There needs to be stronger leadership on the School Board to make sure that every student is getting what they need so that they are happy to come back to school. Change is needed.

Janie Dam

By Nancy Azzam & Emma Kavcioglu

School board primary elections day is on March 5, though voters received vote-by-mail ballots as early as February 5. Community members can vote for Dam by writing her full name on their vote-by-mail ballots or by typing her name at the poll booth.

Dam has taught at Granada Hills Charter (GHC) for 17 years and has served as GHC’s testing and data coordinator for 13 of those years. Dam’s skills in data analysis and technology guided her approach to her campaign.

“Things are constantly changing now, and I don’t think there is anyone currently on the School Board who feels comfortable leading 21st Century education by applying high technologies and implementing innovative ideas,” Dam said. “I am that person.”

Dam’s focus in her campaign is moving away from outdated industrialized education toward a more personalized education for every student. She is set on replacing the one-size-fits-all approach by utilizing new technology to design personalized education plans for students.

In the past, Dam worked with the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) to support data-informed curriculum and instruction at over 300 schools across the state. She currently serves on the California State Technology Committee of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society for Key Women Educators. Dam has also been nominated and selected for the 2024 Emerge California Democratic Women Candidates Program.

She believes Charter representation on the school board is vital to protecting the educational rights and resources of students who attend public charter schools in the Los Angeles area.

“I have worked with her for about 20 years,” Spanish teacher Brandon Zaslow said. “She is an extremely hard-working, very competent person with a huge amount of skills. She has a lot of organizational skills and would be a wonderful board member.” Zaslow is a co-chair of Granada’s UTLA chapter as well as a chair of the Department of World Languages and Cultures.

Teachers are showing their support for Dam, and so are students. Students have heard of Dam’s aspirations for the future of education and many see no other fit for the school board position.
“She has created an incredible environment,” senior Jett Kirkland said. “I think Ms. Dam has an incredible understanding of what goes on in the school district since she has been here for so long. She has a really incredible grasp on what she wants to happen, and I think she genuinely can change the school system given that she knows so much about everything. There really is no other option other than her.”

As a parent herself, Dam also plans to try to bridge the gap between teachers and parents. She vows to support increased communication and collaboration between the two groups to increase learning opportunities for students. As school safety is one of her top priorities, she volunteers for the Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense Los Angeles Chapter.

Dam is planning to make the changes needed to lead public education onto a path that will benefit students, teachers, and parents and extend opportunities to all who need it.

This position on the Los Angeles School Board is how these changes can be made so that not only charter schools, but all schools can see advancements in their education systems.