Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.

MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide

Name: Sara Pelly

Current job title: Retired Teacher, Principal

Political party affiliation: Non-Partisan

Incumbent: Yes

Other political positions held: N/A

City where you reside: Villa Park

Campaign website or social media: www.pelly4ousd.com

Gov. Gavin Newsom has called for heavier restrictions on smartphones in schools, pointing to studies that show the harmful effects of social media. How do you see schools restricting smartphone use? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

In my experience as a former elementary school teacher and principal, students were never allowed to use cell phones during school hours. Our district policy for elementary students is that phones are left in student backpacks and turned off for the entire school day. Students are allowed to use them before and after school for drop off/pick up in order to contact parents if needed. However, OUSD is a 1:1 district, and all students are provided an iPad or laptop, so cell phones are not necessary for educational assignments. Secondary students, who are more prone to cell phone overuse, also have devices but are expected to show more responsibility in their use and participate in lessons for acceptable use at the beginning of every school year.

How can your district better harness artificial intelligence technology for learning while also protecting kids from another tool that can be used for bullying? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

OUSD continues to help students and parents learn proper use of technology, including cyberbullying, and how to recognize when things are fake or misinformation. All students are required to take digital citizenship lessons from kindergarten through 12th grade. Parents are asked to review and sign the OUSD Acceptable Use Policy, and parent resources for technology education are posted online, including tips for safe use of technology at home.

In addition, many schools are certified as “Common Sense Media” schools, with teachers and students participating in additional training. These programs allow students to use critical thinking in regard to technology, thereby making technology a less effective means of bullying. It is also important to stress good general citizenship to students emphasizing how they treat each other online and in person.

What are the top two needs of your school district, and how are you prepared to address them? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

Updating our facilities, especially in the elementary and middle schools, is a top priority as our high schools are in Phase II of the Measure S facilities bond improvements, which includes new STEM/science centers and classroom buildings, as well as updates to existing facilities. I have been working collaboratively with my fellow trustees to create and earmark funds through an asset management plan for facilities that evaluates our underutilized properties and am committed to keeping tax dollars in the classroom by creating unique revenues for our facilities. I also believe we need to continue to build our CTE (Career Technical Education) programs by partnering with community groups to ensure our students have fully developed programs, so they graduate college or career-ready.

What experiences and priorities do you bring to the table for this role? What have you learned in prior leadership roles that make you the person for this job? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

For the past 35 years, I’ve championed public school students as a teacher and principal and am honored to currently serve as Orange Unified Area 4 appointed trustee. I believe my extensive experience informs my decision-making which helps build programs resulting in student success. As a principal, I led a dual-language immersion program to statewide Golden Bell Award-winning success, all while consistently improving student achievement. I am proud of how I brought students, families and teachers together. As a proud product of K-12 public schools and a resident in OUSD for nearly 40 years, I am inspired to make sure every tax dollar is spent wisely and transparently for the benefit of all students and our community.

California has a new law, set to go into effect in 2025, that prohibits districts from enforcing what’s been called parental notification policies, rules for school employees to contact parents if their child may be changing their gender identity. What do you see as the role of parents in education? Is there a limitation? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

As a teacher and principal, I value every child as an individual, and one-size-fits-all all policies are in contradiction to the uniqueness of each child and family. Parent involvement is critical in the success of their child’s education. As a principal, I listened to parents’ concerns, and even when we didn’t agree, I made an effort to find common ground, which was the desire to do what was best for their child. Communication and collaboration are key elements in the partnership between schools and families, and that will always be a priority for me.

What role do you see your district playing in combating climate change? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

OUSD has worked hard to combat climate change in many ways, including “going green” and limiting the number of fliers sent home and using online platforms for registration, grade reporting and many other communications. We are upgrading facilities to be more climate-friendly, installing solar panels at many of our schools, adding to our fleet with the purchase of electric buses, switching to LED lighting, planting drought (and kid) tolerant plants, and teaching students to be mindful of their environment.

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