The race for three open seats on the Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) Board of Education is extremely tight, but as of press time, Dr. Amanda Stern, Sigalie Sabag and Russell Stuart are in the three top slots ahead of Dela Peykar Ronen. Votes are still being counted, but it is safe to say that the three candidates will take the seats for the next term, said Stern.
“I am confident that I have won, and I continue to be very appreciative of my supporters, friends, family and students who believe in me and were very passionate about supporting my reelection bid,” Stern told the Courier. Stern will leave her spot as board president but will continue as a board member for the next four years.
As Stern makes this transition, she looks forward to passing the role of president to Rachelle Marcus. “I anticipate only the best and I am glad that our next president is someone as wise and experienced as she is,” she said.
Sabag and Stuart are set to begin their first terms on the board. “I am a growth-centered person, and I believe that feeling uncomfortable and having important conversations are essential to that type of mindset,” said Stern. “In other words, I am looking forward to sharing different perspectives and truly listening to the views of my newer colleagues.”
After debunking false claims that she was in a slate with Stuart, Sabag is excited to join BHUSD as a board member. “I am truly honored and thrilled to accept the opportunity to serve on the Beverly Hills Unified School District governing board,” she told the Courier. “This journey has been deeply rewarding, and I am immensely grateful for the trust and support of our Beverly Hills community. My dedication to elevating BHUSD to its rightful place as a National Blue-Ribbon district is unwavering. With a profound commitment to our students, I am ready to make a lasting and positive impact on their education and future.”
Stuart hosted an election night party as he awaited results. He explained that he does not want to claim victory before all of the votes are counted and may even wait until the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder announces the official winners in early December. “I think statistically, it’s in my favor,” he told the Courier. “But even yesterday’s [Nov. 6] jump when they updated at 4:30, Amanda Stern jumped like two or three hundred spots. So, if all those come in for Della, then it’s a whole different ballgame. I think the numbers are there for me, but I definitely don’t want to claim any kind of victory yet.”
As he tries to stay positive during this time, Stuart continues to root for his fellow candidates Stern and Sabag, who are leading the race. “I think that the board is going to be in tremendous hands, and I think that although we might have a different approach on certain things, I think that we complement each other incredibly well, and I think that is going to show in incredibly positive progress very quickly as soon as this new board is sworn in,” he said.
The updated results as of Nov. 7 are 26.49% of the vote for Stern; 25.41% for Sabag; 25.04% for Stuart and 23.06% for Peykar Ronen. “I wish them all the best,” Peykar Ronen told the Courier. “I hope that they’ll work together really well. With my kids being in the district, I hope that they do what’s best for the kids and the students, and I’m excited to see what they can accomplish.” She explained that she doesn’t see herself running for election again in the near future.
