With about a month left until election day, prospective trustees to the Coronado Unified School District board shared who they are and why they’re running during a community forum on Tuesday, Oct 1.
The district’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) leaders presented a forum moderated by former board Trustee Dawn Ovrom, to learn more about the candidates running — Shawnee Barton Merriman, Renee Cavanaugh, Fitzhugh Lee and Bill Sandke.
Across a total of six questions, candidates talked about prioritizing students, being responsive, addressing the district’s budget and planning for a shift in the district’s funding system.
A trustee’s approach to ‘Every Child, Every Day’
Inside the boardroom, where two new school board trustees will be sworn in this December, candidates were asked: “What does ‘Every Child, Every Day’ mean to you with respect to being a governing board member?” in a school district that serves students from ages 4 through 22. ‘Every Child, Every Day’ is a tagline that aligns with the district’s long-range plan.
Cavanaugh said unless a child is engaged and ready to learn, the focus on academics cannot take place.
Cavanaugh said connectedness and confidence gives students a reason to attend classes.
“They’re not going to want to come to school if there’s not someone there that they can sit with at recess or play with at lunchtime or connect with on another level,” added Cavanaugh. “‘Every Child, Every Day’ to me means the gamut of all of those things to help every child be successful, whether they’re 4 or 22.”
For Lee, the tagline means analyzing the budget to ensure programs that serve children from different backgrounds.
“It really requires careful thought, working with the district,” said Lee. “That will arm us with the information that we now can use to make sure that we resource these important programs to support all our children every day.”
Sandke, a Coronado High School graduate, believes in working toward a broad-based education that prepares CUSD students for a diverse world.
“I was frankly unprepared as a student moving into my sixth grade class and seeing the diversity of individuals that we’re going to be my classmates,” said Sandke, who recalled feeling unprepared entering multi-racial classes as a young boy after a parent’s military transfer to England from Coronado.
“Making children understand how different the world is, how different people look at the world and how diverse the world they’re going to move into as students in college or students in community college or vocational school or their first jobs out of school,” said Sandke. “I think we do our children a disservice … if we forget to remind them that the world is a very big place with a lot of people with a lot of different viewpoints.”
Barton Merriman said her campaign approach parallels her understanding of the tagline: knowing the stories and what every child needs.
Barton Merriman said she’s met with past board members, PTO presidents, teachers and district leaders, focusing on achievement, the budget and inclusion.
“I’m running as a humanizer,” said Barton Merriman. “I’m someone who sees people, I see their hearts. … I just see potential in people and I want to know their stories.”
Ensuring commitment to students amid hot-button issues
Candidates were asked to explain their reason for running and why it transcends short-term, hot-button issues.
Barton Merriman pulled from personal experiences from her youngest child, who is in kindergarten.
“I want to be able to help her and I want to be able to help all the kids in the district,” said Barton Merriman. “When tough cuts have to be made, I want there to be someone who knows the people that are being cut and the reasons for making those cuts.”
“I’m excited about what we can do once basic aid (funding) comes,” added Barton Merriman, referring to a new revenue system that will bolster Coronado’s public education budget. “It’s an exciting visionary time come 2027 and I think that we need to have creative, visionary people there.”
Cavanaugh, a current trustee, said there are always hot-button issues and something to deal with at the district level, but collaboration is key for decision making.
To move forward Cavanaugh said she believes in “doing your homework, having faith and trust in your administration, and getting all of the facts and information.”
CUSD’s ultimate mission is to provide every child a “world-class education,” Lee said.
“All of our children are different so that may look differently for different folks,” he added. “But it’s the relentless pursuit of personal and academic excellence.”
Lee said the district needs to prioritize that mission while concurrently addressing short-term issues, like the budget, and creatively brainstorming for the long-term budget changes.
“We can do two things at once,” said Lee. “We can work the near problem but also start thinking about and discussing with our district officers, ‘What can we do now to shape what our future is looking like once we … have more money.’ … We need to be willing to do that and do it wisely.”
Sandke said he looks forward to collaborating on the best way forward for the schools just as he has for the city.
“Having two kids that went through the schools, having myself gone through the schools and having seen the good, the bad, the difficult times, I know what it takes and I look forward to making the decisions that are going to benefit the institution as a whole, certainly not ignoring the needs of the parents at whatever grade level it’s coming from,” said Sandke.
Shawnee Barton Merriman, an art professor, said she has dedicated her life to serving kids and wants to help guide CUSD as it prepares for tough budget choices. Staff photo by Julieta Soto. Renee Cavanaugh, a former CUSD teacher who taught 15 years in the district, said she is seeking reelection to ensure students are the focus following two years as a trustee. Staff photo by Julieta Soto. Fitzhugh Lee, a retired Navy captain with experience leading across youth-focused nonprofits, said he is running for the CUSD board to help guide the district through the toughest challenge, which he believes is the budget. Staff photo by Julieta Soto. 
Bill Sandke, who was in the East Coast and attended the forum via Zoom, said he is running for the CUSD school board with a background in city governance and years of community service. Staff photo by Julieta Soto.
