ESCONDIDO – The San Pasqual Union School District is a single-campus district serving about 550 kindergarten through eighth-grade students and 30 preschoolers.

It operates under a plan, developed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, called The Basic School, which the district says gives priority to language and a core of essential knowledge.

This year's election has five school board candidates seeking two four-year positions, including a seat being vacated by board president George McClure. For a half-term ending in 2010, the appointed incumbent has drawn one challenger.

Running for the full term:

Angie Baker, 46, of Escondido, has three children in 4th through 6th grades in the district. She said parents need “to feel more connected and that they have a voice in the steering of their children's education.” Baker thinks of herself as “a listening ear to help with that connection.”

Involved parents can help improve communications with other parents and teachers, she said.

Baker, a part-time financial manager in an orthodontics office, said her top goal is to create education policy that “will not only help our students succeed now, but help provide a solid foundation for high school” and college.

Howard Cottam, 56, of Escondido, has two children attending school in the district and is seeking his second term on the board. He is a drug-research chemist and a chemistry instructor at Palomar College.

Cottam said he hopes to further board goals set last spring for music education, technology development and English learning, among other issues. In particular, Cottam said he wants to expand “the variety and depth of music instruction” by providing adequate staff and materials.

The board must also support programs that help score the achievement gap for lower-scoring students, Cottam said.

Timothy Cunning, 46, of Escondido, said he has become involved as a volunteer at his two children's school and “would like to help even more.”

“We will need to work hard to continue the best education we can for our children,” said Cunning, who retired as owner of a marble and granite business. “Our teachers are doing a great job. We need to make sure we can maintain or improve the services available to them and the children.”

Given the state of the economy, he said, “funding will be a large concern in the coming year.”

Scott Heidemann, 50, of Escondido, has four children enrolled in the district and wants to see tenets of the Basic School philosophy “continue to thrive.”

Heidemann, an accountant, said his 20 years of management experience will be an asset to the board and that he hopes to contribute to “a sound budget aligned with the district's vision . . . and priorities.”

During a period of high turnover, Heidemann said, it is important for the district to attract and retain “top talent.” He also wants to promote a “sense of partnership” among administrators, parents, faculty and the community.

Curtis J. Ohl, 48, of Escondido, has two children attending school in the district. He is a counselor on a Web-based service and in 2003 was principal of a middle school in Blythe.

Ohl is critical of the board for not reaching out to the community it serves. He promises to be “dedicated to building community consensus in every decision.”

Priorities for the near future include increasing teacher pay, continuing a partnership with the San Diego Wild Animal park and hiring additional support staff, Ohl said.

Running for the short term:

Brian Arnold, 40, of Escondido, is an owner and vice president of a golf simulator company.

Arnold said the board would benefit from “a heavy presence” of parents of school-age children. If elected, he said he will not seek to serve beyond the time his own four children are enrolled in the district.

The biggest issue, he said, is “electing a school board that has immediate ties to the school through parents who actively participate in their children's education on school grounds.”

Blaise Jackson was appointed to the board in November 2007 to fill a vacancy created by a resignation. He is an attorney in private practice with two teenage sons.

“The goal is to keep the school and the district on track – delivering high quality education, attracting and maintaining outstanding teachers, providing a broad range of enrichment activities, enhancing school safety, and doing all within budgetary constraints,” he said.

Jackson said the board would benefit from his experience in advising local health-care and water districts on a variety of legal issues.

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Jeff Ristine: (760) 737-7578; jeff.ristine@uniontrib.com