poseyforlausd@gmail.com Candidate’s Name: Imelda Padilla Mailing Address: 728 W. Edna Pl. Covina, CA 91722 Website Address: imeldaforschoolboard.com E-mail Address: imeldaschools@gmail.com Candidate Representative: Noel Barajas Representative’s Telephone Number: (818) 672-6635 Candidate’s Name: Araz Parseghian Mailing Address: P.O. Box 230 Tujunga, CA 91043 Daytime Phone: (818) 974-4663 Campaign Headquarters Telephone Number: (818) 875-1444 Website Address: arazforlausd.com E-mail Address: arazforschoolboard@gmail.com Candidate Representative: Hrag Yedalian Representative’s Telephone Number: (818) 207-5274 Incumbent Monica Ratliff AGAINST CALENDAR REFORM and running for LA City Council Seat.