Monthly ‘EdWalks’ invite residents to ask questions about Burbank Unified
When Steve Ferguson, president of the Burbank Unified school board, began participating in local politics as a teenager in 2005, he remembers joining then Mayor Marsha Ramos on walks she led along the Chandler Bike Path.
The scheduled walks were a way for city officials to meet local residents and answer their questions.
Starting Sept. 16, Ferguson will start his own series of monthly walks, called EdWalks. Each walk will feature district staff employees and members of the Parent Teacher Assn. who will discuss issues and answer questions pertaining to Burbank Unified.
“My hope is people [will] see their school district as accessible and understand we’re eager to listen,” Ferguson said during a phone interview. “We strive to get it right, and [we’re] always striving to improve and innovate.”
Walks will be held along the Chandler Bike Path from Mariposa Street to Buena Vista Street at 9:10 a.m. every third Saturday of the month.
For the first walk, Roberta Reynolds, school board vice president, will join Ferguson.
“I know I can’t answer every question, but we’re going to be there. It’s about creating community and connecting people with others on the walk,” Ferguson said.
Because a special-education master plan is scheduled to be discussed during an upcoming school board meeting, Ferguson plans to invite the district’s special education director, Tamara Schiern, or Supt. Matt Hill to a future EdWalk so they can gather additional feedback about the proposed plan from the community.
As a student, Ferguson recalls being “too intimidated” to talk with elected officials such as Ramos. However, when he joined one of her walks, he said he was “blown away” when she asked for his opinion on the discussion at hand.
“It was magical. She recognized everyone had to contribute to a dialogue,” he said. “I loved that experience and hope to share it with others.”
Twitter: @vegapriscella
