Nancy Orr, a retired educator, is running for re-election to the Cardiff 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 Orr told us about hers. Why are you running for school board? What makes you a good candidate? With great enthusiasm, Cardiff staff, administrators, board and community members recently completed our three-year strategic plan. It was clear to all the people in that packed multipurpose room that our children are our treasures. Nancy Orr (Courtesy Nancy Orr) We made the plan. It’s time to work that plan. I have a personal understanding of the Cardiff community. I bring to Cardiff schools strong professional, community and business experience. I was manager of our local family owned printing business and San Diego Arthritis Foundation development director. My teaching experience spans preschool teacher/director through college instructor, creating UCSD’s early childhood credential program and liaison between credential candidates and Sacramento. I served as a member of Schools for Sound Finance, Encinitas City/Schools Liaison Committee, Legislative Action Network, Cardiff SEA, Drug Free Youth task force and Cardiff school site council. Parenting/volunteering: Encinitas Parks/Recreation Commission, Cardiff/Encinitas, soccer clubs, Bobby Sox, San Dieguito Heritage Museum, Cardiff Town Council. What is the most important issue currently facing your school district? This is an exciting time for Cardiff School District. Being part of the team during COVID-19, using the strategic plan as a guide, it is important to: Continue our special focus on the needs of our students, teachers and parents Recognize and nurture each child as an individual Provide the resources, materials and training necessary to encourage and support our children as they learn, grow and thrive at school What are the top three specific things you would seek to accomplish on the school board? Three areas of focus for the school board are: Facilities Parent/community participation Staff relations I am proud of the results of the hard work we put into refurbishing and refreshing our facilities. They are safer, modern and more comfortable. Recognizing this is a continuous effort, we must keep our facilities maintenance account well-funded.  I would like to continue the positive energy created as the school, parents and community worked together crafting our strategic plan. I would like to continue strong communication between home and school. This encourages supportive parent participation. Positive messaging to the community is also important in maintaining good relationships. We have a good working relationship with our teachers. We have also participated in various group and casual activities encouraging more friendly interaction and conversation. I would like to continue along this path.  What would your approach be to district budget planning and spending? What would you do if your district had a budget shortfall? The most important focus of a school board is the budget. Smart budgeting leads to fiscal stability. I anticipate the continuation of monthly budget reports and discussions and occasional workshops. The Cardiff school board is fiscally very prudent. If ever needed, trimming would be as far away from the classroom as possible. How should your school district raise student academic achievement, and what would you do as a school board member to accomplish that? The focus of Cardiff school is teaching and academic achievement. Using the strategic plan as a guide, we must support students and prepare them for the future. This includes providing a motivated and qualified staff. We must offer opportunities for relevant and quality professional development. We must provide extra support services and materials to encourage our students along their paths to being lifelong learners. Do you think anything currently offered in school curricula or libraries should be removed? If yes, what, and why? If no, why not? As an involved parent, and now a proud grandparent with a child attending each school, I see well-crafted creative programs, projects and lessons used in Cardiff classrooms. When adopting curricula and providing materials, Cardiff School District adheres to California state standards. What do you think is driving student absenteeism in your district, and what would you as a school board member do to reduce it? Supportive communication with the student and the parent is essential for any problem, including attendance. The school can draw on a wealth of strategies. The first step is to identify the reasons for the absences. They can vary from family trips to student hesitancy or illness. Following that fact-finding, educating the family on the correlation between attendance and academic success is helpful. Connecting the family with support services, neighborhood ride pool, walking buddy and in-classroom short-term or school-wide semesterly or yearly incentives are just a few ways to encourage better attendance. Do you think schools should notify parents if their child’s gender identity or presentation at school changes? Why or why not? Being a small two-school K-6 district has many benefits. One is that families and their children know one another and support each other as they grow, change and mature.