Four candidates are competing for two open seats on the Ramona Unified School District’s school board in the Nov. 5 General Election.

The school board is comprised of five members who are elected to serve for four-year overlapping terms.

In this election, candidate Stephanie Cooter is challenging incumbent school board President Dawn Perfect for the Trustee Area 3 seat.

In Trustee Area 4, incumbent Daryn Drum is competing against challenger John Rajcic.

Cooter, 43, is a Ramona native and marketing professional. She and her husband, John Cooter, are raising two sons — one who attends a Ramona school and the other a future student.

Cooter said she attended Ramona schools from kindergarten through 12th grade and graduated from Ramona High School in the class of 1999.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Notre Dame de Namur University and an MBA in marketing from National University. Currently employed as a marketing manager for F&F Properties, she said her role emphasizes strategic planning and resource management.

“My heart is in serving our community,” said Cooter, who is president of Ramona Pony Baseball, PTA secretary at Ramona Community Campus, and an appointee to the Women in Leadership Advisory Board at Cal Poly Pomona Enterprises.

“My top priority as a candidate is fiscal responsibility,” she said. “I want to ensure our students and teachers receive the resources they deserve for success. Every dollar spent should go directly to improving education — where it matters most.”

Cooter said she is running for a seat on the school board because she believes in practical, common sense solutions that prioritize children and support teachers — who she says are the backbone of the community’s schools.

“I am committed to fiscal transparency, protecting parental rights, and creating a safe, nurturing learning environment for all students,” Cooter wrote in her candidate statement. “I love this community, I cherish the values this community has instilled in me, and I want to give back in a way that ensures Ramona’s children thrive now and in the future.”

Perfect is president of the Ramona Unified school board. As a trustee, Perfect said she has successfully built strong relationships, managed budgets with transparency and honesty, and implemented innovative solutions to complex challenges.

“I believe that every student deserves access to a high-quality education that prepares them for success in college, career and life,” Perfect wrote in a candidate statement. “With parents as primary partners in the education of their children, I am committed to working with parents, and supporting teachers, to ensure that all students have a well-rounded education and can reach their full potential.”

Perfect said her family has lived five generations in Ramona, and have been invested in seeing the community thrive. She describes herself as a “dedicated community volunteer and a passionate advocate for quality education.”

Among her volunteer activities are assisting schools, parks, transportation and trails, youth sports and Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.

“These experiences are where I have honed my leadership and teamwork abilities,” she said. “Being ‘in touch’ with the community helps me understand the needs and goals that are most important to us.”

Perfect’s priorities are to advocate for local control of schools and to ensure Ramona schools meet the needs of Ramona families, she said.

“Of particular importance is to make sure our schools are safe and clean, our teachers are supported, and our parents are heard,” Perfect said. “I have had the honor of representing Ramona at the state level as a delegate to the California School Boards Association, where I continue to be a strong leader, championing the needs of students and families.”

Trustee Area 4 incumbent Drum, 59, is a retired firefighter who works for Capstone Fire & Safety Management, which provides fire services to private industry.

Drum and his wife have lived in Ramona 20 years and have three daughters who all attended Ramona Unified Schools. Their eldest daughter is a senior at University of Oregon, their middle daughter is in her second year of college at California State University Long Beach, and their youngest daughter is a student at Olive Peirce Middle School.

Drum earned a Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Science degree from Cal State Long Beach.

He said his top priority is ensuring the safety, security and education of students.

“COVID is behind us, but we are still playing catch-up for lost time,” Drum wrote in his candidate statement. “Even though Ramona Unified was one of the first school districts (locally) to return students to the classroom, we still are playing catch-up to reverse the effects of the learning loss.

“Our schools and staff are doing an amazing job and making up for the lost time, but we still have a ways to go. We need to improve the Ramona Unified test scores and I believe that we are on a good path to success.”

The school board member of eight years said he is seeking re-election because Ramona’s schools and children “matter to me.” Drum said he is dedicated to ensuring that the schools are as good as they can be.

“I am devoted to making the relationship between parents, students, elected officials and district staff collaborative, cooperative and transparent so that we can work together to make our schools great,” Drum said. “Our children need a safe, clean environment with the best teachers and staff that we can provide.”

Additionally, Drum said teachers and staff need the tools and facilities to do their jobs.

“Ramona Unified School District has made great strides during my first term by making significant facility improvements and adding solar to all facilities,” he said. “Our schools need to prepare our children for either college or a career — both are important.”

Rajcic is a Ramona resident and former Ramona Unified trustee.

Rajcic earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Minnesota, a master’s degree at the University of Southern California, and a Ph.D. at Claremont Graduate University. He graduated from the U.S. Army Command and Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Penn.

Rajcic’s website states he has experience as a teacher, college lecturer and deputy superintendent and has worked at GM Kawai America Corp. as well as served as an assistant chief of staff 6th Army. In addition to previously serving on the school board, Rajcic has been a director for the San Diego Country Estates Association.

Rajcic said one of his top priorities is student and staff safety.

“High expectations must be the standard for all students,” he said in a statement.

Other priorities include ensuring the school district is fiscally strong, effective and efficient, he said.

“Students must learn to think critically and choose wisely,” Rajcic said.