Touting the slogan “Emberling for Education,” Heidi Emberling is one of two non-incumbents running for the Palo Alto School Board this November.

While this is her first time running for office, Emberling has served as the Parent Teacher Association president and the Chair of Juana Briones’ Site Council.  She also has experience serving on the Palo Alto Advisory Committee on Early Care and Education, as well as the Project Safety Net collaborative, according to her online biography.

As a member of the School Board, Emberling hopes to address a series of issues that she feels are vital for the Palo Alto community.

Emberling would like to maximize the educational impact of both budgetary and capital dollars, looking to achieve goals with an efficient plan, according to her website. She aims to create opportunities to hire new teachers, allowing districts to share curriculum strategies. By opening new schools to accommodate increasing enrollment, Emberling also hopes to “take advantage of educational innovations consistent with Palo Alto’s values and vision,” as stated on her website.  Additionally, Emberling looks to increase communications transparency between PAUSD administration and community members.

Endorsed by California State Senator Joe Simitian and Palo Alto Mayor Yiaway Yeh, as well as by Liz Kniss, Santa Clara County Supervisor, Emberling has a higher prospect of winning and is the ideal candidate.

“As a former PAUSD trustee, I can highly recommend Heidi; she has done her homework, sought and received great support, and understands the tough challenges that lie ahead,” Kniss said in a statement on Emberling’s website.  “She’ll be a great addition to the School Board.”

Born in California, Emberling attended public school from kindergarten through graduate school. A mother of two children, both of whom attend Palo Alto Unified School District schools, Emberling is a part-time teacher and parent educator at Parents Place, where she works to support “families and teachers with the most current child development research and best practices in the early learning community,” according to her website.

Emberling is ready to serve PAUSD.

“We must ensure that our students are benefiting from the high standards we’ve set,” she said. “With my unique skills and experience, I am prepared and energized to serve on the Palo Alto School Board; ready to collaborate as we build a strong educational foundation for every student in our district.”