Pledges to Promote Trust, Transparency, and Mutual Respect
(From Press Release) – Cindy Pickett announced her candidacy today for a seat on the Davis school board in the upcoming November 2018 general election.
“I am running for school board to ensure our district provides a high quality public education that serves the needs of all students. I have seen first-hand how the right educational opportunities help children realize their potential. Access, inclusion, and equity are core values that I will bring to the board if elected.”
Pickett is a parent of two children in the Davis Joint Unified School District, a 9-year-old son who attends Birch Lane Elementary and a 12-year-old daughter at North Davis Elementary. Pickett has served in several volunteer leadership roles in the district including President of the Montessori Parent Advisory Committee and member of the Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Committee. She currently serves on the district’s Parcel Tax Oversight Committee and on the executive board of the Davis Montessori Education Foundation.
Pickett, 45, attended public school in San Diego, California and received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Stanford University. After earning her doctorate in social psychology at Ohio State University, Pickett served on the faculty at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and the University of Chicago. Pickett returned to California in 2004 to take a position at UC Davis. Today, she is a faculty member in the Psychology Department and Associate Vice-Provost for Faculty Equity and Inclusion at UC Davis.
“As a professor, I teach some of the largest classes on campus. I educate, mentor, and support students from a range of backgrounds and with different abilities. I have found that student 
achievement improves when I maintain high expectations for all students. Recognizing the individual needs of each student and providing additional support or enrichment as appropriate ensures their success. This is the educational approach that I would like Davis Joint Unified School District to emphasize.”
At the top of the list of concerns Pickett would like to address at DJUSD are ensuring school safety, improving school climate, increasing the availability of school counselors, and reducing the achievement gap.
“I recognize that these are issues that the school district has been working on for a while. With dedication, persistence, and a data-driven approach, I believe I can help our schools effectively tackle these issues. As a university administrator, I have experience bringing parties together to address difficult topics. Promoting mutual respect, building trust, and truly listening to others has proven to be a successful recipe for achieving solutions that lead to measurable change.”
Pickett understands DJUSD faces many financial challenges in ensuring teachers in the school district are paid equitably and securing funds for infrastructure maintenance of classrooms and other district buildings and facilities. Pickett will work with all district stakeholders, including parents, teachers, administrators, and school district staff, to address these challenges through an honest and transparent process.
“Every member of our community should know how the school district is spending its dollars, and the district’s spending should reflect the community’s priorities.”
The Pickett campaign will hold a kick-off party on Friday, May 18th from 5:30 – 7:30 pm (remarks to begin at 6:30 pm). The event will be held at the home of Rick Robins and Simona Ghetti, 602 D Street, Davis. The event is free and open to the public.
Visit cindypickett.com to learn more about Cindy Pickett’s campaign or email her at pickett4schools@gmail.com.
From reading Cindy’s comments that she often posts here on the V
I think she would make an excellent board member.