By Khalida Sarwari
After nearly two decades in accounting and two children later, Tom Gemetti is ready to get his feet wet in the realm of education. The Saratoga resident is getting that opportunity now as the newest member of the Campbell Union School District governing board.
Gemetti, 40, was appointed to the position on Sept. 13, following the resignation of Scott Kleinberg in July. He was one of 12 candidates interviewed to complete the two-year term.
Hardly a month into it, Gemetti has decided he will run for re-election in 2014. He has no political aspirations, he said, just a desire to improve education in his own community.
“I do have a passion–not just for my kids, but making the area I live in, the district I live in, the best possible,” Gemetti said.
What he brings to the table is a strong background in finance and accounting. Gemetti has been in the field since graduating from Santa Clara University in 1994 with a bachelor of arts degree in accounting and a minor in political science. He works full time as an assistant controller at Brocade, a networking equipment manufacturer in San Jose.
It might have been Gemetti’s mother and grandmother, both schoolteachers, who made early impressions on him. One of his first forays into education as an adult was in the Junior Achievement program at Most Holy Trinity School in San Jose, where he taught business concepts to sixth- and seventh- graders as a volunteer.
Later, when his daughter entered kindergarten, he volunteered in her class and has been involved throughout the years, participating in the YMCA-sponsored Project Cornerstone program at Forest Hill Elementary, where his daughter is now a second-grader.
Gemetti also volunteers at Capri Elementary in Campbell, where his son started transitional kindergarten this year.
Gemetti said he’s still trying to learn as much as he can about the education field. He spent the first few weeks attending committee meetings and makes it a point to meet and speak to as many principals, teachers and parents as he can at school functions and parent-teacher association meetings.
Learning about the governing board’s protocol has been somewhat of a challenge, but he leans on other board members for help, and in turn, provides them with his expertise in finance.
Over the next two years, Gemetti said he plans to focus on fulfilling the district’s mission statement, which promises to educate students to their highest potential.
“The role of the governing board is making sure the district is adhering to their mission statement, so making sure we provide that oversight and really making sure we’re making the right choice with programs with the limited funding we have,” Gemetti said.
Student safety is another area of importance, said Gemetti, as well as staying in constant contact with the community about decisions that could affect them.
Outside of the roles he plays as accountant by day and the governing board’s newest member by night, Gemetti enjoys the simple life at home or traveling with his wife of 11 years, an attorney, and their two children.
“Right now my passion’s been watching my kids grow up, spending time with family and friends,” he said.
The five-member Campbell Union School District Governing Board will next meet on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. at the district’s administration office, 155 N. Third St., in Campbell.
