19 file for 19 school board seats

Five more candidates have joined the race for 19 school board seats in the seven districts serving Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley, bringing the total to 19 contenders.

The Coast Community College, Huntington Beach Union High School, Fountain Valley School, Huntington Beach City School, Ocean View School Westminster School and Garden Grove Unified School districts all have seats open on their boards for the Nov. 2 election. Twenty-five people have thrown their hats in the ring, but only 19 completed their declarations of candidacy as of press time Wednesday morning.

Retired teacher Kathleen Iverson and board President Brian Garland filed Tuesday for the three open seats at the Huntington Beach Union High School District. The district oversees seven high schools, an adult school and two alternative high schools in Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley and Westminster. Tom Dern, a businessman, and board member Bonnie Castrey are also in the running.

Board member Bob Harden and Bob Tucker, a labor relations representative, also filed Tuesday for the Garden Grove Unified School District. The district oversees two adult education centers, 47 elementary, 10 intermediate, seven high, two continuation and two special education schools in Garden Grove and in surrounding cities, including Fountain Valley. Shaun M. Curtis, a municipal administrative analyst, is also a candidate.

Retired Principal Ronald Zell completed his paperwork Tuesday for one of the three open seats on the Westminster School District. The district oversees one child development center and 13 elementary and three middle schools in Huntington Beach, Midway City, Garden Grove and Westminster. Westminster School District Trustee Vice President Andrew Nguyen and fellow board member Mary Mangold are also in the running.

Huntington Beach City School District board member Rosemary Saylor filed Monday, board member Shirley A. Carey filed Friday, and businessman Rob Fishel completed his paperwork Friday. The district oversees seven elementary and two middle schools in Huntington Beach.

John Ortiz, a special education para-educator, filed Friday for one of the three open seats on the Ocean View School District. The district makes decisions for two preschools, 11 elementary and four middle schools in Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley. Board Trustee George W. Clemens has turned in his papers for one of the three open seats for Ocean View School District.

The Fountain Valley School District’s three candidates, board President Pro Tem Judith Edwards and Trustee Nicola Weiss and retired educator Sandra Crandall, have all completed their paperwork. The district oversees eight elementary and four middle schools in Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach.

Coast Community College District Trustee Jim Moreno is running, so far, unchallenged for his Area 1 seat, which includes Seal Beach and Westminster. The district oversees Golden West College in Huntington Beach, Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa and Coastline Community College, which is based in Fountain Valley.

Prospective board members have until Friday to complete their paperwork.