Written by Julianne Foster
Elisa Williamson is the Republican Party of San Diego County’s endorsed candidate for Carlsbad Unified School District Area 2.
Elisa received her Master’s Degree in Business Education with minors in Guidance & Counseling and Organizational Behavior. After college, she worked part-time teaching at Grossmont College. She worked full-time in marketing in a variety of industries before choosing to take a break from the work force and spend valuable time taking care of her children. Williamson and her husband have lived and raised their family in Carlsbad for 33 years. During that time, they have been active in their community and supporting the school district.
Elisa is a proud supporter of public education and has been associated with the Carlsbad Unified School District for 30 years. Her husband served on the Homeowner’s Association for years and coached one of their son’s sports teams while she organized fundraisers for the Carlsbad High School band program and assisted swim meets and band competitions. They both volunteered with a program that prepared adults to succeed in college.
Elisa has also served as a scoutmaster and the PTA president at Hope Elementary and Valley Middle School. She helped with the District Strategic Planning Committee, the Language Arts Vertical Team, District GATE committee and the District Music Committee. In “7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” she was able to train more than 100 CUSD administrators and teachers before she became the Parent/Superintendent Advisory Council (P/SAC) Board representative.
She co-chaired Prop B, a successful proposition that provided funds to rebuild Jefferson Elementary School, upgrade electrical and plumbing in older schools, and allow Carlsbad High School to build two-story classrooms and a new gym. Through five subsequent election cycles, voters and the board have chosen to allow her to continue serving on the CUSD Board of Trustees over the past 20 years.
Since she has joined the CUSD Board of Trustees, they have seen an improvement in students’ track records of academic and extracurricular excellence. High school graduates meeting CSU and UC admission requirements have risen from 52% to 80%, an incredible improvement. The number of students who are completing Honors, AO, and community college classes has also increased precipitously. Programs for music, drama, broadcasting, film, speech and debate, dance robotics, and athletics are receiving recognition locally, statewide, and even on a national level.
When facing the academic, social, and emotional challenges brought on by COVID-19, Elisa says her “experience and in-depth knowledge will help ensure that decisions are made that lead to all students getting the best possible education in a safe, up-to-date environment.”
For more information about Elisa’s campaign, visit Williamson4CUSD.wixsite.com.
