Area Five: Kathy Rallings and Scott Davison

In Area Five, incumbent Kathy Rallings has been a member of the school board for the past eight years, and is seeking reelection this year.

“My hope is to continue the progress we have made through partnerships, long-term strategic planning, and responsible leadership,” she states.

Rallings is the current school board member for Trustee Area 5 and has been a member of the education community for over twenty-six years. During that time, she has helped to save school districts throughout California over 150 million dollars.

She also believes her previous experience on the school board makes her experienced, responsible and knowledgeable. 

Rallings emphasizes the significance of establishing a sustainable school environment, which she believes would set this district apart from the others. Examples of this include switching the district to 100% renewable energy and providing better, healthier food alternatives.

“As an 8-year veteran on the school board I bring experienced, responsible, leadership to the table. I hope to continue our high-quality education programs and award-winning culture in our school district.” she expresses.

If elected, she wants to prioritize unique learning opportunities, such as the K-12 Project Lead the Way program at Sage Creek High School, Calavera Elementary School, and Calavera Middle School

“I am a strong believer in unique learning opportunities and practical applications for lessons taught in the classroom,” she says.

In addition, she wants to maintain the district’s financial stability and foster cooperation among community members. She thinks that by working together, Carlsbad Unified will continue to be a fantastic school district.

“It is the teachers, staff, students, parents, and community working together that creates our successful outcomes in Carlsbad Unified. My role on the board is to help provide resources and a positive environment to continue providing a high-quality education for all students,” she finishes.

Ralling’s opponent, Scott Davison, decided to run for school board after fighting to reopen schools in 2020. 

“I realized that our school board didn’t understand its legal obligations and wasn’t prioritizing the needs of students,” he states.

Davison is a parent of a student at Sage Creek High School, and over the past 20 years, he has worked as a patent attorney. 

If chosen for this post, assisting students in returning to academic and social norms will be his first focus. Additionally, he wants the board to listen to all members of the community and be open about the problems the district is facing.

“We need a proactive school board that is willing to discuss the issues that are important to our community and build unity instead of allowing the animosity of the last few years further divide us,” he states.

Bringing back students who left the school district during the pandemic is also of importance to Davison, as he feels many have lost trust in the public school system during the past two years.

To help remedy this situation, Davison would like to implement a program that provides resources to students who have fallen behind.

“We have the money to do so, and I believe we owe it to the students who struggled during this time to help get them caught up as quickly as they fell behind,” he states. 

Davison acknowledges the tense political climate and policies that are affecting many throughout the world and believes that allowing both sides to get together and share views and opinions can be a great antidote.

 “Schools are a great place to begin this process, with students who are eager to learn and talk about these issues,” Davison proclaims.

Overall, according to Davison, Carlsbad’s public schools are great, but the last few year’s struggles have been difficult for both children and staff.

“It will take a combined effort from parents, students, and teachers, but it is possible, and I hope we can all commit to working together toward this goal,” he concludes.