Meet Jenifer Flynn, Candidate For Pleasanton School Board

PLEASANTON, CA — Patch reached out to all candidates for the PUSD Board of Trustees with identical questions about their background and their vision for Pleasanton schools. Here are the responses from Jenifer Flynn, a candidate for Area 4.

Responses have not been altered.

1. What is your personal, educational, and professional background?

I am a graduate of Health Administration, from Conestoga College. I have extensive experience
managing offices across several industries including health, financial, and education. Most
recently, I was the Office Secretary at Hearst Elementary where I saw firsthand the daily
challenges our teachers and students face. During my time at Hearst, I managed the school site
budget along with the individual teacher classroom budgets.

2. How long have you lived in Pleasanton?

My husband and I have lived in Pleasanton for over a decade, raising our 3 boys who attended
Hearst, PMS, and Foothill.

3. What brought you here?

When we moved to the Bay area for employment, we searched for a community where we could
raise our then-young family. We were drawn to Pleasanton for the highly rated schools, safe
community, and hometown feel.

4. How have you been involved in the community?

I have served our community in various roles over the past decade known for being the Hearst
PTA President, as well as chairing many successful fundraisers and social events. Additionally, I
have been actively involved in community initiatives such as the Pleasanton Youth
Commission's anti-vaping campaign as well as currently serving as the Vice-Chair on the
Superintendence Budget Advisory Committee and Pleasanton Partners in Education (PPIE)
board of directors.

5. What do you feel are some of the biggest challenges facing PUSD?

PUSD has fantastic schools, amazing teachers, and outstanding staff. A key priority will be
hiring a permanent Superintendent. Our students and this strong team deserve amazing
leadership. We will also need to focus on our financial challenges. PUSD is facing declining
enrollment, our district is down 100 students since the beginning of the school year. These lost
students equate to a decline of approximately 1 million dollars in funding. Combined with the
loss of one-time Covid funds these constraints risk our ability to provide necessary resources to
support all students and staff.

6. What are your plans for addressing them?

My focus will be to actively search for a highly qualified Superintendent for Pleasanton Schools.
We will need to be thorough and involve all stakeholders, including teachers, parents/guardians,
and community members, in the selection process to ensure we all align with the needs of our
community and school district. This new leader will need to possess previous experience and
skills in guiding a district through financial challenges, have a proven track record of open and
transparent communication, and be able to attract and retain the best employees for our district.
Our financial challenges are not unique, many school districts are suffering financially. We need
to explore avenues to increase revenues to help offset the budget shortfalls. Some ideas to do
this are by increasing our Kids Club program, often our schools have waiting lists and many of

our schools have empty classrooms. I would like to see these classrooms used to increase
enrollment and grow our after-school program. We will also need to focus on everyday
expenses, including insurance costs and possible energy and water conservation. Most
importantly we need to keep cuts as far away from the classroom as possible. As the Vice Chair
of the Superintendence Budget Advisory Committee, I have had a front-row seat to these
unique challenges. If elected, I will be bringing this experience to the table and be ready to
address these issues on day one.

7. What makes you the best candidate?

I have served our school community in many capacities over the past decade. I am dedicated to
not only my own children's education but all PUSD students. I have proven this to be true as I
advocated for students and teachers during my tenure as Hearst PTA and PMS PTSA
President. During this time we fundraised for resources to support the classrooms, increased
intervention specialist and tech support hours, and provided an Art program to all students. I
have served on community committees such as the Youth Commission group that led the
anti-vaping campaign, and currently serving as the Vice-Chair on the Superintendence Budget
Advisory Committee and Pleasanton Partners in Education (PPIE) board of directors.

8. Outside of politics, what do you enjoy doing?

I love spending time with my family and friends. I have 3 boys, my eldest is attending Los
Positas College, a Foothill Graduate class of 2023, I have a Junior at Foothill, and a 7th grader
at Pleasanton Middle School. We enjoy camping and traveling, and if we are not at the arena
watching our boys play hockey we are likely home grilling and hanging out in the backyard. First
weekends on main street are a highlight of the summer for us, walking the streets sipping
coffee.

9. Any other comments?

I am honored to have Steve Maher's endorsement as he finishes his tenure with the school
board and retires to spend time with his family, the personal endorsements of many Pleasanton
teachers including Paige Saunders- Pleasanton Teacher of the Year 2023-24 along with other
leaders in Pleasanton. For a complete list of endorsements please visit my website
www.votejenflynn.com.

I am committed to making our district even better than it is today, I’ll be an advocate for ALL
students, staff, teachers, parents/guardians, and community members. I am eager to be your
new trustee and have the time to devote to attending school functions, district meetings, and
community events.

Community Endorsements:

• Letter To The Editor: Jen Flynn For Pleasanton School Board
• Letter To The Editor: Jen Flynn For School Board Area 4
• Letter To The Editor: Harris & Flynn For PUSD Board
• Letter To The Editor: Jen Flynn For Pleasanton School Board 4
• Jen Flynn for PUSD School Board Area 4
• Questions Arise Over Campaign Funding-Do Your Homework
• Jen Flynn for PUSD Board of Trustees District 4