Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Paso Robles Joint Unified School District

Debi Saunders is a self employed business woman in the community of Paso Robles. She is running for re-election to serve on the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees. This will be Mrs. Saunders second term of service to the educational community. During her first tenure as a Board Member she served as Board President, and Clerk. She was chosen by her fellow Board members to remain as the President after her first year in office. She has become a very astute Board Member with a keen sense of fairness and consistency. In addition to her duties as the Board President, she undertook the lead role in organizing and facilitating the process of hiring the new superintendent. Her duties extended to coordinating a smooth transition between the outgoing superintendent and the incoming superintendent of the Paso Robles Public Schools.

She has lent her talent to various organizations and community efforts. She has been an outstanding voice for the students of the district by preserving programs and managing a balanced school budget. She served on the Fiscal Policy committee to make sure that students and parents would have a voice in how funds were distributed. Debi was a visionary who saw the need for a program in which students could learn to speak Spanish and English at the same time, she was so sure this program would be successful she enrolled her own child in the classes. This is the state recognized Dual Immersion program of which she served on its Advisory Committee. Mrs. Saunders has always been a parent advocate and this was never more evident then when she performed duties on the Parent Advisory Council for the Paso Robles Public Schools. Her membership on this advisory assisted parents in understanding the assessment process, the behavior standards for students, and textbook selections to name but a few of the topics presented. She was also the Board Liaison for the collaborative meetings between the City of Paso Robles, the School District, and Cuesta College. This group meets monthly to discuss common issues of concern. Debi's service has extended beyond the school house doors to the Main Street Association where she serves as the School District Liaison. She is also a Board Liaison for the Boys and Girls Club. She has assisted the group in keeping their doors open through her diligent fund raising efforts.

Debi Saunders is a graduate of the University of Nebraska with a Bachelors Degree in Home Economics. Debi has resided in Paso Robles for the past twenty one years with her husband, Jim Saunders, who was born and raised in Paso Robles and attended Paso Robles Public Schools. She and her husband moved back to Paso Robles to raise their family in his home town and to be near his family. They have two sons, Jimmy and Scotty. Both have attended Paso Robles Public Schools and Scotty the younger one is currently a junior at Paso Robles High School.

Mrs. Saunders is a dedicated volunteer. She believes that everyone should give back to the community. Her life has been about service to the community. While her children were in school she served on the School Site Council and as a School Advisory Committee Representative, P.T.A. Member and Officer. Her interests in the arts led her to volunteer as an Elementary Art Docent for the Paso Robles Art Program. Beyond all her hours of serving as a volunteer, she has also been a financial supporter to many organizations who have thrived because of her and her husband's generosity. She is a financial supporter and member of the PRHS Bearcat Boosters, the PRHS FFA Boosters, the North County Cuesta College program, the Paso Robles Main Street Association and the Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce.

Debi Saunders has a clear vision of the needs of Paso Robles Public Schools. She has worked tirelessly the past four years to promote student achievement, foster excellence in our schools, and collaborate with staff on issues of budget, health benefits and salary compensation. Debi has also facilitated partnerships between Business and Community groups. She is an outstanding community leader who will continue to serve the needs of students and parents of Paso Robles.