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Name: Mary Beth Thompson
Age: 39
Occupation: High school principal, former teacher
Years residing in the zone: 10 years
Key endorsements: Sequoia District Teachers Association; API Caucus; Shawneece Stevenson, SUHSD Board president; Carrie DuBois, SUHSD Board Trustee; Amy Koo, SUHSD Board Trustee; Ted Lempert, San Mateo County Board of Education Trustee; Chelsea Bonini, President San Mateo County Board of Education; Alisa MacAvoy, CA School Boards Association Board of Directors San Mateo County School Boards Association Board of Directors, Redwood City School District School Board Trustee; Sophia Layne, San Mateo County School Boards Association president, CA Schools Board Association legislative Committee Member; Sarah Kinahan, San Carlos School District School Board Trustee; Tracy Park, San Carlos School District School Board Trustee; Alan Sarver, former trustee of Sequoia Union High School District; Chris Thomsen, former trustee of Sequoia Union High School District and Executive Director at Stanford University, Institute for Research in the Social Sciences; Michelle Nayfack, former San Carlos School District School Board Trustee; Mark Olbert, former San Carlos School District School Board Trustee, former San Carlos City Council Member; Seth Rosenblatt, former San Carlos School District School Board Trustee; Dennis McBride, former Redwood City School District School Board Trustee; Jean Dehner, former San Carlos principal; Betty Casey, former principal White Oaks School; John Dugan, Mayor of San Carlos, San Carlos City Council member; Diana Reddy, Redwood City Council Member, former Redwood City Vice-Mayor; Antonio López, Mayor of East Palo Alto and San Mateo County Board of Supervisors District 4 candidate; Laura Parmer-Lohan, former Mayor, City of San Carlos; Peter Hartzell, community leader and Ardythe Andrews, long time parent volunteer.
Campaign website: marybeththompson.com
Questions:
1. What makes you the best candidate and what relevant experience do you bring?
I am the best candidate for the Sequoia Union High School District board because of my almost 15 years of experience as an educator and administrator, not too mention the daughter of a history teacher of almost 30 years. As the executive director of a public charter school, I have managed budgets, created equitable learning environments, and supported students, teachers, and families from diverse backgrounds. I have worked on a team of brilliant professionals who understand you must row together in the same direction or else you end up going in circles.
As a parent of a young child, I understand the concerns and hopes families have for their children’s education, and I bring that perspective to every decision I make. I’m committed to ensuring that every student — regardless of background — has access to a high-quality education.
My experience with the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) and Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) has prepared me to address the district’s financial needs, while prioritizing transparency and collaboration with all stakeholders. My passion for education and my personal and professional experiences position me to effectively serve the Sequoia Union High School District and advocate for every student’s success.
2. What would be your top three priorities as a board member?
1. Equity and Inclusion for All Students: Ensuring that every student, regardless of background, has access to high-quality education is essential. This includes advocating for underserved students and fostering a culture of belonging.
2. Supporting Teachers and School Staff: Teachers and staff are the backbone of our schools.Salary and benefits, especially given the high cost of living in the area, are key to attracting and retaining quality educators.
3. Expanding College and Career Pathways: Preparing students for life beyond high school means providing a range of academic programs, career readiness initiatives, and vocational training.
3. What are some of the greatest challenges facing the district? What unique challenges is your trustee area facing?
One of the greatest challenges is ensuring the well-being of our teachers and staff. To provide the best education, we must take care of our educators, ensuring they are supported both financially and emotionally. Competitive salaries, benefits, and a healthy work environment are crucial to helping them thrive in an area with a high cost of living. Reducing turnover and ensuring that teachers have a voice in decisions affecting their classrooms are critical in maintaining stability for students.
Another challenge is the growing divide in the community, which can lead to distrust and misinformation. We need to focus on bringing people together, fostering partnerships, and maintaining transparency and clear communication with all stakeholders — students, parents, teachers, and the broader community. This will help build trust and ensure that everyone feels heard and valued in the decision-making process.
Attendance and engagement are also pressing concerns. We need to look at ways to keep students connected to their education, ensuring that they are not just physically present but mentally and emotionally invested in their learning. This challenge extends to all stakeholders — how do we keep parents, teachers, and the community engaged and motivated to support our schools?
The unique challenges in my trustee area include addressing these divides while also focusing on maintaining clear and transparent communication. Ensuring that everyone is on the same page will help us work together more effectively and create a stronger, more unified district.
4. What class offerings or programs should the district consider adding?
As a board member, my role is not to make specific curriculum decisions — that’s the responsibility of the educators and administrators who are closest to the needs of students. The school board’s responsibility is to set direction, establish an effective structure, provide support, ensure accountability, and advocate for students, the district, and public schools as a whole.
When it comes to adding class offerings or programs, the board should focus on asking “what” aligns with the district’s overall vision and goals, and leave the “how” to the professionals. For instance, we can support the pathways that prepare students for college and careers, such as vocational and technical education, advanced placement and IB courses, or dual-enrollment programs. But it’s the educators who will determine how those programs are implemented.
In the broader scope, the board can also advocate for programs that promote student wellness, such as mental health resources or physical education initiatives, ensuring the district is responsive to the holistic needs of students.
Ultimately, while I may not decide which specific classes or programs are offered, my role is to ensure that the district’s goals — fostering equity, engagement, and success for all students — are supported through these offerings.
5. Teenagers across the country are struggling with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. How should the districts be addressing mental health in schools?
Mental health is a growing concern among teenagers, and while schools play an important role in supporting students, they should not be the only source of help in addressing the mental health crisis. Schools are often the first stop, where students’ mental health needs are identified, and from there, they should be connected to more long-term support through community partners and professional services.
Research such as that from UCLA’s Center for Mental Health in Schools emphasizes that schools should integrate mental health services into the educational environment while also acknowledging their limits. Schools can offer immediate support but should work with families to refer students to outside resources for long-term care.
With that being said, districts absolutely can’t ignore the mental health of its students and when possible:
1. Expand mental health services in schools, providing trained counselors and social workers for immediate needs.
2. Collaborate with community partners — mental health clinics, therapists, and local organizations — to offer more specialized, long-term support for students and their families.
3. Educate families on available community resources so they can seek continued care beyond what the school can offer.
By seeing schools as the first stop on the path to mental health support, rather than the sole provider, we ensure that students get the care they need while leveraging the broader community. This collaborative approach helps create a more sustainable system of support.
6. What sets you apart from your opponents?
What sets me apart from my opponents is my leadership approach, deeply rooted in collaboration and hands-on experience. I believe in looking towards the future and deeply understand that being on the board requires navigating numerous complex challenges, even the ones that might not be my personal priority. I’ve successfully done this by fostering a culture where every stakeholder — teachers, parents, and students — has a voice. I’ve overseen budget management, strategic planning, and the creation of equitable learning environments, always with a focus on transparency and inclusive decision-making.
Being both an educator and a parent, I offer a dual perspective that uniquely positions me to advocate for families and students from a well-rounded perspective. Youth perspectives and district innovation are important, but my hands-on experience in school leadership and commitment to the well-being of educators gives me a more comprehensive approach to addressing the district’s challenges. My ability to bring people together, my deep understanding of school operations, and my experience in balancing financial responsibility with student and staff needs sets me apart and positions me to drive long-term success for the district.
7. What is the most important issue the district is facing in the next five years and how will you address it?
Teacher shortage and retention is one of the most critical issues the district will face in the next five years. Retaining high-quality educators is key to maintaining stability and success in our schools, and it ties directly into broader issues such as affordability, working conditions, and respect for the profession.
Teacher retention goes beyond just competitive salaries; it’s about ensuring that educators can afford to live in the communities they serve and that they feel respected and valued in their roles. As housing costs continue to rise, addressing affordability is crucial, which includes exploring innovative solutions such as teacher housing initiatives and competitive compensation packages that match the high cost of living.
Additionally, working conditions and professional development must be prioritized to create environments where teachers feel supported and have opportunities to grow. Retaining educators also means ensuring that our teacher and administrative demographics reflect the diversity of the student body. A more diverse workforce fosters stronger connections between educators and students and promotes a richer, more inclusive learning environment.
To address these challenges, I would advocate for competitive pay that reflects the cost of living in our area, creating strong, respectful working environments, with professional development opportunities and ongoing support to help teachers thrive and focusing on recruitment and retention of diverse educators, to better reflect the student population and improve the cultural responsiveness of our schools.
8. What could the current school board be doing better?
The current school board could be doing a better job of listening — not just to the loudest voices but to all constituents, including students, teachers, staff, and parents. It’s important that all perspectives are considered in decision-making processes. Ensuring that all voices are heard, especially those who may not always feel comfortable speaking out, is critical to making well-rounded decisions. By creating more opportunities for open dialogue, the board can better understand the needs of the entire community.
Another area for improvement is efficiency. It’s essential to keep meetings focused on what truly matters — the students. Personal drama and distractions need to be left out so that decisions can be made effectively. Grounding every conversation in “What’s best for students?” will help the board stay on track in the ultimate goal of serving students and making decisions with their well-being. Staying focused and efficient will lead to more productive outcomes and allow for a better allocation of time and resources.
Leadership is about compromise and making decisions that are best for the whole community, even when that doesn’t please everyone. A good leader communicates clearly about why they make a decision, ensuring that the reasoning is transparent and rooted in what’s best for students, staff, and the district overall. This clarity builds trust, even in difficult decisions.
