Want to make a difference in Tucson education? Don't sleep on school board elections

More than three dozen people have thrown their names in the hat for a chance to serve on school boards across Tucson.

While the title of governing board member may not seem all that glamorous, those elected have huge influence over the educational experience of children across the city.

School board members have the final say on decisions about the kind of curriculum children are taught, how much money is spent in the classroom, or creating student discipline policies.

“They make some of the most important decisions about the day-to-day functions of every one of our school districts,” said Ricky Hernandez, who oversees elections for the Pima County School Superintendent's Office. “It’s vitally important that voters — be they parents or be they community members — pay attention to these elections and try to do some research about these people so they can make decisions that best fit their interests.”

Voters will have the opportunity to make their picks at the polls in November or when early ballots go out in October.

The following 37 candidates are competing for 28 open seats in Tucson’s nine major school districts:

Amphitheater (3 seats)

• Deanna Day*
• Julie Cozad*
• Scott Baker
• Mick Stewart
• Vicki Cox Golder

Catalina Foothills (3 seats)

• Carole Siegler*
• Eileen Jackson*
• Robert Douglas Hadley

Flowing Wells (3 seats)

• Thomas S. Jacobs*
• James A. Love*
• Wendy Effing

Marana (3 seats)

• Suzanne Hopkins*
• Maribel Lopez*
• Daniel Post*

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Sahuarita (3 seats)

• J. Elaine Hall*
• Kris Ham*
• Dalia Zimmerman
• Shari S. Lowell

Sunnyside (3 seats)

• Buck Crouch*
• Becky Quintero*
• Roberto Jaramillo

Tanque Verde (4 seats)

• Jeffrey M. Neff*
• Carlos Ruiz*
• Susan E. Fry*
• Jeremy Schalk
• Vieri M. Tenuta

TUSD (3 seats)

• Kristel Foster*
• Cam Juarez*
• Mark Stegeman*
• Lori Riegel
• Betts Putnam-Hidalgo
• Rachael Sedgwick
• Brett Rustand

Vail (3 seats)

• Allison Pratt*
• Anthony Sizer
• Callie Tippett
• Mark Tate

*incumbent

There is also an opportunity for write-in candidates to file by Aug. 24.

In the case of Catalina Foothills, Flowing Wells, Marana and Sunnyside, which each have three candidates and three seats, if no write-in candidates come forward and if their signatures check out the Pima County Board of Supervisors could appoint those individuals, eliminating the need for, and cost of, an election.