6 CANDIDATES SEEK 2 OPEN SCHOOL BOARD SEATS.

Byline: Alex Dobuzinskis Staff Writer

BURBANK - Six Burbank parents are running for two open seats on the Burbank Unified School District board in the Feb. 22 mail-in primary, with restoration of arts and music programs emerging as a top campaign issue.

The candidates are vying to succeed incumbents Trish Burnett and Connie Lackey, who are not seeking re-election.

Here are brief profiles of the candidates:

--Larry Applebaum, 45, is a home remodeling contractor who also owns a music business. Applebaum said he wants to put music instructors back in the elementary schools, even if finding the money poses a challenge. ``First and foremost you have to have someone saying, 'this is a goal that we want to achieve.' And once you articulate the goal, you can bring people together and start thinking about how to fund it.''

Applebaum also said he wants to improve vocational education and create a long-range plan for the maintenance and upkeep of school facilities. Applebaum ran unsuccessfully for the school board in 2003.

--Roland Armstorff, 48, works in film and television production and postproduction. He said the district should improve its arts education, hire music teachers and seek alternative funding sources for programs. Armstorff is also concerned about childhood obesity, and said unhealthy food offered at school cafeterias contributes to the problem.

``I would like to revamp the cafeteria menu so the children are able to make the right choices at school and carry that through the rest of their lives,'' said Armstorff, who also ran unsuccessfully for the board in 2003.

He would also like to give students who struggle in kindergarten the ``gift of time,'' allowing them to go through a two-year catch-up program.

--Susan Bowers, 59, is a former executive director of the Burbank Chamber of Commerce and works as a management consultant. Bowers said she would be a solid business mind on the board, and could help the district make connections with local companies.

``There are thousands of businesses in Burbank, many of whom would like to help with education. They just want to know how they can help.''

Bowers added that, because she is semiretired, she would have time to spend visiting schools.

``It's one thing to make a policy decision from a certain level, but you really need to know how that ripples through the whole system,'' she said.

--Nikki Capshaw, 41, is a homemaker who volunteers at her children's elementary schools.

``School board members are responsible for policy and I think that we need some parent perspectives in that department, as opposed to what's best for the business community, what's best for the teacher community,'' she said.

Capshaw, who formerly worked for Warner Music Group, said the district needs to restore music, fine arts and performing arts programs in the elementary schools.

``You don't have a whole child if that's missing. Life is not all reading, writing and arithmetic,'' Capshaw said.

--Debbie Kukta, 47, owns a rivet-manufacturing company. She would like to bring enrichment programs, such as music and art, back to the school district when funding becomes available. One way to get more funds is to continue working with the city to pool resources, she said.

``Educating our kids is just very important to me. I think they're an asset we need to develop,'' said Kukta, who served on the school district's Budget Advisory Committee from 2001 until her term expired in November.

``We just looked at so many areas in depth that I feel like I have a very good insight inside the district operations,'' she said.

--Ira Lippman, 53, owns two stores in Burbank. He believes the district should lease sports fields to the city to bring in more revenue.

``We have lots of success in our district; it functions pretty good but there's always room for improvement,'' Lippman said. ``Recently they've diverted lots of funds to the district offices. I think we need to make sure more of those funds go to the school sites.''

And Lippman said while other candidates talk about improving arts education, he has been involved in bringing music programs back to middle and high schools. Lippman also ran for the school board in 2003.

Alex Dobuzinskis, [phone]

alex.dobuzinskis(at)dailynews.com