How do Paso Robles school board candidates compare?
Ballots are on the way to San Luis Obispo County residents, and among the dozens of offices up for election, are a number of hotly contested school board races.
To help as you make your decision, The Tribune has compiled a 2024 Election Voter Guide, meant to give easy access to some of the candidate’s basic facts and stances.
Eight candidates are running for four open seats on the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees this November.
In Area 3, incumbent Nathan Williams will face off against challenger Hunter Breese. In Area 5, incumbent Laurene D. McCoy is running against competitor Tim Gearhart.
Candidates Leo Castillo and Adelita Hiteshew will vie for an open seat in Area 6.
In Area 7, incumbent Kenney Enney will face off against challenger Tracy Dauterman.
We asked candidates about their goals for the Paso Robles district, and their stances on some key issues. Breese, McCoy and Enney did not respond to The Tribune’s questionnaire.
Here are the remaining candidates’ responses, organized by candidate and in alphabetical order.
Editor’s note: Some responses have been edited for length or clarity.
Leo Castillo
What is your history with the district?
I am a longtime resident, a parent of a Bearcat, and have been involved in the community for multiple reasons, whether it be through the VFW, Almond Acres Charter Academy, and or through a few nonprofits.
What do you believe is the most important issue facing your district today, and what will you do to address it?
I believe that the district needs to regain the trust of families. I feel that our youth are not being provided with the right guidance to be successful in the real world, and I don’t mean that specifically just in academics but in consequences. Students are being allowed to do things that would very well get them into trouble in the real world. We are not providing consequences for infractions and or holding students accountable. I also feel that we are allowing students too many freedoms and taking parental rights away, which will lead to many other issues as they grow older.
What is your vision for what your district should look like in 5 years? 10 years?
I believe my district has not been engaged as much as it could be for multiple reasons. I feel that there should be more community engagements with District 6 to bridge the gap between families that are not involved, families that don’t necessarily speak English as a primary language at home, and I feel that our district has one of the lowest performing schools, according to testing in the entire district. That’s not to say that our staff are not doing all that they can, but maybe there needs to be more done from the families’ side in order to work with the whole student not just from a school aspect but from their home life as well.
Is your district doing enough to support student safety and well-being? Is there anything you would like to improve?
The only school within my district is Virginia Peterson. As far as looking at the campus physically, it appears to be safe and enclosed with all the proper gates, entrances, etc. That’s not to say there couldn’t be more done to support staff and students with safety precautions, trainings and drills, etc.
Would you change any of your district’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies? If so, how?
I believe that PRJUSD is trying to bridge the gap in this regard and they do try and support ESL families, however more can always be done. I feel that due to the location of the school in my district we tend to fall to the way side or maybe that’s just my perception. I tend to hear more about other elementary schools more than I do hear about Virginia Peterson. I would like to change that with community outreach and family support/sponsored events that bring the entire neighborhood and families together.
Tracy Dauterman
What is your history with the district?
I have two boys attending Winifred Pifer Elementary School. I’m the president of the Pifer PTA, which earned national recognition as a PTA School of Excellence for increasing parent engagement. I’m on the Pifer School Site Council, the Citizens Oversight Committee for the Measure M Bond, and the Transportation Working Group. I was also on the District Advisory Committee for School Closure. I recently began mentoring high school students as they prepare for careers or college post high school.
What do you believe is the most important issue facing your district today, and what will you do to address it?
Apathy. In today’s busy world, it is hard for people to be active participants in our schools. Misinformation about public education is bombarding people daily. That misinformation combined with a lack of personal experience leads to misperceptions and misunderstandings about what is actually happening in our schools. I will address it by working with the district to improve communication and to offer simple ways for the community and parents to get involved in positive ways.
What is your vision for what your district should look like in 5 years? 10 years?
In 5 years, I’d like the district to have regained the trust of the community by responsibly managing resources and delivering a consistent high-quality education to all students. I’d like all students to have their individualized needs met and for parents and the community to have confidence in district administration. In 10 years, I’d like the district to be well-regarded by the community and known for its strong academics, sports, arts and welcoming culture.
Is your district doing enough to support student safety and well-being? Is there anything you would like to improve?
A common concern I hear from parents is in regard to student safety. Preventing bullying, vandalism and racist language should be a focus. I think more efforts should be made in elementary school to foster positive and respectful relationships and a sense of community. Adequate staffing of yard duty and paraeducator positions would improve supervision, especially as it relates to students with disruptive behaviors.
Would you change any of your district’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies? If so, how?
I reviewed Policy 5145.9: Hate-Motivated Behavior and I don’t think the policy is an issue, rather, we need to ensure it is consistently implemented and enforced. However, it is unclear what disciplinary actions will be taken when incidents occur, so perhaps the board should add clarity around the consequences for violating the policy.
Tim Gearhart
What is your history with the district?
I taught here for over 30 years in 2-5, 6-8, 9-12 levels as well as Adult Education in the evenings for 6 years. I currently coach chess clubs in the district. I’m a member of many PTAs, supported FFA, 4-H and even Band Backers for years. My 3 kids graduated as Bearcats!
What do you believe is the most important issue facing your district today, and what will you do to address it?
The safety, welfare and a consistent educational program that’s NONPARTISAN is as critical as an appropriate balanced budget. I have 12 years experience as a trustee and am very familiar with state and local expectations for quality curriculums in grades K-12. I’ve kept current on local and state educational developments, concerns and problems. One situation that must be dealt with is the threatening reduction of state school support. We do have some land that we might be able to sell OR use for low income housing for new teachers, police and firemen. Some teachers have left or retired. Replacing them in this housing market is very difficult for new teachers. “Lower-income housing” on one of our unused properties might help mitigate this problem. What will happen with the old Georgia Brown property? Apparently, it can’t be used for a school due to a possible fault line under the ground. The district board needs to decide what to do with this (and other) vacant property.
What is your vision for what your district should look like in 5 years? 10 years?
I hope our district cultivates strong diversity and inclusion beliefs that are practiced as directed by our national and state constitutions, and that our teaching staff is often updated concerning our existing Board Policies and the Education Code on these matters. Also, teacher retention issues will be addressed regularly. Coordinating with the County Education Office is another resource that should be further developed.
Is your district doing enough to support student safety and well-being? Is there anything you would like to improve?
Students, teachers and support staff are trained in how to react to fire, earthquake and biohazards now, and the district coordinates with police, county and state safety issues often. Training about protection from school shooters should be at least yearly. I believe the district should also focus on anti-bullying programs as well. The problems that have cropped up about student phones in class is another issue that needs to be addressed. Parents should be part of any committee that’s created to study these issues.
Would you change any of your district’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies? If so, how?
I like most of the district’s D.E.I programs we now have, but the process of REFINING them needs to continue. Issues include problems with bathrooms at the junior high and high school and who can use which? Other bathrooms are available for different orientations, but are they used? What rules, procedures or approaches has the School Board taken? How are these enforced and by whom? Have the PARENTS been informed about these rules, procedures and approaches? Did they have a chance to discuss these in a special board meeting?
If I become a trustee, I’ll work towards having these issues clarified.
Adelita Hiteshew
What is your history with the district?
I am a former Bearcat. I worked for 3 years as a paraeducator in kindergarten. I currently have 3 kids enrolled in the district. I have over a decade of volunteering in the district, serving on Local Control Accountability (LCAP) committees, Site Councils, and PTAs and PTOs across multiple schools. I currently sit on the Virginia Peterson Site Council, am the PTA president of Virginia Peterson, and sit on the high school site council.
What do you believe is the most important issue facing your district today, and what will you do to address it?
Communication. I hear it from families and community members all the time, especially in light of recent incidents across our schools. Parents want to be informed not only when something happens, but also about how the situation is being addressed and resolved. It’s crucial that families don’t feel left in the dark. While I see efforts being made, there’s still a long way to go.
If elected, I will advocate for transparent, timely communication that respects individual circumstances while keeping our families and community connected and informed. We need a proactive approach instead of chasing incidents with our responses. I see the district trying to be transparent, but transparent doesn’t always mean accessible. We need to translate pertinent information into manageable bits that our busy families can use to best advocate for their children.
What is your vision for what your district should look like in 5 years? 10 years?
My vision for the district in the next 5 years is a district that has found its stride. Over the last several years PRJUSD has been on a roller-coaster. We have seen budget crises, a global pandemic resulting in learning loss and board contention. I see the district making progress little by little each year, but we have a long way to go.
In five years I would like to see the district in a place with parents that when the next big thing comes along, parents trust that the district and the board will make decisions in partnership with them. A district with trust and buy-in from families is a district that will thrive.
In 10 years? I see us in a place where our students are leaving our schools prepared for college or the careers of their choosing. I see our parents and community connected and collaborating to build a school district that attracts students and families from around the county.
Is your district doing enough to support student safety and well-being? Is there anything you would like to improve?
I have 3 children enrolled in the district, I have to have some trust in the efforts being made to keep the students safe. Do i think it’s enough, no. Am I as a mother worried about the safety of my children, of course, we live in 2024. The threats to our kids seem to come in surround sound. From bullying to gun control to social media. As a parent, I feel like it is so hard to know where the next threat to kids’ well-being and safety is going to come from.
The district has to talk to parents. If there is a threat, we need to know about it in a timely manner. If there is resolution, we need to know that in a timely manner.
In regard to well-being, I would like to see a strong anti-bullying, anti-racist, and anti-discriminatory policy put into place that has swift and consistent consequences. This is more than about just discipline, it’s about fostering a culture of understanding and acceptance starting from a young age.
Would you change any of your district’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies? If so, how?
First, I would like to say that the nature of public education is based on diversity, equity and inclusion. Special education, GATE, Spanish translation, free and reduced lunch, are all examples of ways that our public schools are meeting the diverse needs of students every day.
I would like to see our students continue to be supported and celebrated for the diverse population that they are.
I would like to see more work in elementary school where the foundation of acceptance begins. We need to build the school environments that we want our children to attend from the ground up.
Nathan Williams
What is your history with the district?
PRHS graduate, parent, volunteer, school board trustee, participant on various committees.
What do you believe is the most important issue facing your district today, and what will you do to address it?
I believe there are multiple issues that can be considered the most important issue facing the district today, but one in particular that I believe needs to continue to be worked on is communication. The district has struggled in the past, be it deliberately by previous administrations or by a failure to recognize the importance and need, our community at large has felt disconnected in many ways. There is a lot that could have been shared better, can be shared now, and should be shared going forward. In doing so we can rebuild trust, partnerships, faith in our district, and support going forward. As board president I have made it a priority to promote transparency and continued efforts to find more and better ways to create that communication. I will continue that to the end of this term through efforts such as district communications with the community, district communication within, and of course through my own efforts. The more we make it a priority and exercise that, the better.
What is your vision for what your district should look like in 5 years? 10 years?
In 5 years I hope to see all the hard work we’ve been doing translating into involved parents, a proud community and reinvigorated school sites! I hope to see programs thriving, academics continuing to climb, facilities being revitalized and more. I also hope to be an example not only locally but further with success stories such as athletics, VAPA, and more!
Is your district doing enough to support student safety and well-being? Is there anything you would like to improve?
This is an ongoing conversation and one that needs to not stop. We are doing more but with the ever changing world that we live in I don’t know that we will ever feel that it’s “enough.” For our children’s sake, we must be vigilant. Whether it’s the physical or mental well-being, we live in a time that we can’t ignore either. As for improving, yes. We can’t be afraid to talk about these things, and we need to do a better job bridging differences.
Would you change any of your district’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies? If so, how?
This is too broad of a question to be fairly answered in this format. The short answer is yes. How? I’d start with trying to recognize that such policies can’t be inclusive if we are in fact being exclusive. By that I mean as we focus on one group, push, or other aspect, we often alienate those that disagree. We close out those that don’t see the same and in doing so are in fact NOT inclusive, diverse or equitable. In order to right the wrongs of the past or the injustices of the present, we can’t continue to fail to recognize the new ones we are creating in that wake. Good work can be done and progress can be made, but true work and progress won’t happen if we fail to find compromise and growth within that compromise.
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