My name is Jennifer Dinsmore Hanson and I am running for the Lakeport Unified School District (LUSD) Governing Board.

I was born and raised in Lake County and received my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis, respectively.

My husband Jeff and I settled in Lakeport to raise our two daughters. We chose Lakeport because, at that time, it had the best schools in Lake County. Both of my daughters attended LUSD from kindergarten through high school with my youngest graduating in 2018.

I have worked as a full-time professor of economics and business at the Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College since 1996.

During this time, I have also served on curriculum committees, local site councils, faculty labor unions, and staff evaluation committees – all of which have given me valuable experience and perspective about the educational system. In addition, I served as the president of the Lake County Channel Cats for over 15 years and am now their treasurer.

Today, there are three important topics surrounding the LUSD School Board election: teachers leaving the district, a lack of discipline at the school and concerns about the school pool.

Teachers: My philosophy about teachers and staff is simple – they need to be supported by administration – both professionally and personally. A school with a faculty and staff that feel supported will help that school thrive. I also believe in transparency of government decisions and the need to reach out to teachers, staff, parents and students to get a complete picture of what happens at school.

Discipline: While there is a statewide push to reduce punishments and “redirect” bad behavior, we cannot allow our well-behaved students and teachers to suffer. We must implement common-sense discipline policies that incorporate best practices without going to extremes. Our school population is unique, and we must take an approach that works for all Lakeport students and teachers.

Pool: I am a strong advocate for water safety, and a firm believer in swim lessons for our youth. With all the lakes, rivers, and waterways in our area, it is imperative that our children have a place to learn to swim. I am also a disappointed voter who demands fiscal responsibility. When the school bond passed in 2014, a portion was supposed to be used to repair and renovate the school pool. Unfortunately, the funds were spent on other expensive items, and now there is not enough money left to begin the pool project. I believe that fiscal responsibility is a moral and professional mandate, and that a school board should be held accountable to the voters.

As your school board representative, I will immediately work to understand why teachers are leaving the district and find a solution. I will help shape a common-sense discipline policy that works for Lakeport.

And, I will honor the will of our voters by prioritizing our bond funds to meet public expectations, while being conservative about how those monies are spent.

I am running for one of three board seats that will be voted on in November. Please vote for me, Carly Alvord and Dan Buffalo to fill those three seats.

To learn more, visit www.fixLUSD.com, or reach me directly at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-272-6081.

Jennifer Hanson lives in Lakeport, Calif.