Brentwood Union School District Board of Education President Lori Strauss will not seek re-election next week, leaving room for at least one new face to join the board.

Incumbent Carlos Sanabria is seeking to keep the seat on the board he has occupied for 10 years. Newcomers Jim Cushing and Vincent Kraeber are looking for their chance to make an impact on the future of local education.

Sanabria wants to make sure Brentwood’s school children receive the best education. He hopes to restore programs such as art and music, which were sacrificed during state budget cuts.

“I am running because I believe that an effective board needs a variety of backgrounds and viewpoints to explore a variety of possible solutions,” Sanabria said. “My goal is the best possible education for all of our children while maintaining fiscal integrity of our taxpayer dollars. Education is in the midst of changing how it is delivered, and a lot of the old axioms must be re-examined for effectiveness.

“It is also vital to our community that parents be aware of what their rights are, as well as their responsibilities are, in reference to their children’s education. The public school system cannot and should not take the place of responsible parenting. We risk our future if we do not prepare our children to be responsible, productive members of our society, and that begins with a solid education.”

Cushing earned his masters degree in early-childhood education at Stanford. His accomplishments in education include creating an infant and toddler program at Bing Nursery on the Stanford campus and teaching at Nueva Day School for the Gifted in Hillsborough. He also holds lifetime teaching credentials in California for K-8 education and the California Community College System.

“As parents, we spend our lives raising our children and praying that our tax dollars, supporting our children’s education, provide them with a hand up and not simply a handout,” Cushing said.

“For the majority of our children, their education is the cornerstone for realizing their future and the lives of their own families. We owe it to each of them to ensure that the monies we spend in pursuit of their education support excellence. Comparing ourselves to other less fortunate communities is not a goal. We have a good young educational foundation that can become great, and with your help and vote I will work to realize the dreams you have for your children.”

Kraeber, a community volunteer, has been coaching youth sports for 12 years. “I am not a politician, but I am a parent with children attending Brentwood Union schools,” Kraeber states on his website. “Let’s work together to protect our children’s future. Their success will be determined by our efforts to control school spending, keeping class sizes down and by not reducing the number of school days. With your vote on Nov. 6, I will always keep our children’s education as my number-one priority.”

The two elected members will join board members Tobi Benz, Emil Geddes and Heather Partida.