Anderson to return to Bonsall Unified District 3 seat

After the Nov. 3 election, Larissa Anderson will be seated in the District 3 seat of the Bonsall Unified High School District Board of Trustees due to the fact that she's running unopposed for the seat.

Anderson and unopposed District 5 candidate Eric Ortega were sent questions by Village News so that readers could get a little more insight into the candidates that will be filling BUHSD seats in the near future.

Ortega did not respond to the questions prior to the press deadline, but his answers will be included in future editions of the newspaper if he responds.

What inspired you to run for the board seat?

Anderson: "Be the change you wish to see in the world." I have a deep love for my Bonsall community, and I am a proponent of the power of public education. I was first elected as a BUSD Trustee in 2018, assuming the seat vacated by Dr. "Grandma" Tucker after her 22-year tenure. I offer a contemporary strategic vision to serve our student families, teachers, administrators, and staff. I believe that schools are an essential cornerstone of civilized society, and I am committed to positively propelling the district forward for another four years.

Why do you feel you are uniquely qualified to represent your district?

Anderson: I am a lifelong learner and enthusiastic education advocate. I have been extremely active in local schools since 2004. I graduated from UCSD, hold an MSBA from SDSU and am a successful businesswoman across multiple sectors, and in particular, internet-based technology. Local volunteer leadership includes Bonsall Education Foundation, PTA, National Charity League, Girl Scouts, BHS PiNG, and The Parent Connection. I am the chair of American Association of University Women Tech Trek supporting STEM opportunities for Bonsall/Fallbrook girls. I am a dedicated, detail-oriented leader and an early adopter of educational innovation. My daughter proudly graduated with the Bonsall High School Class of 2019 and currently attends UC Berkeley.

What are the top issues facing the district in the coming years?

Anderson: The policies in response to the novel coronavirus have impacted life around the globe, and school shutdowns, in particular, will have dramatic long-reaching consequences. As Cara Starkweather, the BUSD California School Employees Association representative stated at the Oct. 14 board meeting in anticipation of in-person learning to resume on Oct. 19, "it has been a long summer since our schools closed to students on March 13."

Long-term equitable access to public education in California has been drastically impacted and distance learning has generally been ill received. Technology is a double-edge sword. Many applications accessible to the youth are designed to be addictive and screen time for activities counterproductive to health/learning/productivity is alarmingly high before adding hundreds of required daily instructional minutes via zoom and other online platforms.

Virtual education is an effective model for only a minority subset of the population, not to mention economically unfeasible for many families. Rady Children's health experts have been clamoring that the COVID-19 emergency modifications have been deleterious to our youth as we witness dramatic rises in drug use, self-harm, and crimes against children with schools closed to in-person learning.

Regardless, as we bridge technology divides, remote learning will likely remain a viable and important educational innovation, especially for older grade levels. There are many paradigm shifts as work/life balance with the aid of connected devices is reimagined in society at large. In order to effectively compete with School choice, multiple learning modalities will become the norm.

However, budgets are designated at the state level even while school districts have local control for staffing and programs. California was already in the bottom of the U.S. list of funding per student long before the pandemic. While most families believe more money will be required to effectively support educational programs with enhanced technology, there are some tax payers who think teachers and facilities can simply be replaced with asynchronous learning modules on tablets in students' hands.

Ultimately, enrollment (and associated funding) will be impacted by the ability of district administrators and teachers to meet the educational needs of student families in a post-COVID world.

What are three things you would like to accomplish or shore up with the district?

Anderson: BUSD must offer an educational environment in which every student has opportunity for success. This requires:

● Rich interactive curriculum with Advanced Placement and Career + Technical Education Pathways

● Active support for our teachers and staff

● Safe and engaging K-12 campuses and virtual learning options

● Access to art, music and PE/sports with joint-use community facilities

Since I assumed office in 2018, BUSD has been actively refreshing the curriculum. The Ed. Services Department has adopted a new Language Arts program for this year and is currently in the process of forming pilot teams from each of the K-8 schools to select, pilot, and purchase new Math and Science curriculum for implementation in the next two years.

The high school students have access to extensive college level courses through a strategic partnership with Palomar College which I would like to see expanded. I am a huge proponent of advanced learning opportunities for challenges beyond grade level expectations to "Empower all students to achieve their maximum learning potential."

I look forward to renewed collaborative leadership and support for Bonsall as a unified district serving PreK to 12th grade students. To that end, the facilities for grades 6-12 need to be bolstered. Currently, Sullivan Middle School and Bonsall High School share a 17-acre parcel on Lilac to serve nearly 1000 students.

The newer two-story building housing the high school students was always slated to replace the aging SMS portables. Regardless of the rise of virtual learning for core subjects potentially decreasing the number of students on campus daily, the fabric of humanity is enhanced by the arts, sports and special learning projects which generally require facilities and materials.

Childhood obesity is rising at an alarming rate and 70% of the U.S. population is considered overweight. Obesity leads to the exact comorbidities linked to poor outcomes of COVID-19 (hypertension, diabetes, etc.). I would like to see physical education become a stronger priority for BUSD students (and staff) with additional opportunities for programs and sports that encourage motion for both immediate and long-term health.

We should absolutely worry about the repercussions of shut-downs to healthy movement, especially as those with the means to adapt to restrictions will do so, and those who do not will become increasingly unhealthy and resentful of the lack of access to places and programs. The greatest health crisis of our lifetime is NOT the novel coronavirus, but obesity.

What do you bring to the board personally or professionally that is currently lacking or will add to the board in your opinion?

Anderson: I am extremely vested in making sure Bonsall offers programs, facilities, and opportunities to support a vibrant multi-generational community. To that end, I am a local land-use expert as I am also a Bonsall Community Sponsor Group board member and liaison to BUSD. I have considerable knowledge on upcoming developments and the anticipated impact to the schools; this includes 396 new homes in the already approved Ocean Breeze Ranch plan for Lilac Road.

I have experience with precinct data and am able to assist with the required updates to the BUSD Trustee area map once the Census 2020 has been counted.

I am the only woman on the board. As a mother of teenagers who have been enrolled in Bonsall and other district schools, I keenly understand the needs and expectations of parents/guardians and personally know how BUSD compares to neighboring districts.

All preK-12th grade Bonsall students deserve to have the best teachers, curriculum, extracurriculars, and facilities. Great schools equal great neighborhoods (and property values)!

Jeff Pack can be reached by email at [email protected].