CALABASAS : 9 Candidates to Run in Las Virgenes Race

Nine candidates, including two incumbents, filed nominating papers before the Wednesday deadline for the Las Virgenes Unified School District board race.

School board members Barbara Bowman-Fagelson and Judy Jordan will be challenged by Joanna Lofaso, a bank officer from Westlake Village; Adrian B. Stern, an Encino-based public accountant; Gary Rafferty, an environmental attorney from Agoura; Kim B. Barrus, a Westlake Village-based clinical psychologist; Robert Mark Freedman, an attorney from Hidden Hills; Charlotte Meyer, a teacher from Calabasas, and Robert B. Oserin, a retired insurance executive from Agoura Hills.

Filing for the Nov. 2 election was extended to give challengers more time, after school board member Iraj Broomand declined to turn in nominating papers by last Friday.

The race is expected to focus on how to maintain a system that has produced unusually high student test scores with less money, said district Supt. Albert Marley.

“Underscoring everything will be the funding, or the lack thereof, for the district,” Marley said. “The biggest items will likely be how to reduce class sizes and add back a seventh period for all middle school students and get a seventh period for the high school schedule.”

Marley said he also expects the board to revisit the issue of whether to impose a flat property tax to help fund teacher salaries, school materials and other items paid for through the district’s general fund.