Vaishali “Shali” Sirkay has served as a Los Altos School District (LASD) school board trustee since 2018 and is currently seeking her third term, leading with a student-centered approach at the intersection of public health and public education.
Born and raised in New York City as the daughter of immigrants from Mumbai, India, she learned the value of public service from her family. Throughout her tenure, which includes serving multiple terms as LASD Board President alongside regional leadership with the Santa Clara County School Boards Association and the Juvenile Justice Commission, she has focused on whole-child well-being, closing the opportunity gap, advancing educational equity, and supporting teachers and staff.
In an exclusive interview with India Currents, Sirkay shared why she is running for office. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Why did you decide to run for reelection?
I have been a school board member in LASD since 2018. I ran then, and I run now for my third term, for the same primary reason- to ensure that the world-class education that LASD provides is there for future families.
My own family had a wonderful experience in LASD, and I would like future families to have the same, if not better, experience than we did. I also feel that my service to LASD and public education is not done yet. I have been able to expand my perspective and my work beyond my district to the county and the state through my experience in LASD (Board President 2021, 2025, 2026), serving in leadership positions for the Santa Clara County School Boards Association (including President 2025-26), and service on the Santa Clara County Juvenile Justice Commission (including several years as Chair of the Education and Justice Committee). I am focusing on education equity, which includes creating physically and emotionally safe learning environments for students, welcoming campuses for ALL families and supportive work environments for teachers and staff.
So while it has been my greatest privilege to support our students, families, and teachers over the past eight years, I look forward to serving our community by furthering the educational mission of LASD for all students, supporting teachers in the classroom, and focusing on the future needs of our community.
What do you see as your primary role as a LASD school board member?
At its simplest, a school board trustee’s primary role is to provide governance and oversight of the district, assuring that public monies are being spent in support of student achievement, while also reflecting the values and priorities of that community.
I see my role as a trustee more holistically. Families entrust their children to their schools for 6-7 hours per day, every day, and how children show up to school impacts their ability to learn and thrive. Broadly, how students show up to school is comprised of all that has happened both inside and outside of school. As a result, I also see myself as a bridge between the district and the community, a policymaker not only within LASD but throughout our county and state, and an advocate for students and families.
If elected, what will your top priorities be?
My top three priorities are as follows:
- Closing the Opportunity Gap
Every child deserves a genuine opportunity to thrive, regardless of their circumstances or starting point. Closing the opportunity gap means identifying and removing the barriers that prevent some students from fully accessing the resources, support, and experiences they need to succeed. As a school district, we have a responsibility to ensure that where a child starts does not determine how far they can go. When we invest in every student and create the conditions for every child to thrive, our entire school community benefits.
- Focusing on the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Our Students
Supporting students’ mental health and wellbeing is essential to helping them thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. How students show up to school each day—their ability to feel safe, connected, supported, and ready to learn—directly affects their engagement and their capacity to be successful. A whole-child approach recognizes that academic achievement cannot be separated from a student’s emotional health, relationships, sense of belonging, and overall well-being. By addressing the needs of the whole child, we create the conditions in which every student can learn, grow, and reach their full potential.
- Supporting Teachers and Staff
Our teachers and staff are the heart of our schools, and supporting them is essential to supporting our students. They need the resources, professional support, respect, and working conditions necessary to do their best work. By listening to and investing in our educators and staff, we strengthen our schools, improve the experience of our students, and build a culture where everyone can thrive.
What are the major challenges that your constituency is facing?
One evolving challenge is the use of technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), in public education. As this area continues to evolve, protecting student privacy and determining the most appropriate use of AI in the classroom becomes a priority. Any technology in the classroom should be used with intention and purpose, and must increase education equity, not further widen the achievement gap amongst student populations. AI in the district as a whole and in classrooms specifically should be monitored closely for any concerns around academic integrity, fairness, and equity.
The ability to live and thrive in the Bay Area continues to be a challenge. With respect to LASD, the affordability crisis means it is harder to attract and retain the excellent teachers and staff LASD is known for. Teachers and staff comprise the “missing middle”- they make too much money to qualify for affordable housing, yet not enough money to afford market-rate housing. In addition to giving our teachers and staff raises, LASD has looked for creative ways to mitigate the cost-of-living impacts in the Bay Area, such as our investment in a teacher housing complex in Palo Alto.
Resolving the facilities needs of Bullis Charter School (BCS) is a major challenge that will hopefully be alleviated once the San Antonio campus (LASD’s tenth school campus) opens in August 2028. Currently, BCS is sharing space on the Blach and Egan junior high campuses, which has an impact on student safety and traffic. The Board has given direction to LASD staff to move BCS to the San Antonio campus. While still an LASD real estate asset, this campus will house BCS as its first occupants, thus removing the BCS footprint at Blach completely and shrinking the BCS footprint at Egan considerably.
What do you consider your most significant accomplishments for LASD students during your tenure?
In 2021, when I was Board President, I oversaw the re-opening of our campuses. We were among the first school districts to welcome students, teachers and staff back on campus in a way that prioritized physical safety and mental well-being. We balanced the needs and concerns of our students, families, teachers and staff. We continued closely monitoring the spread of the virus to catch any infections early and prevent silent spread of the virus. I was also instrumental in aligning our school district with El Camino Healthcare in testing and monitoring activities for COVID-19.
Another accomplishment I am proud of includes the building of the San Antonio campus, which is slated to open in August 2028 and thus resolving a decades-long facilities conflict with BCS. While BCS has a financial impact on the district, the in-district students who choose to attend BCS deserve to have permanent facilities, and I am happy that we can move in that direction.
What sets you apart from your competitors in the race?
My background, as well as the breadth and depth of my experience, sets me apart from other competitors in the race. My leadership is student-centered, and my perspective comes from the intersection of public health and public education.
As a strong proponent of education equity, I have focused my work on systems-level, assets-centered approaches to addressing individual and community needs. I bring a holistic approach that looks at the whole child, both inside and outside the classroom, and understands that families, schools and communities work together to create the greatest educational experience for our children.
Through my service and leadership in the Los Altos School District, Santa Clara County School Boards Association, the Santa Clara County Juvenile Justice Commission, and various nonprofit boards, I am committed to supporting the health, safety and wellbeing of children and families in our community.
What would be your one-minute pitch to voters?
I am running for school board on one simple belief: all students have the inherent potential to thrive and be successful. I center my decisions on the best interests of our students, and I use an equity-based lens to ensure that all students have the support and resources they need to thrive. I bring a holistic approach to decision-making that looks at the whole child, both inside and outside the classroom, and understands that families, schools, and communities work together to create the greatest educational experience for our children.
Tell us about your family and background
I was born and raised in New York City, and a product of the K-12 public school system. I am the proud daughter of immigrants from Mumbai, India and my husband is an immigrant from Bangalore, India. I witnessed firsthand my parents’ struggle to assimilate in this country, though they were both well-educated and fluent in English. Though there were not many resources for Indian immigrants in NYC in the 1970s and 1980s, my parents created a wonderful life for our family, raising my brother and me with our cultural and religious values at the forefront.
My love of public service comes from my parents- giving back has always been a family value. My parents are among the founding members of the Maharashtra Mandal New York (MMNY), and my mother served in leadership positions at the MMNY. MMNY was like an extended family for many other Maharashtrian immigrants from the 1970s onwards.
I graduated from Barnard College at Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology. I received my Master of Public Health degree from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
Are there any personal anecdotes you would like to share?
For some years, my mother was active in our local Democratic Party. One year, Mayor Ed Koch was running for re-election, and I remember my mom painting a sign supporting him in our living room. My brother and I accompanied her to one particular campaign rally. I was in early elementary school, and my brother must have been in preschool because I remember him clinging to my mother’s leg- there were a lot of people! There we were on a very sunny day in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, my mom in her sari with her 2 young kids, holding up a sign saying, “How am I doing? Just fine!” Mayor Koch spoke, and at the end of his speech, he pointed at my mom and yelled, “How am I doing?” and we all yelled back, “Just fine!” It was a moment that I have never forgotten because it was so exciting. On reflection, I think what really struck me was that what we as individuals were doing that afternoon really mattered. To this day, I believe that my voice is important because Mayor Koch pointed out my mother, and she felt seen and heard that afternoon. Now, as a 2-term incumbent running for elected office, in anything I do, I want all of my constituents to feel seen and heard as well.
