Chris Bley committed early on to living actively in his community while always striving to make it a better place.  Believing that a community is only as strong as its least educated, Chris dedicated himself to creating the best possible educational environment for students and teachers.

Chris began his over 10-year career in education in high school as a teacher’s assistant to students with learning disabilities.  A graduate of Santa Monica High School, Chris attended Colorado State University and received a Bachelor of Arts, History in 1995.  He completed a two-year assignment in the Peace Corps as an English as a Second Language teacher.  Since returning, Chris has continued his career as a high school government and history teacher.  In between school years, Chris staffed the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Democratic National Convention Committees.  Managing thousands of volunteers each time, Chris learned the importance of developing operational and logistical plans that consider all persons involved while honoring the mission of an organization.

Upon entering the Peace Corps, Chris was excited to learn he would be teaching middle school students in Zalau, Romania, in the heart of Transylvania.  Unfortunately, he witnessed firsthand how a lack of resources can impact a child’s ability to learn.  Despite severe fiscal constraints, Chris spearheaded an effort uniting members of Zalau’s city government with the school’s administration and parent groups.  Together, they produced a successful campaign to secure necessary funding to establish the school system’s first computer lab.

Chris continues to teach high school history and government at Brentwood School, a local, independent day school.  With his first-hand knowledge of political event organizing, Chris takes great pride in teaching students about our government and the important role each citizen plays in holding it accountable to all Americans.

If there is a constant in Chris’s life, it is his commitment to energetic public service in the broadest sense.  Knowing that an unhealthy child struggles in the classroom, he advocates vigorously for improving healthcare in California.  He regularly worked with and spoke to community organizations about the need to provide comprehensive health care to all California residents.  

Chris is more than a classroom teacher.  Each year, he is mentor and tutor to his students and adolescents from other schools who seek guidance in matters of both life and learning.  Chris is a practitioner of strategies for reaching out and teaching students who learn in different ways.  He makes a point of seeking out those kids who, academically or emotionally, are in danger of "falling through the cracks.”

Chris advocates developing a SMMUSD educational community that provides an appropriately “individualized” education for each child.  He wants to create a school system that fits the needs of its students rather than forcing the students to fit the needs of the institution.  Chris wants SMMUSD to be a place that develops lifelong learners who are prepared to manage their own lives successfully. 

·  Santa Monica High School Graduate, 1991

·  Colorado State University, Bachelor of Arts in History, 1995

·  Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. (Zalau, Romania)

·  Special Education background in reaching out to and teaching    students who learn in different ways.

·  In-depth familiarity on current educational issues, both curricular    and financial.

·  Over ten years of teaching experience.

·  Experienced at managing the operations of thousands of people at    3 Democratic National Conventions.

·  Brings a wealth of both innovative teaching and administrative    experience to the table.

·  Tri-lingual - providing an enhanced ability to integrate across    diverse cultures - English, advanced Romanian, and    conversational Spanish.

Community Involvement:                                                   Santa Monica High School Graduate, 1991                                 High School Teacher - Government and History                       Peace Corps Volunteer

Fiscal Responsibility:                                                           Each school board member must become a student of the SMMUSD budget, to find ways to put students and teachers first in the allocation of funds.

Equity:                                                                                   Each student, regardless of background or ability, must be challenged and supported to reach his or her highest potential.

Special Education Experience:                                          Former Teacher’s Assistant to children with learning disabilities. Assisted with instruction in all academic and physical education areas.  Worked in the classroom as an assistant in grades 1-8.