5 vying for 2 seats on San Carlos school board

Student learning and support, in and out of the classroom, were top concerns for each candidate with Pollack noting COVID-19 impacts on a student’s social and emotional learning have been laid bare in the classroom.

“There are so many challenges on the back end of how our teachers and staff are trying to deal with more and more challenges not only on the learning loss side but on the social emotional behavioral issues brought on by COVID,” Pollock said. “How we move forward is not just with additional tutors. It’s with additional mental health professionals … and other resources we can bring to bear on a healthier, more supportive infrastructure moving forward.”

Lassman said COVID-19 mandates had a grave impact on student learning and well-being and argued the best approach toward recovery would be getting back to the basics of learning and pushing students to perform well, a step she said also helps build confidence.

On-campus counseling support will also be vital for supporting students but also teachers who have faced increasing pressure in the classroom and parents who have been taking on a number of stressors at home, Rowe said.

Agreeing with Rowe, Park also said she would like to see greater professional development offered to educators so that they will feel equipped to combat learning loss. She also stressed the need for additional data collection to help inform the board and staff on where resources are most needed.

Kinahan, while agreeing with her opponents, said the district should encourage fun programming like field trips to get students reengaged. She said officials will also need to drive a sense of community and provide students and families with greater wraparound services.

“There’s a lot to be done in engaging with families to build up that sense of community,” Kinahan said. “We have a lot of tools in place already to address where each unique student is at.”

On how to better support staff, Rowe again emphasized the importance of mental health and also suggested the district could consider a grant program that helps teachers pay for housing.

Pollack also raised housing as a key support, pointing to efforts at the Jefferson Union High School District to develop staff housing as a potential blueprint. But Pollack said staff support also comes down to a feeling of respect and argued educators would be willing to travel if they feel that their voices matter.

Lassman also emphasized the importance of giving teachers a voice and suggested administrators could facilitate additional paths for dialogue. And Park, who again advocated for professional development and additional career opportunities, said encouraging collaboration among educators could help the environment feel less isolating.

“We should treat teachers like professionals,” Park said. “They are one of the best things about this country. We should value them.”

Child care would be another invaluable resource in addition to housing and greater pay, Kinahan said. She acknowledged that the district, which toggles between being state funded and funded by property tax, can struggle to compete with salaries offered in other districts but a strong benefit package would draw staff in and keep them happy.

Budget woes

Flipping between funding models proved to be a shared concern for many of the candidates. Park said the instability makes it difficult for the distinct to plan long term. She also noted state-mandated programs like free lunch for all students and universal transitional kindergarten can be burdensome for a small district like the San Carlos’ while also being admirable missions because districts are not always fully reimbursed for operating the programs.

Recognizing that additional funds will be needed to accomplish the district’s programming and infrastructure goals, both Kinahan and Rowe said the district will have to look to community support though parcel tax or bond measures. The district’s most recent measure, Measure N, was approved by voters in 2020 and will bring in $334 per parcel every year over a lifespan of eight years.

“We walked because we had to is essentially what it came down to,” Rowe, who co-chaired the Measure N campaign, said.

Pollack said the district will need to think creatively when crafting solutions and suggested the institution consider working with outside bodies like city councils and nonprofits on shared issues.

Lassman acknowledged that she’s less familiar with the district’s budgeting issues but committed herself to becoming more versed in the matter while also noting many schools struggle with funding special education programs.

Final pitches

Lassman also vowed to give a voice back to parents, if elected, and would pull from her experience as a science teacher to help refocus the district on lifting up performance in math, reading and the sciences.

“I want to give voice to parents again because they felt like they weren’t being heard and felt nervous to come talk to administrators,” Lassman said. “I want to be a sounding board for parents.”

Kinahan said she too would pull from her 18 years of experience working on education policy advocacy at the local and state level but also from her time spent working as a social science researcher which she said gives her the skills to process the data necessary for creating equitable district policy.

Park also deemed herself a data lover and said she would bring to the board the perspective of a teacher, parent and volunteer, matched with a level-headed approach to decision making. Similarly, Pollack said he too has the important perspective of a teacher, parent and volunteer and a rich understanding of the city he’s called home for 20 years.

As for Rowe, she said she feels driven to give back to the San Carlos community, a town she said she was determined to live in due to its warm welcoming atmosphere and good schools.

sierra@smdailyjournal.com

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