Jennifer Jacobson knows this district — because she's been showing up for it.
Four years of institutional knowledge, working relationships, and daily presence at school sites across San Mateo Union High School District. There's unfinished work worth finishing.
The work isn't finished — and I'm the one who started it.
A steep learning curve, already climbed
Governance takes years to understand fully. Many of my priorities are multi-year initiatives I want to see through, not hand off mid-stream.
Working relationships that get things done
Strong, established relationships with the Superintendent, fellow trustees, and district staff — the kind that make real progress possible.
Still personally invested
Three of my five children are still in this district. I'm not a governance hobbyist — I have direct, ongoing skin in the game.
Time to actually show up
Site visits, board meetings, professional development, task forces — the job takes time and presence, not just good intentions. I have both.
Problems I spotted. Work I drove. Momentum I'm continuing.
These are initiatives I personally identified and pushed forward — not just votes I cast.
PE Study Hall for Student-Athletes
Before I joined the Board, every student had to take PE in 9th and 10th grade — no exceptions. I watched student-athletes and performers run on empty: overscheduled, injured, exhausted, and staying up late on homework after practice.
Building the Infrastructure for Real CTE Pathways
A 2024-25 Grand Jury report found that career pathway completion across the county averages just 15% — and SMUHSD's own numbers echo that: while 90-95% of students take at least one CTE course, only about 254 students district-wide (roughly 5-10% per school) complete a full multi-course pathway.
A Phone-Free School Day, Built With the Community
When state law required a new phone policy, I was the only trustee to join the district's stakeholder working group — students, parents, teachers, and administrators — to help build it from the ground up.
Getting Ahead of AI, Not Caught Off Guard
Rather than wait, I requested a formal Superintendent goal to develop districtwide AI policy — and was the only trustee to join the district's AI Task Force of students, educators, parents, and staff.
Empower San Mateo
What began as a grassroots mentoring program at Hillsdale High School for students facing poverty, housing instability, and food insecurity is now a districtwide public-private partnership — and I show up for it personally.
Real, Ongoing Academic Data
When I joined the Board, our only standardized assessment was a single 11th-grade test that didn't count toward a grade and told us almost nothing about how students were actually progressing.
Results across the whole district
Continuing the work, not starting over
Every priority below builds directly on something already underway — this is unfinished, multi-year work I'm positioned to see through.
From CTE access to CTE completion — and stronger academic rigor
Explore shifting toward a pathway-style graduation requirement — where students choose to go deeper in CTE, VAPA, or World Language rather than sampling all three — so more students can complete a full pathway instead of just one course. Any change would need real input from teachers and staff, since it touches course offerings and staffing. Also want to address the recent dip in A-G completion and access to college-level coursework for students who want it.
AI in the classroom, from policy to practice
Move from task force recommendations to real classroom implementation, teacher training, and clear communication with families.
Phone-free policy done right
Ensure strong implementation this fall and follow through on the promised digital citizenship and wellness curriculum.
Scaling Empower San Mateo sustainably
Support careful, well-resourced expansion to more school sites as funding and partnerships mature.
From data collection to data action
Move beyond simply gathering assessment data toward districtwide practices that turn it into fast, targeted instruction and intervention.
Building a culture of civil discourse
District survey data shows only 32% of students feel comfortable expressing views on controversial topics in class, and 67% feel they can't share an opinion for fear of how it will be received. I want to build a district culture of robust, respectful discourse — essential for raising independent thinkers and engaged citizens.
A present, engaged parent-neighbor — not a career politician
Mother of five, all raised and educated in San Mateo public schools. Two daughters graduated from Hillsdale High School during time on the Board; twin sons are entering 9th grade, and the youngest is entering 4th grade.
Holds an M.S. in Nutritional Science from BYU and is a Registered Dietitian, with a career paused to raise a family. Runs a portrait photography business serving local families for 17 years. Serves as Director of Communications for the San Mateo Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and as liaison to the Peninsula Multifaith Coalition, staying active in interfaith education and service work across the community.
As a stay-at-home mom, there's the flexibility to actually show up — school site visits, board meetings, professional development, task forces — during the school day. The job requires time and presence, not just good intentions.
Proven. Prepared. Present. Help keep it that way.
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