Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Martha Geiszler

Martha Geiszler is named LGUSD volunteer of year

By John Pancharian

In a district blessed with the kind of parent support Los Gatos Union School District receives, it takes a lot for one person to stand out. This year the board of trustees found Martha Geiszler outstanding enough to present her with the Gillian Cichowski Volunteer of the Year Award.

Superintendent Bert Pearlman said of Geiszler, "I think what really sets Martha apart is that she's not only very helpful in whatever she does, but she actively looks for places where she can be helpful." He called her clear-sighted and committed, adding that she is not afraid to ask the hard questions.

Geiszler began her work in the district in 1992 and spent three years selling scrip for Van Meter Elementary. She has since been active as a volunteer and treasurer for the Los Gatos Education Foundation, served as treasurer and on the steering committee during the parcel tax campaign, donated her time to the District Parent Education Committee and plans to serve as president of Van Meter's Home and School Club next year.

Van Meter Principal Roseanne Adona praised Geiszler's energy while running the scrip program. "Before we had a big committee to do it, she handled it all on her own," Adona said, adding that she found Geiszler to be very energetic and upbeat. Adona also had kind words for Geiszler for volunteering in her son's class and felt she will do a good job as Home and School Club President next year. "That's a very intense job, but she'll do great. She's very thorough."

Geiszler has also spent three years on the board of the Los Gatos Education Foundation. There she spent numerous hours organizing the foundation's "Thanks a Million" party--a celebration of earning $1 million for the district--and raffle. Foundation President Barry Bakkum called Geiszler a cornerstone of the foundation and said she will be missed next year when she takes the job of Van Meter's Home and School Club president. He lauded her work in creating the Endowment Fund, a program in which Silicon Valley start-up companies donate stock shares to the foundation, and said Geiszler has had "a tremendous impact on the foundation." Bakkum also characterized her as "one who will always ask the tough questions."

Many would say Geiszler most distinguished herself this year with her tireless work on the parcel tax campaign. Yes on Measure A Chairwoman, Karen Sanders-Noé, called her "fabulous."

"She was instrumental in the passage of the parcel tax and helping me coordinate the campaign," Sanders-Noé said, and agreed with Bakkum and Pearlman that Geiszler will reliably "say the unpopular thing that probably needs to be said." She added, "Martha cares about the big picture and that shows in her volunteerism."

"I think it's important to participate in your child's education however you can," Geiszler said, explaining why she has spent so much time volunteering for the district. She described herself as "a real advocate of education for children," and said she doesn't have a regular job, so she has the time to donate.

"I think what's made me really who I am is being really close in a large family," Geiszler said of growing up with eight siblings--all of whom she described as "go-getters." She also said her relationship with her own children has helped her learn to love any child.

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