Focusing On The Success
Of All Students

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About Yadranka

Yadranka's Priorities

I grew up and attended elementary school in Inglewood. In my teenage years, we moved and that brought me to El Segundo ..

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Meet Yadranka

A Message From Yadranka

My name is Yadranka Draskovic, and I am a proud resident of El Segundo. My husband and I both graduated from El Segundo High School. I'm a parent of two sons; my older son graduated from El Segundo High School in 2020 and is now in college, and my younger son is in the 7th grade at El Segundo Middle School. We have a tradition of excellence in El Segundo schools, through generations, and my goal is to continue that tradition as a member of the ESUSD board.

I have a Master's degree in education, and a Bachelor's degree in business. I spent many years in the classroom as a teacher, helping students from 1st to 8th grade thrive. Prior to teaching, I had a successful career in finance and investment.

I'm also a child of first generation American (Croatian and Serbian) immigrant parents. I believe that my unique skill set would be an asset to the school board. As a board member, I am eager to continue offering quality education to future El Segundo students. My focus will always be on students and contributing to their success.


El Segundo School Board

A Student centered approach

As a board member I believe we need to focus on students. We need to ensure that we offer an environment that is not only conducive to learning, but also safe. All students can reach their full potential if given the tools to do so. It is up to the board to assist with making decisions that would provide learning opportunities for students to succeed and grow.

I also believe that it is the responsibility of the board to work with members of our community and district stakeholders. This absolutely must include parents.

As a board member, open communication is vital. Often it is not easy to consider several different views. However, I feel that it is absolutely necessary for the health of our community and our schools. With patience and consideration, we can reach a consensus that will ultimately help all stakeholders involved. Most importantly, our students win.

Timeline

Yadranka's Story

I grew up and attended elementary school in Inglewood. In my teenage years, we moved and that brought me to El Segundo High School. After high school, I attended Loyola Marymount University. I obtained a B.A. in Business, but I always knew that I had a strong interest in education. My opportunity came in 2008 in the midst of the financial crisis. The investment firm I was working for just lost several of their largest customers. When they decided to downsize, I realized that the time had come for me to change careers.

I went back to LMU, working on both my teaching credential and my Master in Education simultaneously. I started looked for a teaching position, and ironically got my first opportunity at the elementary school I had attended in Inglewood. This was a fantastic experience. I stayed there for eight years. After that, I moved onto a few other schools, including St. Anthony here in El Segundo, prior to its closing. I made the difficult decision to leave teaching in 2018. I decided to dedicate more time to my son who has a learning disability. I spend time working with him to supplement the academics he is getting in the classroom. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to help him succeed, and to provide him the additional support that he needs.

Experience

I believe as a candidate for the school board, I have a unique set of qualifications. I have experience in the classroom and the world of education as both a teacher and a parent. Further, my time in the business world has assisted in both communications skills as well as knowledge of budgets and accounting

In terms of my teaching career, my experience is vast. I started teaching 1st and 2nd grade. Later I taught 3rd, and made my way to the Middle School grades. I spent a short time working with 4th and 5th graders as well. Since I have experience with all the elementary grades, I was able to understand how the curriculum is designed. One year builds on the previous year. This is why a strong foundation is so important.

Prior to teaching, I worked in the area of investment. I had the opportunity to live in San Francisco from 1998 to 2002 and participated in the excitement of the financial world. I was a research assistant for two portfolio managers. My work consisted of obtaining financial information on new companies.

The stock market at the time was climbing at an unprecedented rate, thus the work was fast paced and ever changing. Once I moved back to Southern California, I worked in another investment firm, monitoring client accounts. This included verifying trades for accuracy and working with banks to make sure there were no errors. As I had several different contacts that I spoke with regularly, I believe this experience helped with my communication skills. But, unlike my time in San Francisco, the economic turmoil of 2007-2008 led to this firm ultimately closing.

My Mission

Working to create a safe and welcoming educational environment in which students can reach their full educational potential.

My Vision

My vision is to work with all our stakeholders and, through careful observation and thoughtful discussion, make policies that are not only objective, but also always keeping the needs of our students as our top priority.

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FAQs

Why am I interested in being on the ESUSD school board?

Firstly I enjoy working with students and find education to be extremely important. I want to ensure that all student needs are considered our top priority. I will work hard to make certain that all students are represented and treated fairly. As a parent and a community member, I have a vested interest in maintaining the spirit of excellence in ESUSD.

What is the role of the school board?

The role of the school board is to work together with the superintendent to make policy that is conducive to student learning. It is an objective entity that will focus on best meeting student needs.

Is parent involvement important?

Absolutely. Parents are after all the first educators of their children. Parents should not only be involved in their child’s education, but also be aware of what is happening in the classroom. Parents should be welcomed to approach teachers with questions or concerns.

What role do- teachers play in the classroom?

Teachers are trained professionals that administer age appropriate curriculum in the classroom objectively and without bias. Teachers help build strong academic foundations for their students to not only succeed, but also become life-long learners.

What has been your involvement in ES schools?

Aside from graduating from ESHS, and sending my children to ES schools, I am an active volunteer in the schools. I have been on the executive board of the ESHS PTA for the last five years. Even after my older son graduated, I continued to work on the PTA. I have volunteered on different committees, including the budgeting, gifting, and scholarship committee. I was instrumental in changing the PTA scholarship amount from $500 to $1,000 each. This year we proudly offered six $1,000 scholarships to our graduating seniors.