Jared Sinclair sits down with Zesty Harper. Zesty is the president of the Escondido Union School District board.She is a former middle school teacher, a mom of three, a lifelong Escondido resident. Zesty describes how she went from the classroom to special needs education, nonprofit work, and one-on-one tutoring with students in difficult living situations. That path led her to run for the school board in 2014. She shares how a high school trip to lobby Congress showed her that politicians are "just people." She also explains why she wants every Escondido family to trust their public schools as much as a charter school. In this episode: - How a district with about 14,000 students and 23 schools is run, and what a board member can and can't do - Why she ran for office: closing the gap in perception between charter and public schools - Staying grounded under public criticism, including why she stepped away from social media - Why the board holds its discussions in public, and legal constraints on what it can share - Programs that give kids new experiences: project-based learning at Conway Elementary, a state-funded after-school and extended learning program, swim lessons at the YMCA, and fully funded summer camps - The hardest lesson she's learning right now, and some lighter advice for her 10-year-old self - Zesty's closing message: get involved in your community, get out of your bubble, and assume good intentions Takeaway: Keep the focus on students, stay grounded in common sense, and show up for your community.
Zesty was born and raised in Escondido. She attended California State University, San Marcos, where she graduated with a Bachelors in Liberal Arts and received her teaching credential. Zesty taught 5th and 6th grade in Escondido and worked one-on-one with under-served youth in the community.
Zesty has a passion for working to ensure that all Escondido students receive a quality public education. Zesty is married to her husband, John, and is mom to Aubrey, Lilly, and Penny. Zesty is the current President of the Escondido Union School District and focuses on bringing practical solutions to complex problems. When not attending EUSD functions, you can probably find Zesty at the softball fields cheering on her daughters.