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# Malibu retains a seat on local school board
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/malibu-retains-a-seat-on-local-school-board/
- Published: 2004-11-03T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T05:25:32.000Z
- Author: John Wood
- Tags: Education, Malibu, #archive-import

*Kathy Wisniski to join seven-member board*

With more than half of precincts reporting, community volunteer Dr. Kathy Wisnicki was on track to win a seat on the local school board early Wednesday, quelling concerns that Malibu would be edged off the district’s governing body.

“I hope it goes my way and it’s been a very positive experience,” said Wisnicki, 42, adding she would stay up through the night to watch the final returns trickle in.

Wisnicki was joined by incumbents Jose Escarce and Maria Leon-Vazquez in winning three open seats on the board. The fourth candidate, Ana M. Jara, trailed behind by nearly 1,000 votes with more than half of precincts reporting.

The seven-member school board is responsible for overseeing the prestigious Santa Monica-Malibu school district, which has about 13,000 students. With the pending retirement of board member Mike Jordan, Wisnicki was Malibu’s only chance to keep representation on the board.

By contrast, the other three school board candidates combined had raised less than $15,000.

If Wisnicki loses, the school board will be without Malibu representation for the first time in 25 years. While incumbent school board members from Santa Monica said they considered all students in the district, they agreed representation was important to many Malibu parents.

As incumbents, Escarce, 51, and Leon-Vazquez, 48, have overseen an increase in district test scores despite unprecedented state funding cuts. Part of their success has been due to an outpouring of community and civic financial support. Santa Monica and Malibu voters approved Measure S last June, which funnels more than $6.5 million into local schools annually. And Santa Monica City Hall agreed last summer to give schools at least $6 million annually.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/110304-12_01-7.jpg)

A woman casts her ballot on Tuesday in Santa Monica. (Photo: Carolyn Sackariason/Daily Press)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 3, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/110304.pdf?ref=smdp.com)