How do the candidates for Templeton Unified School District board 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.
Four candidates — Matt Allison, Ted Dubost, Cheryl Parks and Jason Tesarz — are running for three open seats on the Templeton Unified School District Board of Trustees this November. Dubost and Parks are both incumbents.
We asked candidates about their goals for the Templeton district, and their stances on some key issues. Tesarz and Allison 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.
Ted Dubost
What is your history with the district?
I briefly attended Templeton Elementary School. I’m a parent of 2 Templeton students, and a 2-term incumbent. We are a sixth-generation family here in SLO County.
What do you believe is the most important issue facing your district today, and what will you do to address it?
While we have a well-deserved reputation for academic excellence, recent test scores show we have lots of room for improvement. High expectations for student achievement begin with the school board.
What is your vision for what your district should look like in 5 years? 10 years?
An ever-increasing number of elementary students are reading at or above grade level. All students are exposed to high expectations in the classroom and are afforded enrichment opportunities. Students already at or above grade level have opportunities to accelerate their learning. We are a fiscally sound district.
Is your district doing enough to support student safety and well-being? Is there anything you would like to improve?
We continue to follow best practices as recommended by law enforcement. We seek a balance between prudent precautions and overreacting. We want our schools to be safe but welcoming.
Would you change any of your district’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies? If so, how?
I will continue to support equality of opportunity for all students.
Cheryl Parks
What is your history with the district?
Proud parent of a THS graduate plus 25 years working as the assistant to the superintendent and board.
What do you believe is the most important issue facing your district today, and what will you do to address it?
I believe we need to refocus on the students to ensure we are providing a high-quality education for all students, TK through graduation. As a board, we will have to skillfully address the looming budget deficits, while keeping the students in focus so we don’t negatively affect academics, and make sure our students not only feel safe at school, but are safe. In addition, given the continuing incidents of violence, we need to make sure we are protecting our students and making sure we are educating them about what constitutes bullying and how to appropriately handle any incidents, whether the bullying is directed toward them or someone else.
What is your vision for what your district should look like in 5 years? 10 years?
Having warm, welcoming schools that offer an array of opportunities for all students to learn and grow would be ideal. Over the years, Templeton has enjoyed a reputation for having quality schools. We need to make sure we keep the bar high and don’t sell our students short so we continue to hold this reputation.
Is your district doing enough to support student safety and well-being? Is there anything you would like to improve?
I think if you were to ask any of the schools where serious incidents have occurred if they were doing everything they could for their students, they would say they were. While we have made significant improvements to physically protect our students, we must always be mindful of the individual student’s well-being and spot and address any potential problems before they boil over.
Would you change any of your district’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies? If so, how?
Laws are always changing, which requires that we revise our policies accordingly. We must ensure that we are enforcing the policies as written and uniformly.
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