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Trustee for the Board of  
Encinitas Union School District

A Teacher and District Parent who will put Families, Academics and the Arts first

​I am thrilled to pledge my commitment to you - prioritizing the needs of our wonderful families, while making Encinitas Union School District schools the GOLD STANDARD in academics! Together, we will achieve educational excellence and inject boundless creativity and kindness into every classroom. Let's make a difference! Vote Monica Lee for EUSD!

My guiding principle will be to lift ALL who are struggling and challenge ALL who are excelling. I believe in creating a fun and stimulating learning environment that caters to all learning styles. I value critical thinking, creativity and play in education. School is a magical wonderland where learning should be fun, positive and engaging!

I decided to run for office after seeing firsthand the issues our children face in the classroom. We've had 3 years of declining enrollment in our wonderful district and I know how to change that. We have the BEST teachers in EUSD and our community has the most LOVING parents, with kids filled with UNLIMITED POTENTIAL. I believe in family involvement, smaller class sizes, less time on digital devices and more time on raising creative, independent thinkers.

Married to a Navy veteran and small business owner, with two children in EUSD, I care deeply about every child in our community. My 18+ years of classroom teaching experience (High School, Junior High and Elementary), give me a unique understanding of the education process. I have a Master’s degree in Education from UC Santa Barbara, (go Gauchos)! In my free time, I enjoy running and painting, and I actively participate in the Rancho Santa Fe Art Guild and serve as the leader of my daughter’s Girl Scout troop. 

I humbly ask for your vote, because together we will make EUSD the most desirable school district in San Diego!

-Monica

01.

Lead with Academics & Arts

I will prioritize academics, critical thinking and creativity. I oppose eliminating letter grades, and I believe that attaining excellence should always be an option.

 

I am passionate about incorporating high quality visual and performing arts, as well as PE, into all schools. These are the classes that unleash creativity and curiosity in our children - school should be fun!

 

By emphasizing hands-on learning and reducing screen time, my back-to-basics approach will engage and challenge all students.

02.

Partner with Parents

Family engagement is directly linked to academic success. I will LISTEN to families, LIFT all students and SEEK opportunities for parent involvement and input. I will listen to YOU!

 

We owe it to ALL families to provide a warm and welcoming environment and I will listen to your needs and work hard to make sure your needs are being met.

 

Elementary school should be a fun place where children can be children! I will work with parents to make sure ALL children are happy and thriving in our schools!

03.

Make Public School the Clear Choice

Over the past few years we have lost hundreds of students to private and home schools, I want to bring these students back. Losing more students will mean losing more teachers. We can do better.

 

We pay HIGH taxes so that we can live in this amazing district, families should not feel like they need to go outside the district for a better education. I believe in partnering with parents and listening to your needs.

 

Public school is for ALL children and every child deserves an excellent and free public school education.

04.

Champion Our Teachers

I want to create smaller class sizes so that teachers can focus on individual needs over classroom management. Let's work together to figure out solutions for putting more teachers into classrooms!

 

I also want to lift up our enrichment teachers. I will work to hire and retain the best enrichment teachers, while also encouraging the district to treat all teachers equally.   

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Our amazing teachers work so hard, they are our greatest assets. I value their experience and opinions.

05.

Student Safety

The safety of our children is paramount, both physically and digitally. I will continue our focus on situational trainings for all staff members.

 

I will ensure that schools set firm rules on digital devices. Screen time should be limited and minimal!

 

Off campus I will partner with city officials to create more accessible bike lanes in front of schools.

 

My ultimate goal is to safeguard our children.

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My Qualifications

  • Parent of 2 EUSD Students

  • 17+ years classroom teacher

  • Masters Degree in Education

  • Single Subject Credentials in Art and English

  • 3 years teaching Art at Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary School

  • 13 years teaching Art at San Ysidro High School ​

  • 1 year teaching Art and Video Production at Carmel Valley Middle School

  • Current Girl Scout Troop Leader

  • Multiple years of teaching High School English Credit Recovery Classes to English Language Learners at San Ysidro High School

  • Former High School Department Chair, Faculty Advisory Committee Member and School Site Council Member

  • Former High School Cross Country Coach

  • Lead a (no cost) pod of First Graders in my back yard when San Diego Unified shut down during covid​

  • Started artfulmommy.com, a free website offering creative educational ideas for parents and teachers​

  • I am an independent and creative thinker and I have the willingness to listen and collaborate with parents, teachers and administrators.

  • This is not just a stepping stone into politics for me, schools are my passion and this is where I want to be!

Every child is an artist. The problem is to remain an artist once they grow up.

- Pablo Picasso

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