Adrean Hayashi, a local real estate agent and mother of six, is running for the school board. (Courtesy photo)

Adrean Hayashi became inspired to run for the Benicia school board in the midst of a yearlong dispute over teacher’s wages. The driving factor for the mother of six was seeing teachers rallying and holding signs outside Joe Henderson Elementary School as the Benicia Teachers Union and Benicia Unified School District were at an impasse over salary raises.

“That was the switch, if you will,” she said.

Hayashi, an agent with Magnum Opus Real Estate and RE/MAX Gold in Fairfield, moved to Benicia from Honolulu in 2006 and has had nearly all of her children attend Benicia schools. Three of her children currently attend school in the district, ranging from fifth-grade to 10th-grade. She also has another child who is homeschooled and is currently hosting a Japanese exchange student who is a senior at Benicia High School.

During her time in Benicia, Hayashi has remained involved with BUSD and civic engagement. She currently serves on the Sky Valley Open Space Committee, which aims to protect agricultural uses as well as the watershed north of Lake Herman Road, although Hayashi said the committee has not had to meet in a while. She also has been a member of the Parent Teacher Association at Matthew Turner Elementary School and has served as a parent volunteer.

Hayashi said parental involvement and caring teachers have made BUSD a strong district.

“I think they care for students as individuals,” she said. “That’s been my consensus about my experience with my children going through each level.”

However, she felt that the relationship between teachers and administrators could be stronger, which she would hope to improve if elected.

Among other top concerns for Hayashi would be ensuring that teacher’s salaries are competitive with those in surrounding school districts, continuing to provide a challenging educational environment for students particularly through its STEM program and actively listening to concerns.

“Ideally, my goal would be to take the parent involvement, questions and concerns and bundle them in a way that we’re able to work on things cohesively as a group so that there is progress and not delay after delay after delay,” she said.

“I would like to listen to everything that every side has to say,” she added.

For more information on Hayashi, visit her Facebook page at facebook.com/Adrean-Hayashi-for-Benicia-School-Board-1827193690649191.

Other candidates in the race include incumbent school board President Diane Ferrucci, Pittsburg Unified School District employee Mark Maselli, Gethsemane Moss, a senior director of community engagement with the Solano County Office of Education; and retired elementary school librarian Sheri Zada. The election is Tuesday, Nov. 6.

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