Meet Zahir
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I am a parent, school administrator, and engaged citizen, committed to our schools and our community. I was born and raised in South Pasadena and attended Monterey Hills, SPMS and SPHS. My wife, Noel Garcia, attended Marengo before we first met at the Middle School. After attending college in San Diego and San Francisco, we were married and began our family. There was no doubt that we would return to our hometown to raise our children in the community and schools that gave us so much. Our youngest daughter, Leila, attends Calvary Preschool, our son, Elijah, is entering second grade at Marengo, and our older daughter, India, will be starting 6th grade at the Middle School.
I'm running for school board so that every one of our public school students is prepared for the 21st century; to ensure parents' voices are heard; and to work with all South Pasadena residents -- because we all have a stake in the success of our schools. I love this city -- and I love working with kids. Staying engaged with my community and schools has been a priority since I moved back to South Pasadena. I serve as Vice-Chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission, act as a Neighborhood Watch Block Captain, and volunteer as an AYSO Division Coach and referee. Furthermore, I am an active member of Dads Uniting Dads in Education and Service (DUDES), a YMCA basketball coach, and a group leader with the YMCA's Adventure Guides/Trailblazers program. I currently work as a school administrator, but I started working with youth as far back as my years at SPHS, where I enrolled in the Childcare ROP program, coached youth basketball and was a camp counselor. I was an after-school educator throughout college before going on to earn my teaching credential, my administrative credential and my master's degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. Later, I was selected as a Summer Fellow in Independent School Leadership at Vanderbilt University, and completed coursework in College Counseling from the Teachers College, Columbia University. Over the years I have worked as a classroom teacher, college counselor, and school administrator, working with students from K-12. (Read my perspective about ninth grade success from my years working with this critical year.) For the last eleven years, I have traveled to schools across California as an Accrediting Team member for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. My South Pasadena Roots
I share a passion for education with my wife, who is also a teacher, and with my mother who retired from SPUSD and still serves as a substitute teacher for the district. My connection with South Pasadena schools runs deep. I have devoted my studies and career to advancing student achievement and wellbeing, as well as developing successful and sustainable school programs. As a school board member, I hope to work with the broader community of parents, neighbors and school district personnel to support our schools and move us all forward. We have great schools in South Pasadena, but we should never rest until we are doing our best -- and that's what I will do, for the sake of my kids, your kids and everyone who calls South Pasadena home. |
