Simi Educators Association
Simi Educators Association’s (SEA) Representative Council enthusiastically voted to support Sofya Bagdasaryan, Mike James, and Kareem Jubran for the upcoming November 2024 Election.
Mike James has a proven commitment to Simi Valley’s students and public schools. The Simi Educators Association feels that Mike James is best-suited to continue moving SVUSD forward in the right direction. SEA has decided to put its full support behind Mike James in hopes of maintaining the board’s focus on governance and ensuring high-quality education for all of our Simi students.
School Board Trustees
Bob LaBelle – SVUSD Area A
Kareem Jubran – SVUSD Area B
Sofya Bagdasaryan – SVUSD Area C
Kristina Pine – SVUSD Area D
Dawn Smollen – SVUSD Area E
Arleigh Kidd – VC Board of Education
Bernardo Perez – VC Community College District
Local Officials
Josh Gray – RSRPD Director
Brian Dennert – RSRPD Director & SVUSD Teacher
Eric Lundstrom – RSRPD Director-elect & fmr. SVUSD Trustee
Bill Daniels – fmr. SVUSD Trustee & fmr. Simi Valley Police Officers Assocation President
Glen Becerra – fmr. Simi Valley City Council Member
Students
I recommend Mr. Mike James for the Simi Valley School Board, Area A. As a recent graduate (Class of 2024) of Santa Susana High School, I had the pleasure of seeing the positive impact Mr. James has made on our school community and beyond. I sincerely believe there is no person more qualified for this position.
Through my time as a SSHS student, I’ve seen firsthand the work he has done as president of Santa Susana Performing Arts Boosters and have heard only positive things from peers, teachers, and staff. He always puts an effort to make students around him feel seen, heard, and loved, and his presence alone never fails to brighten up the room and make everyone feel welcomed. At our school’s scholarship night, he led the welcoming address to announce the 10 recipients of generous scholarships, and when he spoke, he immediately captured the audience of parents, families, and students, leaving all of us feeling motivated and empowered. Mr. James has a unique ability to make everyone feel valued regardless of their background or perspective. He is a very well-respected man in our community yet remains humble in everything he does.
As a Sr. Manager at a local Aerospace company, Mr. James helped host his booth at our school’s STEAM Expo & Health fair, which garnered over 2000+ community members, and taught Simi youth how cutting-edge technology and prototypes are being used to help frontline warfighters, first responders, space explorers, and more. In all our school’s STEM events, he always puts an effort to be involved and encourages students to pursue a career in STEM.
There is no doubt in my mind that Mr. James genuinely cares about what he does and seeks to make an inclusive environment and positive difference in the lives of the students he helps. Our students love him, and without his hard work and dedication, Santa Susana High School wouldn’t be where it is today. I know he would be a wonderful addition to the school board, inspiring and guiding the students in the district just as he has the students at my school.
Sincerely,
Ella Mayor
2024 GE-Reagan Scholar | 2024 National Honor Society – National Winner
I greatly support Mike James for the position representing Simi Valley School Board Area A. I am a junior at Simi Valley High School and have known Mr. James for many years. I have had the joy of witnessing his dedication to our community. Mr. James brings a wealth of experience and a passion for educational reform and community engagement that will greatly benefit the Simi Valley Unified School District. His leadership, commitment, and experience have consistently been evident in his work. In addition to his professional qualifications, he possesses a genuine commitment to improving the educational environment for all students. His consideration and innovative approach will contribute significantly to the Board’s efforts to enhance our schools and support our community. I am confident that Mr. James will serve with integrity, dedication, and a strong vision for the future. I strongly recommend him as a trustee on the Simi Valley School Board and believe that his inclusion will be a great asset to our educational system.
Sravya Nallapareddy
Parents
I am thrilled to endorse Mike James for Trustee of Simi Valley Unified School District. I have worked closely with Mike as a member of the Executive Board of the Performing Arts Booster Club at Santa Susana High School, where he currently serves as President. I have been continually impressed by Mike’s enthusiasm. During his time as President, he has enlarged the Booster Club’s Membership by bringing in more parents and departments. He has empowered both teachers and parents, while working closely with administrators in leading several large fundraisers that benefited both the students and the school. He is a skilled negotiator and conduit between the school administration, the teachers, the board, and the parents. Beyond that, he is simply a nice person, and a supportive parent that encourages children and wants to see them succeed. It is a pleasure to work with Mike, and I know first-hand that he would be an asset to the School Board here in Simi Valley.
He certainly has my vote!
Amy Bridges
Parent and Board Member at Santa Susana High School
I am writing to support Mike James for the SVUSD School Board. I have known Mike for seven years, during which our daughters performed together at Hillside Middle School (HMS) and Santa Susana High School (SSHS). As a parent and former teacher at HMS, I witnessed Mike’s dedication to the performing arts, tirelessly using his resources to ensure the program’s growth. His commitment extended to district-wide initiatives, like a band program inclusive of all SVUSD students. As Booster parents at SSHS, Mike and I worked together to support all programs equally and welcome new families. Mike’s integrity, dedication, and vision make him an excellent candidate for the School Board. I wholeheartedly endorse him.
Sincerely,
Gwenn Urbach
My name is Mike Scully and I am a long-time resident of Simi Valley, CA. I was raised in this beautiful town and attended multiple schools throughout my childhood and early adulthood. I walked away from each school with something different. I learned new things, both personally and academically, at each school. I’ve had multiple teachers my whole life tell me they saw something in me that I simply couldn’t see in myself. I’ve even had the a few principals (and yes, even the Superintendent) tell me the same thing, that I wasn’t reaching this unattainable idea they called “potential”. The truth is that I struggled at times to find my place in our community and with little to no coping skills, the rebellion in my teenage years was certainly a sight to be seen. There have been a handful of teachers and staff that, as I look back now, truly spoke to me and were somehow able to get through to me. My honors English teacher Mrs. Haren in my freshman year told me I could go to Harvard, and that they would be lucky to have me. Mr. Kingsbury, my 7th grade history teacher, showed me how interesting the past can be and made learning so fun that I can still recite the five pillars of Islam (inside joke for Kingsbury). My senior year Government teacher Sylvan at Apollo (we used first names at Apollo) took extra time out of his day to assist me in completing a year’s worth of work in a single semester as I had a child on the way and expressed to him that I needed to graduate early. Both Sylvan and Mr. Kingsbury have since taught my own daughter at Hillside Middle School and Royal High School. I ended up finishing high school early and have since spoken at my high school many times for career days, groups and other events. I say all this to simply portray to you how much I deeply care and appreciate our Simi Valley Unified School District and those that help serve our community. Simply put, I can think of no better individual to serve this community than Mike James. I am proud to give my full support and endorsement to Mike James. Mike served as a mentor for me for a number of years and it was him who was able to finally reach me and help me see this “potential” everyone kept talking about. His caring nature and steadfast demeanor not only showed me the person I aspired to be but bled through in his work and dealings in my community. I have watched him inspire others to do their best, and I have watched him solve unsolvable problems, and I’ve had the honor to watch him be a cheerleader to those finding their paths and help to lift them back up when they fall. I have been lifted up by this truly honorable public servant. And my hope, as a father of three attending schools in Simi Valley, is that he is given the opportunity to lift us all up and show us our potential.
With Gratitude,
Mike Scully
Mike James embodies the same principles and level of excellence the most competitive universities look for in their own students: Leadership, Civic Engagement, and Time Management. Being an over 20-year university administrator who has helped families in learning these college/career competitive principles, Mike James is a candidate who will use these same principles to serve Simi Valley families at the highest level of best practices.
Whether it is through Mike’s experience as a three-term President of the Simi Valley Education Foundation, knowing sound fiscal budget management, 15+ years of Non-Profit Leadership and Board Governance experience, or being involved in the education of his two daughters moving through the Simi Valley K-12 system, Mike James is a community leader who will take the very best from his experience as a father, parent, leader, and community servant to best serve the needs of Simi Valley parents and students.
As a parent of two students currently attending Simi Valley schools and having lived in Simi Valley since 1977, I fully endorse Make James for School Board Area A leadership.
Marcelo F. Vazquez, Ed.D.
Simi Valley Parent and College/University Leadership
Having known and worked with Mike James for more than a decade, I can honestly say that there is no one more focused on the success and growth of Simi Valley, its student body, and our educational institutions. He has demonstrated, time and time again, his dedication to the evolution of our city to ensure it is a positive and nurturing environment for a younger generation while also being very active as a public servant. These ideals are also embodied in his loving family who support him in his passion for problem solving and communication. I endorse Mike James for Simi Valley School Board – Area A because he truly cares about our future as a community and the future of our educational system.
Stan Nowak
Teachers
Mike James is a passionate supporter of the schools in Simi Valley. My first year working for Simi Valley Unified School District, I was lucky enough to receive a grant from the Simi Valley Education Foundation to enrich my library. Who was there to deliver it, passionate to get kids reading and support me in my new middle school position? You guessed it! Mike James. Not only that, but I have seen Mike James in his capacity as one of my students’ parents, in and out of the classroom. He is always the first to donate what is needed, attend events in support of the kids, and make sure teachers and staff feel appreciated. Mike James will serve our city well in his capacity as school board member. To me, it’s just another gift he’s willing to give the kids and the city. You can count on his generosity and tireless support of all of our children. Vote for Mike James.
Jennifer Stafford, SVUSD Teacher
I enthusiastically recommend Mike James for a position on the Simi Valley School Board. I have had the pleasure of knowing Mike James for approximately 12 years, during which me I have witnessed his dedication to Simi Valley schools and his outstanding contributions to our community. Mike James possesses a unique combination of personable qualities, skills, and experiences that make him exceptionally well-suited for a role on the school board. I was fortunate enough to serve on the Simi Valley Education Foundation Board with Mike, and in those years of volunteering together, he demonstrated a strong commitment to the foundation. He put forth countless hours in working events and started new projects that enhanced and strengthened the foundation. He is always thinking of ways to build up the foundation through personally connecting to the community and researching the next step. He also took on the role of presidency for three terms. His leadership abilities and outgoing personality made it very easy to work alongside Mike in every way. His enthusiasm and passion have no limits and would be a valuable asset to the board. You will never meet anyone who has more energy, ideas and dedication than Mike James does. Throughout the years that I have known Mike, he has consistently shown his eagerness for improving education, advocating for students, and fostering community engagement. There is still that same excitement today. He has also proven his ability to collaborate with others and listen to what others have to say. While we were both serving terms on the SVEF board, he would ask a group of us to meet on numerous occasions to discuss some of his ideas and what a few of us thought. He is very open to hearing others’ perspectives and internalizes all the suggestions and truly appreciates them. He listens. I am confident that Mike James will bring dedication, integrity, and fresh perspectives to the school board. His deep understanding of our school district and the direction it is going would be instrumental in advancing student achievement, ensuring /social responsibility, promoting equity and inclusion and keeping our schools on the right track.
I wholeheartedly endorse Mike James for a position on the school board and urge you to consider his candidacy favorably.
Lulu Means, SVUSD – Elementary School Teacher
As a school teacher in SVUSD, I have seen Mike on many school campuses over the years. In fact, he presented me with a wonderful supply of engineering equipment for my middle school science students in 2019. I appreciate him for being such a wonderful community partner; providing meaningful service as a leader of the Simi Valley Education Foundation. Mike’s continued support of students and teachers is admirable. I look forward watching him unite our community on the School Board by collaborating with our School District Office, City Council, Park Board, Police Department, Local Agencies, Businesses, and Non-profit Organizations.
Erik Temple, SVUSD Teacher
School Administrators
The last two and a half years, I have worked at Santa Susana High School in the Simi Valley Unified School District as Assistant Principal overseeing Activities including the Performing Arts Department. One of my responsibilities is to be the admin support for the Boosters Program for Performing Arts at SSHS. Mr. James has two daughters. One just graduated this year from SSHS and the other will be a junior at SSHS next year. Both students have been very active in Performing Arts including musical theater, choir, and instrumental music. Mr. James has been, and continues to be, extremely active and supportive for students and staff at SSHS. He is artistic, creative, and a very forward thinker. Many of the designs and artwork needed for promotion for school performances have been done by Mr.James. Mike and his wife Beth have spent endless hours of volunteering at not only their own daughters’ performances, but for any performances where volunteers were needed. In addition, they both helped during set up and take down at this year’s graduation and last years as well.
Over the past year, Mike has been President of the Boosters Association. One of the things that makes him so special is that he has a passion for doing what is right for all students, and his desire to be very inclusive is always evident. Last year, Boosters made and sold Senior Banners of students that were in Performing Arts. This year, as President, Mike took it a step further and not only offered these banners to Performing Arts Seniors, but also offered them to any Senior who wanted one. Mike is a lifelong learner and always wants to improve each time he does something. He is an avid listener and is always interested in what stakeholders have to say. Mike has a special way of bringing people together to work toward a common goal.
Mike was very helpful in fundraising not only for Boosters, but also for graduation purposes this school year. He put me in contact with the President of the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce who I met with to brainstorm ideas on how the community could help our school raise money for graduation needs. Mike invited myself and my principal to a monthly breakfast with the Chamber of Commerce. Mike is well known and has a very positive reputation in the Simi Valley Community. He is a wonderful resource.
Mike is very active in the Simi Valley Educational Foundation. He is supportive of teachers in need, and being part of the foundation, he helps fund money for teachers who write grants in an effort to support all students. Mike has been a member of the Ed Foundation for years, and I remember writing and having grants funded by the foundation when I was a classroom teacher years ago.
In closing, Mike James grew up in Simi Valley. He went to SSHS when it was Sequoia Junior High School. He is invested and he cares deeply about the educational experience and opportunities that all SVUSD students will receive. His passion is that all students will receive the best educational experience possible while attending school in the SVUSD.
Layton Spracklen, SSHS
Professional Peers
Mike is a creative visionary and conduit through which engineers’ technical concepts, products and applications are translated into captivating, clarifying, visual storytelling and at-a-glance type data and knowledge. He ensures that technical documentation is delivered to customers in a consistent voice and style furthering the company’s brand.
I have had the pleasure of working for him remotely for two years. I interact with him daily, as well as with other members of his team weekly. He is socially focused, engaging, somewhat informal, and a motivating leader who encourages collaboration and continuous improvement. He is both a functional and “people” manager: A highly skilled, talented, graphic illustrator, brand manager, and also a charismatic, energetic, considerate person. He is usually present-minded, but will easily switch to forward looking when in planning mode. Mike has an expansive frame of reference and can grasp the “big picture” with a realistic perspective needed to analyze what needs to be done, assert his opinions, and drive changes required to achieve objectives.
He organizes people, plans and projects with a focus on clear, candid, verbal communication, excellence in execution and timeliness of delivery. He has a dynamic learning mindset that will serve him well in any role or project, so that he can hit the ground running.
He brings creative ideas, action and the ability to find common ground among team members, that strengthens the community he serves. He serves by listening, guiding conversations and decisions in a competent and cordial manner, with a focus on team cohesion and efficiency.
Outside of our work together, I had a chance to assist him with a fundraising project recently and saw a side of him that is kind, generous, and a contributing member of his greater public community. I can attest this is the same Mike I work with everyday, and I expect that when elected as Trustee of the Simi Valley School Board, he will lean into his strengths and double down on what he knows works well influenced by the issues at hand.
Michele Schuler
Sr. Technical Illustrator
I am an Industrial Designer from just outside of Philadelphia. I first met Mike when I started an internship at AeroVironment in the summer of 2022. Mike was the first person to introduce himself and immediately made me feel at home in the office. He has supported me and my endeavors with overwhelming enthusiasm, even vouching to bring me back onto the team as a contractor to continue working with AV.
Working with Mike has been one of the greatest opportunities of my career. He has consistently looked out for me and my professional growth. Mike has taught me the importance of building and maintaining relationships in a professional environment, especially when dealing with client-specific work. I have easily learned more in the past year working with Mike than I did during my undergraduate studies. I was initially scared to start my career after school as an independent contractor, but Mike has made the process far more streamlined and less daunting than I could have imagined. I never anticipated this journey after graduating college, but it has been incredibly educational, and I have Mike’s guidance and to thank for it.
One aspect of my job that has always seemed daunting are the projects Mike brings to me. While I had a decent understanding of how to build the products, the complexity of some designs, certain regulations to follow, and tight deadlines often leave me feeling overwhelmed. Mike does this on purpose in order to push me and show our colleagues what I am capable of. Mike approaches every issue with enthusiasm and works with me to find a proper solution. I cannot imagine taking on some of the projects I have done without someone as resourceful, optimistic and enthusiastic as Mike backing me. I have become more confident in my skill set and what I am able to achieve, built and established relationships that will last a lifetime, and completed quality projects. Having Mike as a mentor is an absolute honor that I am forever grateful for.
Grant Hamilton
Intern, 2022
I have worked with Mike side-by-side for over five years. He is consistently able to articulate and share his vision. He has approached each project with the desire and commitment to improve the efficiency and outcomes through active collaboration. This vision has led to several upgrades of the documentation that we provide to our customers and resulted in our company promoting Mike. I’ve had the privilege of working under the leadership of Mike James for the past several years and would like to share what an awe-inspiring leader he is. With his sound judgment, collective collaboration, and clear vision, Mike has taken our team to new heights, giving us a newfound respect within the organization. He has mastered the art of utilizing each individual’s unique skill-set to further grow the team and benefit the organization. Mike listens to understand. He is a kind, caring, and empathetic leader who consistently inspires and motivates us all to achieve great things.
Michelle Foster
Technical Writer, Principal
I’ve had the privilege of working with Mike James for over seven years. During this time, he has consistently demonstrated empathetic and visionary leadership, inspiring his team and colleagues to achieve remarkable outcomes. Mike’s servant leadership style brings the best qualities out in his team, and just by being around him, you want to strive to do better. Mike embodies an “anything is possible” mentality, and he fosters this mindset within his team and community. Mike’s ability to connect with parents, teachers, and students alike has made a significant impact on the quality of education in the Simi Valley Unified School District. His infectious passion and unwavering dedication to improving our schools and advocating for students have been truly inspiring.
I have no doubt that Mike James will bring the same level of passion, dedication, and innovative thinking to the Simi Valley School Board that he has consistently demonstrated in his career. His candidacy is one that I support wholeheartedly, and I encourage you to do the same.
Angela Schutt
Director of Marketing