Dina Polus, a bookkeeper, is running for the short-term Area 3 seat on the Cajon Valley 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 Polus told us about hers. Why are you running for school board? What makes you a good candidate? I am running to save our children’s future. Our district’s test scores are one of the lowest, especially at the Cajon valley floor schools, which means our children will struggle to have the required GPA for better employment, or compete for good universities. Dina Polus (Courtesy Dina Polus) I have four years of experience as a board member of Kidinnu Academy charter school in El Cajon. I speak English, Arabic, Chaldean and Kurdish, which represents many of the diverse communities in District 3 where I am running. What is the most important issue currently facing your school district? The district is mainly focusing on the World of Work project and failed to teach our children math, English and science. Our district’s test scores are record low compared to neighboring school districts. Our valley floor schools are the most impacted by this neglect. What are the top three specific things you would seek to accomplish on the school board? Shift the district’s attention and resources to improve the students’ academic achievements. Hold the district’s staff accountable if they fail to improve the quality of our students’ education. Be the voice of the parents at the board meetings. What would your approach be to district budget planning and spending? What would you do if your district had a budget shortfall? CVUSD is well-funded, but the budget distribution is wrong. For years, the district’s board allocated a big portion of the budget for the World of Work project, out-of-state and out-of-the-country travel expenses to promote it and many other promotional videos and events. Moreover, a big portion is allocated to the top administrator salaries and expenses. That leaves our teachers and classrooms with little or no resources. How should your school district raise student academic achievement, and what would you do as a school board member to accomplish that? The issue with CVUSD is the focus on the World of Work project. That puts a lot of weight on the teachers’ shoulders to teach something they were not studied or trained to do. The district must re-allocate more resources to the teachers’ needs in classrooms. The board must set the standards to the administrators and hold them accountable. Do you think anything currently offered in school curricula or libraries should be removed? If yes, what, and why? If no, why not? Parents of the district’s students are the ones who should decide what to be taught, and what their kids are exposed to at school. The board must represent their constituents’ voices. What do you think is driving student absenteeism in your district, and what would you as a school board member do to reduce it? Most of CVUSD’s parents are from the working class. Transportation is one of the main issues they face. The schools must communicate with the parents to accommodate transportation. We see tens of the district’s school buses just park at the district with no use. Also, the lack of interest in classroom activities due to the lack of funding for the classroom. 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 that schools must notify the parents, and I am a strong supporter of the parents’ bill of rights.