Autumn Ellenson, a school administrator, is running for the Area 2 seat on the Lakeside Union 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 Ellenson told us about hers. Why are you running for school board? What makes you a good candidate? I am running for re-election to the Lakeside School Board because I care about kids. I have worked in education for over two decades and have three children in the district. I have worked in most educational positions, from classroom aide to teacher, and now in an administrative role. I oversee the math and science curriculum for over 5,000 California students. Autumn Ellenson (Penelope Perez) I care about students receiving high-quality education. I would like all students to have access to important programs, like the performing arts, language immersion and careers exploration. But just as important as academics is supporting student well-being and ensuring that families have a voice in what is occuring at their child’s school. Education is like a three-legged stool, with students, parents and educators each representing one leg. If one leg breaks, the stool will topple. We need each area to be supported to support student learning meaningfully. What is the most important issue currently facing your school district? The most important issue facing us today is student safety. That is a multifaceted issue, encompassing physical and emotional safety. We need to have policies in place that protect all students, and be careful of putting in place any measures that protect one group of students to the detriment of others. Our district has been implementing many wonderful safety measures, like fencing and emergency response systems. We also have an excellent bullying policy. In addition, we are trying to ensure that our district families are aware of their rights so they can have a voice in their child’s education. I would like to continue supporting those important measures. What are the top three specific things you would seek to accomplish on the school board? Ensure student safety: Like I previously mentioned, I will work to continue supporting the physical and emotional safety of every student on campus. Support meaningful learning and programs: I have always advocated for our language immersion, performing arts, science and career-related programs. I know how important those are to help develop well-rounded individuals and assist with students’ future endeavors. I will continue to support that. Budget: We are facing a state-created fiscal crisis in the coming year. I am passionate about helping to create and support a balanced budget that makes sense and puts our students’ learning at the forefront. What would your approach be to district budget planning and spending? What would you do if your district had a budget shortfall? It is imperative that a school district plan and execute a budget that it can afford. Every dollar and program needs to be accounted for. Program efficacy must also be reviewed using data to ensure that it is successful for students. I have a lot of experience working on budgets and Local Control and Accountability Plan reporting to the state. At work, I am involved in the LCAP process and using student data to report the efficacy of the programs we offer. Our district has diligent staff, dedicated to track all funds to ensure precise accounting and to monitor the fruitfulness of our programs. We are facing a state-created budget crisis, and I will work alongside district staff to ensure we keep our balanced budget, without losing our upward trajectory in student achievement. How should your school district raise student academic achievement, and what would you do as a school board member to accomplish that? Raising student academic achievement is accomplished by getting students to school, connecting with them once they are there and then providing them engaging educational opportunities that match their learning style and supportive MTSS (multi-tiered systems of support) intervention for struggling students. Academic achievement starts with attendance. If students are not at school, they cannot engage in the educational opportunities available to them. Districts need a strong attendance policy and support staff to help ensure that students and families have the support they need to be able to attend school. Students can only learn if they feel safe and connected to the people around them. That includes their teachers, peers and other staff or volunteers on campus. We need to have the right policies in place that help foster a safe connection for students to be open to learning. Finally, we must implement our MTSS practices to support all struggling students. Do you think anything currently offered in school curricula or libraries should be removed? If yes, what, and why? If no, why not? I believe in our First Amendment right that protects our freedoms of speech and expression. That being said, I also believe that students should only have access to materials that are developmentally appropriate. I recognize that families view appropriateness differently, and that is something we need to respect for ALL students. I strongly support parents’ having access to the materials being presented to their children. That way, they can facilitate conversations at home around what their child is seeing or learning. It also provides parents the information they need to opt out of the curricula if applicable. This topic can quickly lead to a feeling of divisiveness. That is why it is imperative to have kind conversations and listen to ALL views in the community. We can only achieve a common understanding regarding this issue if we listen and communicate with kindness. What do you think is driving student absenteeism in your district, and what would you as a school board member do to reduce it? I noticed a real shift in our society with the start of COVID. Fast forward four years, and we are facing an uncertain economy, and folks are feeling burned out. I absolutely think this has increased families’ struggle, which has filtered down to our students. Our district has a strong absence policy. But more importantly, we have caring staff that work diligently to address the root of student absences. Every student is unique, and the root of their absenteeism is also unique. Our staff has worked with families to address their needs and provide support to help get their students to school. It’s working, as evidenced by our decrease in absences. I will continue to support everything we are already doing. Do you think schools should notify parents if their child’s gender identity or presentation at school changes? Why or why not? I have personal experience with mental health issues in children. Through that experience, I have learned just how important family support at home is. A child’s mental health is also like the three-legged stool I mentioned above, with legs represented by the child, parents or caregivers, and the school. Again, if one leg breaks, the stool topples. That is not in the best interest of the child, making it much more difficult to achieve mental health wellness. Overall, children will have the strongest mental health if everyone in their life supports them through their journey. If a child is at risk at home, we have measures in place to protect them, which I fully support.