Karen Eschrich, a real estate investor, is running for a seat on the Rancho Santa Fe School District board of trustees. The San Diego Union-Tribune asked all the candidates running for school board in districts around San Diego County about their policies, plans and priorities. Here’s what Eschrich told us about hers. Why are you running for school board? What makes you a good candidate? I am running for the Rancho Santa Fe School Board because I am deeply invested in our community and plan to live here long-term. Rancho Santa Fe is my home. I am a mother of four kids who all go to R. Roger Rowe, two currently in the elementary school and two in the middle school. This is our fifth year at Rowe. I want to ensure the RSF school district becomes the best it can be. I believe that, because of our community’s size and the passion of its members, we can achieve great things together. What is the most important issue currently facing your school district? I believe the biggest problem right now is the current board isn’t providing clear leadership or direction. Even though they’ve tried to improve things, the district still lacks clear goals and strong policies. Without this direction, it’s difficult to create a consistent learning environment. We need leaders who can make smart decisions to help our schools succeed. Additionally, when parents or the community ask questions or raise concerns, we shouldn’t be scrambling for answers. While we might not have every answer, the community should clearly understand our district’s goals and the policies we have or plan to put in place. What are the top three specific things you would seek to accomplish on the school board? I would review all current curricula to ensure it fits our district’s needs and values. I also want to implement the best possible curriculum to support our community’s goals and help students succeed. Our special education department has made great progress this past year. I would work to keep this momentum going to ensure every child gets the proper support they need. I want to set policies that give clear direction on the kind of school environment we want. I want to work towards every student finding school engaging and feeling supported, no matter where they are on their educational path. What would your approach be to district budget planning and spending? What would you do if your district had a budget shortfall? I would thoroughly review the budget to find any overspending and make sure we use our funds wisely. Transparency and honesty are key. I want to manage finances with respect and integrity, always being responsible with taxpayers’ money. If there is a budget shortfall, I would work to prioritize essential services and find areas to cut costs without affecting student learning. How should your school district raise student academic achievement, and what would you do as a school board member to accomplish that? I’d like to start an academic achievement program to recognize and reward all kinds of academic achievements, whether big or small, to motivate students. To help all of them succeed, I want to create a school environment where every student is excited to learn and values education. We should celebrate all students: those in special education who need extra support, those who are doing well but might not always stand out and those in honors programs. I believe every child deserves praise for their progress. Do you think anything currently offered in school curricula or libraries should be removed? If yes, what, and why? If no, why not? I think we should carefully review the materials available in our schools. Not all books and content should be freely accessible without limits. Since our students range from kindergarten to eighth grade, we need to make sure everything is age-appropriate and matches our community’s values. We should be careful about what we allow in schools to support our educational goals and respect family’s beliefs. What do you think is driving student absenteeism in your district, and what would you as a school board member do to reduce it? To address absenteeism, I’d start by looking into why students are missing school — whether it’s due to illness, travel, religious holidays or any other various reasons. Once I understand the reasons, we can work on adjusting the school schedule or developing new plans to better fit our community’s needs. My goal is to make it easier for students to attend school regularly by addressing the causes of absenteeism. Do you think schools should notify parents if their child’s gender identity or presentation at school changes? Why or why not? Yes, I believe schools should definitely let parents know if their child’s gender identity or how they present themselves changes. It’s really important for parents to be informed so they can offer the best support at home. Kids go through many changes and challenges, and having parents involved helps them deal with these moments with understanding and care. When parents know what’s happening at school, they can better support their child’s needs. Schools and families working together to create a supportive environment where kids feel understood will set the child up for the best success.