Trustee, Trustee Area 5 — La Mesa Spring Valley Elementary School District
Get the facts on the California candidates running for election to the Trustee, Trustee Area 5 — La Mesa Spring Valley Elementary School District
Find out their top 3 priorities, their experience, and who supports them.
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Lorena A. Smith
- I am team oriented and my goal is to be part of a...
- Embracing diversity and empowering our students to...
- To be able to identify cost effective solutions for...
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My Top 3 Priorities
- I am team oriented and my goal is to be part of a team that works towards solutions that are effective and efficient--meaning spending our tax dollars on our children and supporting our teachers in the process.
- Embracing diversity and empowering our students to represent their cultures and many facets that make us all special.
- To be able to identify cost effective solutions for infrastructure and accountability on how our tax dollars are spent.
Experience
Experience
Education
Community Activities
Biography
My name is Lorena A. Smith, a Spring Valley native since 1984. I attended Rancho Elementary, La Presa Jr High School (now Steam Academy) and graduated from Mount Miguel High School in 1990. Shortly after graduation, I worked in a low-income elementary school as a teacher's aide, which motivated me to work in higher education. For over 18 years, I have served the community as Associate Director and Research Analyst at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). I primarily review Education and Social & Behavioral Sciences research done on human subjects. However, I am first and foremost my children’s mother. I care deeply about their education which is why I am taking an interest in representing our families in Spring Valley and La Mesa. As Trustee, I would like to ensure that our tax dollars are not spent frivolously, but support our teachers, and children in their quest for knowledge.
Who supports this candidate?
Featured Endorsements
- Carl DeMaio
Questions & Answers
Questions from League of Women Voters San Diego and League of Women Voters North County San Diego (1)
As a parent, one of my biggest concerns is the current educational situation, as a result of COVID-19, and the associated challenges of distance learning. While electronic capacity—Wi-Fi, tablets, computers, etc. may work for some children, the lack of having a physical infrastructure, or a ‘safe space’, and abbreviated instruction, may have long term implications once these children do return to school. It would prudent for the school board to have a plan in place for returning students to be evaluated, and brought back up to speed, educationally and socially—apart from necessary safeguards—facemasks, pods, social distancing, etc., that will need to be implemented as a result of COVID-19. In addition, as a UCSD employee, I have been provided with transperant and true information regarding how to implement measures to protect our children from this terrible pandemic.
While diversity training has been shown to be successful, it is my feeling that we must address racial inequality by applying a global approach that engages all stakeholders in the community. Beginning at the district level, policies should be developed that will address the needs of the families attending our schools. Do they need after-school help? In-class tutoring? What limitations do they have that will impede them from improving on the statewide testing? The questions are many but when trying to address them, we must engage our families, and challenge them to be part of the solution. I also believe we must value and encourage diversity-- and celebrate it so that our children have an understanding of the different cultures and races in our community. We could even go a step further and develop policies that address integration when a new students join our schools.
As a challenger, one of my hopes would be to part of a team that is focused on ensuring that we have an effective and efficient infrastructure in place for our children that is comprised of values, standards, and accountability on how our tax dollars are spent.
Questions from League of Women Voters of San Diego and League of Women Voters of North County San Diego (1)
The motivation to run for Trustee 5 resulted from my own interest in educational research. I currently sit on UCSD’s Institutional Review Board as an alternate board member and assist in the review of experimental teaching methods, comparative studies, and behavioral studies that are done in children. Having the ability to review and ensure that studies are conducted ethically, I feel that the Trustee role will allow me to assist in providing thoughtful and considerate discussion that will assist the board members in making sound determinations that will be in the interest of our children and educators. As human subjects research advocate which includes approving research on children, I feel that my 18 years will be invaluable in providing ethical and compassionate insight.
Political Beliefs
Political Philosophy
My beliefs in the education center around accountability, to where our children can be provided with higher education that will enable them to reach their goals and build successful careers around their interests. It is important to teach our children the STEAM principles-- Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math and to challenge them in their courses so that can decide whether or not to pursue higher education or technical courses. I also believe that parents can decide where to send their children or to have them homeschooled if they wish. Financially, it is best to identify the root problems for low test schools and to move the tax dollars to where there is a need, at the local level.