Shelby Cove: Getting things organized

Deirdre Newman

As a businesswoman, Shelby Cove focuses on getting people’s homes

and offices organized. As a school board candidate, she said she

could help the trustees get their priorities straight.

Her top concerns include high academic standards, local control

and accountability.

Cove, 34, is running against school board veteran Judy Franco, who

has been on the board for almost two-thirds of Cove’s life.

She is running for election because she feels it is the next

logical step after serving on the Ensign Intermediate School Site

Council and because she wants to make a difference in the community.

“If we are showing our kids that we have to do our part, this is

the perfect way,” Cove said. “I can’t imagine not running for school

board.”

She also feels its time to infuse the current board with some

fresh opinions.

“How are we going to know what the new ideas are if we don’t let

someone in with a fresh perspective?” Cove asked.

As vice chair of the school-site council, Cove, a three-year

Newport Beach resident, said she worked on analyzing the school

budget every month. One of the goals was moving funds around to be

able to pay for teachers to go to various seminars to continue their

education.

In terms of high academic standards, Cove supports a

back-to-basics approach, including phonics.

“I am for the kids that need to be able to read,” Cove said. “They

need to be able to sound [words] out without just looking at them for

identification.”

Cove said she would also like to see more parental involvement in

the day-to-day, school-life of their children.

“If we’re not involved with what’s going on with our kids and the

work they bring home, then how do we know what’s going on at school?”

Cove asked.

Accountability to Cove means maintaining the same number of tests

district students currently take.

“If we don’t test our kids, then how are we going to know who’s

accountable for what and what the strengths and weaknesses are in our

community?” Cove asked. “I think we’re just right in terms of

testing.”