(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — As the Simi Valley school board election heats up, two candidates have emerged—Dr. Ron Resnick and Sofya Bagdasaryan. Both bring valuable insight and experience to the table, but their approaches to improving the district’s schools are strikingly different. While Ron focuses on transparency, community involvement, and empowering parents and students, Sofya leans toward a more centralized, data-driven approach, relying on her deep background in government and policy analysis. Here’s a look at how each candidate’s vision could shape the future of Simi Valley’s education system.
Ron Resnick: The Parent, Student, and Transparency Advocate
Ron Resnick’s candidacy is rooted in his unwavering belief in the power of parent and student involvement in the educational process. A long-time resident of Simi Valley, Ron has spent decades working with local students, parents, and community organizations, building a reputation as a hands-on leader who listens to the concerns of families. His message is clear: schools thrive when parents and students have a say in their education, and transparency in decision-making is key to maintaining trust within the community.
Ron’s focus on transparency is one of the most compelling aspects of his campaign. He believes that families should have a clear understanding of how decisions are made within the district and that parents should be empowered to have a voice in shaping the direction of their children’s education. His experience in local organizations and his visible role in community events give him a strong connection to the people of Simi Valley, which he views as the foundation for creating a successful and inclusive educational system.
“Schools should be a partnership between parents, students, and educators,” Ron often says. He envisions a school board where families are actively engaged in discussions, and he promises to be a representative who fights for greater communication and openness in every aspect of school governance. His practical, hands-on approach reflects his belief that empowering parents and students leads to better educational outcomes.
Additionally, Ron’s commitment to student empowerment extends to the classroom, where he advocates for fostering creativity and critical thinking. He champions a more collaborative school environment where students feel valued, and parents are fully involved in shaping their child’s educational journey. His vision emphasizes the idea that parental involvement is critical to ensuring that schools reflect the values and needs of the community.
Sofya: The Data-Driven, Government-Oriented Candidate
In contrast to Ron’s grassroots, community-focused approach, Sofya’s candidacy is marked by her deep reliance on data-driven decision-making and her extensive background in government and policy analysis. A professor at the School of Social Work at Cal State Los Angeles, Sofya brings a wealth of academic and policy expertise to the school board. Her campaign highlights her ability to use research and data to identify problems and craft solutions for the district’s complex challenges.
Sofya’s platform centers on centralized, evidence-based solutions, and she has spent much of her career advocating for systemic changes that benefit vulnerable populations. Her work on the Homeless Task Force and her background in child welfare give her a strong foundation for tackling issues such as student mental health, inequality, and resource distribution. She has a track record of successfully advocating for social workers and counselors to be hired in the district, using federal funds during the pandemic to address the growing mental health crisis among students.
Where Ron focuses on empowering parents and students directly, Sofya takes a more organizational, government-focused approach. She has served as the Associate Director of her School of Social Work, where she honed her skills in policy analysis and administration, and she has used these skills to drive changes at the district level. Her work is steeped in government processes, advocating for more centralized planning to address educational challenges through a lens of research and evidence.
Sofya’s experience in analyzing district-wide data and presenting findings to the school board exemplifies her commitment to a top-down approach to problem-solving. She is a firm believer that the district must rely on comprehensive research to inform its policies, and she consistently advocates for centralized, professional expertise to guide decisions. Her focus on long-term, systemic change means she is often more focused on policies and structures than on direct engagement with parents or students.
Contrasting Visions for the Future
Ron Resnick and Sofya Bagdasaryan offer voters a clear choice between two distinct visions for the future of Simi Valley’s schools.
Ron Resnick is the champion of the parent, student, and transparency movement, advocating for an education system that is more open, collaborative, and responsive to the needs of families. He believes in fostering communication between the school board and the community, ensuring that parents and students are actively involved in the decision-making process. His leadership style is community-based and focuses on the belief that local input leads to stronger schools and better outcomes for students.
On the other hand, Sofya represents the data-driven, government-oriented approach, focusing on research-based solutions to address the district’s most pressing challenges. Her emphasis on using centralized, evidence-backed strategies to address issues like mental health, safety, and social inequality positions her as a candidate who believes that systemic change requires careful planning and data analysis. She is less focused on direct engagement with parents and students and more invested in implementing policies that rely on professional expertise and rigorous evaluation.
Which Approach Will Shape Simi Valley’s Schools?
As voters head to the polls, the decision between these two candidates may come down to what vision resonates most with their priorities. For those who believe in parent and student empowerment, transparency, and a more grassroots approach to education, Ron Resnick offers a clear path forward. His commitment to engaging the community and creating open lines of communication is at the heart of his campaign.
For voters who are looking for centralized, data-driven solutions and a focus on systemic change, Sofya’s candidacy provides a vision of reform based on professional expertise, government collaboration, and long-term planning. Her emphasis on using research to guide decisions reflects a more organizational approach to solving the district’s challenges.
Ultimately, Simi Valley residents will choose between two compelling visions for the future of education—one focused on community collaboration and the other on centralized, evidence-based solutions. Both candidates bring valuable experience to the race, but the decision rests in the hands of those who understand what approach will best serve the needs of Simi Valley’s students and families.
This would have been a decent analysis had you (no author shown) stuck to writing each candidates statements. You chose to assert your bias in the commentary anonymously interjecting your interpretation of each. Especially when you foolishly attempt to differentiate the two. Where do you see Dr. Sofya Bagdasaryan as not be for transparency and parent input. Your article was mostly repetitive. Hopefully one will escape your bias and see Dr. Bagdasaryan’s stellar performance as the incumbent and stellar qualifications on the field. Dr. Ron’s bio reads like a contrived feel good speech written by others to fool the public. Check out his 2022 email to his Veterinary customers or his alignment with the beliefs of “Move the Neddle”, and deplorable agenda that attacks our Public Schools. ID Claire, another Simi propaganda piece the Republican Party controlled Simi Valley. Now they want control of our SVUSD Board.