Why I Am Running

When I first ran in 2018, my heart was to serve the children of our community in a way that I could apply my strengths. At the time, the District was in a huge deficit, for the first time in years, and a divided Board was trying to deal with a series of crises. I felt like I could offer my abilities to find common ground and to govern with fiscal responsibility, for the sake of providing stability for the children.

Little did I know that we would have to make huge decisions that set Rancho Santa Fe apart from other Districts in San Diego County. During the pandemic, not only were we the only public School District to re-open on Day one, but we were also the first to return our school back to normal this year. In addition, we installed a new electronic security lock system on our doors, to ensure the safety of our children and staff. On top of all that, the Board found common ground and our budget was balanced every year.

Running for re-election is about looking forwards, though. The children need responsible people at the helm, because we have big decisions ahead of us to take our District to the next level. We have to conduct a thoughtful search for our next superintendent that will lead the Rancho Santa Fe District through the next chapter and to the next level. This is our most important job: to hire and evaluate the Board’s sole employee, the superintendent.

In addition, we need to implement classes that meet the needs of our advanced learners. In the next few years, we may have to add Universal Transitional Kindergarten to our school in a thoughtful way. We are always re-evaluating our school safety. On top of that, we have the state increasing our CalSTRS and CalPERS contribution requirements which is going to be continual pressure on our budget.

I am committed to implement all of these in a way that puts the children first and is fiscally responsible. We need to continue the positive aspects of our school and take our school to greater heights. This requires steady and responsible leadership.

I have always sought to be responsive to the community. When people call or email, I have conversations with them to hear all voices, because in doing so, I can see different viewpoints that help me find the District’s blind spots. This is critical because I serve the entire community of students, parents, staff and, yes, even the people who do not have children in the school.

I believe that our school is a destination school, as people have moved in from across the country (and even other countries!) to have their kids attend. Furthermore, our real estate values have more than doubled in the last few years.

I remain committed to providing steady and responsible leadership, as we take our District to a higher level. I ask you for your vote for my re-election campaign in 2022!