Meet the candidates for PUHSD Trustee Area 4

With voters preparing to decide the future of the Placer Union High School District, candidates for the district's Board of Trustees are weighing in on the challenges facing local schools, opportunities for improvement and how they would approach leadership if elected. The Auburn Journal invited candidates to participate in a question-and-answer forum covering district priorities, support for teachers and staff, community engagement and board governance. Candidates were asked to respond to five questions to give voters an opportunity to compare their priorities and perspectives ahead of Election Day. Emerson Lake Occupation: Dentist and small business owner; Placer Union High School District trustee 1. What do you currently see as the biggest problem in the district and how do you plan to address it if elected? My biggest concern is recognizing student difficulties early enough to respond effectively. Academic struggles, disengagement and problems at school should not have to become crises before a student gets attention. I would focus on early identification, communication with families and access to appropriate academic and student support. I also want clear expectations for safe, respectful campuses. As a dentist, I approach problems with a prevention mindset: understand the issue, act early and follow up. As a trustee, that means asking the superintendent what is working, where students need additional help and how we will know our response is making a difference. 2. What do you see as the biggest opportunity for PUHSD over the next four years? Our biggest opportunity is helping excellent educators extend their impact across the district. I want experienced teachers to have opportunities to mentor newer colleagues, lead instructional improvements and help shape professional development. We should listen to what teachers say would improve instruction and give them support to do it. I also see opportunities to connect classroom learning with careers through partnerships with local employers, community colleges and skilled trades. Over the next four years, I would focus on strengthening the people and programs students depend on, then evaluating how those investments improve instruction, engagement and preparation for life after graduation. 3. What do you believe makes a strong school board member, and what qualities would you bring to the board? Good trustees combine preparation, sound judgment and the ability to work with people who see things differently. They examine evidence, understand the limits of their role and remain accountable for their decisions. I am a dentist, business owner and father of five. I joined the board by appointment in January 2025. My professional work requires listening carefully, explaining options and making thoughtful decisions with lasting consequences. Those habits guide my board service. I bring a calm approach, respect for professional expertise and a willingness to ask questions. My goal is useful problem-solving, not winning an argument. 4. How do you think the district can best support teachers, staff and administrators while also making sure students and families have a strong voice? We should listen to the people doing the work before changing how that work is done. Teachers and staff should help identify practical needs, and administrators should have clear direction and support. I would ask for recommendations informed by classroom experience as well as student and family feedback. Parents and students also need a clear route for questions and concerns, including who will respond and how follow-up will occur. Raising a concern should not require navigating a maze. The board's role is to make sure those systems work, not to take over individual classroom or personnel decisions. 5. PUHSD has faced some criticism over board governance and communication during the current board's term. If elected, what would you do to improve trust and communication between the board, district staff, parents and the community? As a current trustee, I share responsibility for how the board communicates. The response to criticism should be better explanations and consistent follow-through. I want major decisions accompanied by a straightforward account of the options considered, the reasons for the vote and how the results will be evaluated. I would also support regular progress reports on board goals. Continued governance training matters because clear roles help prevent confusion about who makes policy and who implements it. Trust is earned when our conduct matches our words. That includes hearing criticism respectfully, correcting inaccurate information and acknowledging when we need to improve. David Lawrenson Occupation: Retired Placer High School Band and Choir Teacher 1. What do you currently see as the biggest problem in the district and how do you plan to address it if elected? Many issues need attention: rebuilding trust, grading criteria, and communication are just a few. A looming problem is the financial wellness of PUHSD that is impacted by declining enrollment and attendance issues. I want to work with our feeder schools and city governments to address enrollment and with our families to increase daily attendance. Community outreach, positive messaging, sustaining and promoting our great arts, sports, and academic programs can all help with enrollment and attendance. Connecting students to our schools is the goal. We can't sustain our incredible programs if we continue to decline in enrollment and can't increase attendance rates. 2. What do you see as the biggest opportunity for PUHSD over the next four years? Leading our district to integrate technology use with solid fundamental reading and reasoning skills to prepare our students for any future they want. Career and Technical Education that partners with local businesses to build deeper ties to employment opportunities. 3. What do you believe makes a strong school board member, and what qualities would you bring to the board? A great trustee is a person who is genuinely passionate about our students, staff, schools, and community. This begins with hearing all perspectives, building consensus, acting with integrity and possessing a deeply devoted desire to improve the educational output without being motivated by politics. This leads to policy and goal-setting that align with what all students need to feel safe, get a great education, and build healthy relationships with their peers. Our schools and communities are strongest when students, parents, educators, and administrators all have meaningful voice in the decisions that affect our schools. I care deeply about education, our community, our students, families, traditions, and educators. As a retired PUHSD music teacher, I bring 39 years of public-school teaching experience. My extensive experience with education, curriculum, facilities, budgets, and education law makes me an ideal Trustee. My two children are graduates from Placer so I bring a parent's perspective as well. I have a tremendous amount of time to give to our schools and will be present at school events and have monthly opportunities to have informal chats. I plan on donating my monthly district stipend to our campus clubs, activities, and athletics. 4. How do you think the district can best support teachers, staff and administrators while also making sure students and families have a strong voice? The district can begin to strengthen its relationship with teachers and staff while giving community members and students a clear voice by focusing on encouraging attendance and feedback at sites' LCAP meetings where meaningful discussions and decisions are being made about each school. My involvement and visibility at school sites could foster more participation at these meetings. My outreach to community members and support programs/clubs/athletics promoting each to send representatives to these meetings to ensure these meetings are more productive for staff and students. All voices should be heard in a collaborative manner and no one in our education community should have fear to speak to their convictions nor should they be ignored. 5. PUHSD has faced some criticism over board governance and communication during the current board's term. If elected, what would you do to improve trust and communication between the board, district staff, parents and the community? Through integrity, trust is earned. I would start with making sure that I and the board do what our job description is and no more than that. The board sets direction for local education, makes key decisions about money and policy, and guides the Big Picture. The board hires and evaluates the Superintendent, working with them to provide guidance and policies. They approve budgets and manage finances, approve curriculum and set educational standards. Trustees represent the entire community and ensure legal and ethical compliance. The board oversees facilities and operations as well as students and staff. What a trustee does not do is make individual hiring and firing decisions, those are for the Superintendent to determine. They can't unilaterally make decisions for the entire board or promise a certain result to parents or students without having public meeting and voting as a board. Trustees are big picture people, not micromanaging day to day operations of the district. I will act within the scope of what a trustee is elected to do and will not cross the line into personal agendas, politics, or ideology. I will represent all students and families. Every student deserves a positive academic experience, meaningful social development, and opportunities that match their goals.