Elisa Vakalis
Elisa Vakalis (formerly Elisa Snelling) was a member of the Anchorage School District School Board in Alaska, representing Seat G. Vakalis assumed office in 2015. Vakalis left office on May 3, 2021.
Vakalis (formerly Elisa Snelling) ran for re-election to the Anchorage School District School Board to represent Seat G in Alaska. Vakalis lost in the general election on April 6, 2021.
Biography
Vakalis's professional experience includes working as an accountant at Mat-Su Resort, LLC. She also has worked as the accounting manager for Brews Brothers, LLC.[1] She has also served on the Rilke Schule Academic Policy Committee and the Eagle River Valley Community Council.[2]
Elections
2021
See also: Anchorage School District, Alaska, elections (2021)
General election
General election for Anchorage School District Board of Education Seat G
Carl Jacobs defeated incumbent Elisa Vakalis in the general election for Anchorage School District Board of Education Seat G on April 6, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Carl Jacobs (Nonpartisan) | 50.3 | 31,944 |
 | Elisa Vakalis (Nonpartisan) | 47.9 | 30,422 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.8 | 1,115 | ||
| Total votes: 63,481 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Pierce Blewett (Nonpartisan)
- David Nees (Nonpartisan)
- Larry Daugherty (Nonpartisan)
2018
The Anchorage School District consists of seven members elected to three-year terms. The members are elected at large but run for specific seats. Three seats were up for general election on April 3, 2018. The Seat E and Seat F incumbents did not file to run for re-election.
General election
General election for Anchorage School District Board of Education Seat G
Incumbent Elisa Vakalis defeated Irene Weisman in the general election for Anchorage School District Board of Education Seat G on April 3, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Elisa Vakalis (Nonpartisan) | 57.3 | 33,053 |
 | Irene Weisman (Nonpartisan) | 40.7 | 23,448 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.0 | 1,135 | ||
| Total votes: 57,636 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2015
The general election in the Anchorage School District featured three seats up for election on April 7, 2015. Seat E incumbent Kathleen Plunkett faced challenger Derrick Slaughter. In the Seat F race, incumbent Tam Agosti-Gisler competed against challenger David Nees. Two newcomers, Starr Marsett and Elisa Snelling, faced off for Seat G, since incumbent Natasha von Imhof did not file for re-election.
Plunkett defeated Slaughter for Seat E. Agosti-Gisler also won re-election to Seat F by defeating Nees. Snelling defeated Marsett for Seat G.[3]
Results
| Anchorage School District, Seat G General Election, 3-year term, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Elisa Snelling |
51.6% | 22,532 | |
| Nonpartisan | Starr Marsett | 47.2% | 20,581 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 1.2% | 528 | |
| Total Votes | 43,641 | |||
| Source: Municipality of Anchorage, "Election Summary Report," accessed May 26, 2015 | ||||
Funding
Snelling reported $4,267.01 in contributions and $3,960 in expenditures to the Alaska Public Offices Commission, which left her campaign with $307.01 on hand during the election.[4]
Endorsements
Snelling received no official endorsements for her campaign.
Campaign themes
2021
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Elisa Vakalis did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.
2015
Candidate website
Snelling highlighted the following issues on her campaign website:
| “ | ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY –
As a numbers junkie, I have always had an intense curiosity about the ASD budget. As I began to dig into it, I often found road blocks to getting the information. I have sent dozens of emails to various departments to inquire about numbers, accounting methods, and accuracy. I believe that the school board has a responsibility to make information more accessible to the public. There are plenty of people like me that want to know what exactly is behind the numbers but cannot find it. Time to open up the books. ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION METHODS AT NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS – Charter and alternative schools traditionally have better test scores. I believe it is part demographics and part teacher satisfaction in teaching in a different method. Yes, all teachers have to teach their students to get them to certain benchmarks and achievements. At the alternative schools, the teachers get to teach in different format. It reflects directly in the test scores and success of the current programs. I believe that neighborhood schools should have more school choice options. Instead of making the parents bring the child to the program, let's bring the program to the child. COMMUNITY COLLABORATION - I believe that our children are a vibrant integral part of our community. As a community we need to advocate for and foster a culture of learning. Within the boundaries of the Anchorage School District we have over thirty active Community Councils. These groups are the voice for our residential neighbors, as well as resource for community businesses, and a source of opportunity for our ASD students. I would like to better utilize the Community Councils as communication points between the ASD, parents, and our neighborhoods. Through the collaboration with the Community Councils we have an opportunity to make learning a continual experience, not merely something that happens in the classroom. TESTING REVIEW – There are a number of tests that are currently being administered to ASD students at enormous financial cost as well as substantial losses to actual classroom instruction time. As a member of the ASB, I would push for a comprehensive review of the tests that are given. I would assess the value of the information that is derived from these tests both as diagnostic tools for our educators as well as metrics to evaluate the success of programs that have been instituted. As part of this evaluative process I would recommend that the input of current educators be strongly considered. Parents should also have greater participation in these decisions as substantial time from classroom teaching is being spent on preparation for and taking of these tests. FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO BUDGET – Governor Walker has proposed cutting the education budget by 2.5% and the ASB just passed a budget that went up year over year by 2.3%. This is just crazy. The board needs someone who has made tough budget decisions in school budgets, someone who will stand behind reasonable and realistic budget cuts, and who can bring a fresh approach to line items. I will look long and hard at all pieces of the budget, seek advice, and assist in every way to help provide a solid education at a price tag we can afford while living within our means.[5] |
” |
| —Elisa Snelling's campaign website (2015)[6] | ||
See also
2021 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Association of Alaska School Boards, "BOARD MEMBER PROFILE: Elisa Snelling, Anchorage School District," accessed February 20, 2018
- ↑ Elisa Snelling for School Board, "About Me," accessed April 2, 2015
- ↑ Municipality of Anchorage, "Election Summary Report," accessed April 8, 2015
- ↑ Alaska Public Offices Commission, "Campaign Finance Disclosures," accessed April 1, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Elisa Snelling for School Board, "Issues," accessed April 3, 2015
