Education has always been a priority for Silvia Tarafa, one of five candidates seeking three Village of Key Biscayne Council seats in November.<\/p>\n
Even as a child back in Glen Ridge, N.J., a close-knit community similar to Key Biscayne, she became actively involved in educational issues and became the first student representative on the Board of Education.<\/p>\n
Tarafa served as principal of Key Biscayne K-8 Center for 13 years and worked in public education for more than 37 years. She was a finalist for Miami-Dade County Public Schools\u2019 Center Region Principal of the Year, was named Teacher of the Year for Region IV and received the Principal of the Year award three times. Under her leadership, Key Biscayne\u2019s K-8 routinely ranked among the best in Miami-Dade County.<\/p>\n
Although she has retired from the school system, Tarafa continues to work in education at Motivating Minds.<\/p>\n
Tarafa\u2019s family’s summer trips to the Village, starting in the mid-’70s, provided her with lasting memories of diving off the high dive at the Key Biscayne Hotel, running along the beach, visiting Vernon’s Drug Store and “so many other places that shaped the character of the island.”<\/p>\n
“It was on the beach in Key Biscayne that I met my husband, Tony, whose family lived here,” she said. “As it turned out, our parents had been summer friends in Cuba, where they each had homes in a beach community called ‘La Veneciana.’ Our families hoped we would meet, and we did. The rest is history.”<\/p>\n
Raising two “wonderful” sons, her family has always been involved in this community.<\/p>\n
“We advocated for the Village Green, supported the Community Center and participated in the public school as PTA members and volunteers,” Tarafa said. “I served on the Key Biscayne Community Foundation when it was founded, participated in numerous sailing regattas, currently serve on the Education Advisory Board and the Board of Governors for the Key Biscayne Yacht Club and contributed to many other community initiatives.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Silvia Tarafa with local KBK8 students during her time as principal.<\/p>\n
Tarafa took time to answer three Islander News questions before starting her campaign.<\/p>\n
Q: This being your first venture into politics, if elected, how easy or difficult will it be to adjust from a teacher role, handing out assignments, to actually studying and learning about some of the Village’s tough issues and be ready for some critical decisions?<\/p>\n
A: As a public school educator and administrator for more than 37 years, I have dealt with many challenging issues and made numerous difficult decisions affecting children, families, employees, and the broader community. Although serving on the Village Council would be a new responsibility, the skills required – research, preparation, listening, collaboration, sound judgment, and accountability – are skills I have developed throughout my career.<\/p>\n
During my first year as principal of Key Biscayne K-8 Center, a group of teachers proposed team-teaching first grade. After carefully considering the educational research and potential benefits for students, I decided to allow them to begin the school year with that model. The decision was not popular with some parents whose children were in the class.<\/p>\n
The concerns ultimately were brought to the first school board meeting of the new school year. The regional superintendent and several deputy superintendents asked me to explain my decision and I presented the research and reasoning that supported the program. They, ultimately, supported my decision.<\/p>\n
That experience taught me the importance of doing my homework, listening to all stakeholders, gathering the necessary information, and making thoughtful, informed decisions.<\/p>\n
Those same principles will guide me as a member of the Village Council. I understand that the Council must address complex issues, carefully weigh competing needs, and make decisions that serve the entire community.<\/p>\n
Q: As a longtime Key Biscayne resident, why did you choose to run for office now and what priorities would you like to focus on as a member of the Council. Also, is there a first thing you’d like to see change?<\/p>\n
A: The time is right because I remain deeply dedicated to Key Biscayne and want to continue serving the community I love. My children are grown up, and although I have retired from the school system, I continue working in education. I miss the opportunity to serve the broader community and make a positive, lasting impact.<\/p>\n
Key Biscayne is facing important challenges that require thoughtful planning, responsible leadership, and strong community engagement. My priorities would include:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Rethinking and improving flood-control projects while protecting the island\u2019s environment and quality of life.<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Continuing the process to underground the utility lines that we have been evaluating for 30 years and noting the long-term benefits, including wind and storm resilience, safety and aesthetic benefits, and reliability.<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Addressing local traffic concerns and improving safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Carefully review bridge-related projects and their potential effects on residents, businesses, emergency services, and the environment.<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Preserving the character of Key Biscayne while planning responsibly for its future.<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Ensuring that residents are informed, heard, and meaningfully involved in decisions that affect their community.<\/p>\n
The first change I would like to see is a continued commitment to open, respectful, and transparent communication between the Village government and residents. Good decisions begin with listening, research, and collaboration.<\/p>\n
Q. Fortunately, the November election means a lot more comfortable weather. Are you prepared to stand on the corner with election signs or go door-to-door? Do you think you might have an edge since all the parents of the students you taught are very familiar with the Tarafa name?<\/p>\n
A: I have stood on street corners and walked the streets with previous candidates and I enjoy meeting new members of our community as well as reconnecting with longtime friends. I am absolutely prepared to campaign actively, whether that means holding signs, going door to door, attending community events, or speaking directly with residents about their concerns.<\/p>\n
Many people know the Tarafa name, and I am grateful that so many families remember me as \u201cMs. Tarafa.\u201d However, Key Biscayne has welcomed many new residents since I served as principal, and it has been more than six years since I left that position. I do not take anyone\u2019s support for granted.<\/p>\n
You will see me out and about throughout the campaign. I hope to continue serving Key Biscayne\u2019s families, preserving the qualities that make our island special, and helping protect our community\u2019s future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Education has always been a priority for Silvia Tarafa, one of five candidates seeking three Village of Key…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":388440,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[126,1582,123,125,124,143325,155491,127,153281],"class_list":["post-388439","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-miami","tag-key-biscayne","tag-key-biscayne-village-council","tag-miami","tag-miami-headlines","tag-miami-news","tag-silvia-tarafa","tag-silvia-tarafa-for-council","tag-village-council","tag-village-council-candidates"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/388439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=388439"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/388439\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/388440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=388439"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=388439"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=388439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}