Mark Olson, the parks and recreation director for the city of San Marcos, is running for re-election to the Area 3 seat on the Escondido 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 Olson told us about his. Why are you running for school board? What makes you a good candidate? It has been a privilege to serve my community as a board member for the past several years. Too often these positions are used as merely a stepping stone to future office. I have no aspirations other than to serve the community I love. Mark Olson (Courtesy Mark Olson) I am running for a second term because while we have achieved a great deal over the past several years, there is much work still left to do. Many students continue to struggle to meet grade-level standards as they seek to recover from the learning loss brought on by the pandemic. We as a board have made it a priority to get the necessary resources not only to the student but also to their families. The current school board has demonstrated the ability to focus on these issues. As a parent of current Escondido school students, I know how board decisions can affect our families and students. What is the most important issue currently facing your school district? While there are many critical issues that we face as a district, I feel the one that can help in all cases is to increase our average daily attendance of students in our district. This is important for so many reasons. First and foremost, it ensures the students are gaining the critical instruction needed to be successful as they progress academically. But many other positive outcomes come from being in school, such as the level of funding we receive, which allows the overall operations of the district to be financially sustainable. Again, we have a number of important issues to address as a district. Our current board — which is diverse in our background, opinions and political ideology — has been able to focus collectively on solving these issues, and it is important our board has continuity to ensure we accomplish our goals. What are the top three specific things you would seek to accomplish on the school board? Increase student achievement, enrollment, and attendance Ensure campus safety Remain fiscally sustainable What would your approach be to district budget planning and spending? What would you do if your district had a budget shortfall? Just like the families we serve, we must always live within our means. This can, at times, be difficult. Our philosophy should be to plan our educational programs in a manner that they can withstand the ups and downs of different budget cycles. Should we have a budget shortfall, we must make the necessary adjustments to ensure the short- and long-term sustainability of the district. If cuts are to be made, they must stay as far away from the classrooms as possible, allowing the students learning to proceed with minimal interruption. How should your school district raise student academic achievement, and what would you do as a school board member to accomplish that? The best way to raise student achievement is to first convince families that having their children attend school is critical to their success. Second, we need early identification of students who are struggling to meet grade-level standards. And finally, we must mobilize the necessary resources so each student receives the attention and help to ensure their individual success. As board members, it is our responsibility to work closely with those delivering the instructional materials, our teachers — giving them the resources they need to meet the students where they are and develop a plan for their success. Do you think anything currently offered in school curricula or libraries should be removed? If yes, what, and why? If no, why not? Our district has done a fine job of reviewing and ensuring that our library offerings are consistent with the learning curriculum being offered. When a question arises as to a specific publication, a review process should be initiated, and if it is determined it is inconsistent with the curriculum or in an area that is not appropriate, an adjustment should be made. What do you think is driving student absenteeism in your district, and what would you as a school board member do to reduce it? For nearly two years, families were told that attendance in schools was not important for their children’s educational development. In fact, that was the main reason I chose to run for this office. I feel the best place for the majority of children to learn and grow academically, socially, physically and emotionally is in school. We need to continually communicate that to our community and, on top of offering high-quality instruction, offer other engaging activities that help to educate the whole child through expanded learning opportunities. We have created great partnerships with local and regional organizations that offer something for everyone with the ultimate goal of getting students to campuses. While I will always be a supporter of choice, I want to make our EUSD schools the best option for the Escondido children. Do you think schools should notify parents if their child’s gender identity or presentation at school changes? Why or why not? I know this is a topic of great discussion, and I believe it is far from settled. I want to ensure that all students feel safe at schools and have the necessary resources to succeed. While I believe in following the laws that have been put in place, I will always advocate for parents to be involved in decisions that involve their own children.