Jensen aims to keep kids healthy

By Tracy Jensen

Jensen grew up in Alameda and attended local public schools. She has graduate degrees from Atlanta's Emory University in business administration and public health.

Peter Hegarty

Tracy Lynn Jensen was dropping her son off at Edison Elementary School when she ran into six familiar faces. Like Jensen, all were Alameda High School graduates, class of 1978. And like Jensen, all are now parents of young children. "It demonstrates how Alameda remains a close community, and that people believe in their schools and want their kids to grow up here," Jensen said.

First elected to the school board in 2002, Jensen is hoping to secure a second term this November. She currently serves as board president. "My son is going to kindergarten and I want him to have the same great education that I had when I attended Alameda public schools," Jensen said. The key issue now facing the school district is money, she said.

Enrollment has fallen by about 800 students, which means about $4 million less in state money annually - a scenario which led Jensen and her fellow trustees to close three elementary schools earlier this year.

"This has had a dramatic impact across the district," the 45-year-old Jensen said. "But school boards across the state are facing similar challenges. Some have taken steps to avoid going into receivership. Thankfully, we are not in that position."

Jensen grew up in Alameda and attended local public schools, including Edison, where her son, Julian, started kindergarten earlier this month. She has graduate degrees from Atlanta's Emory University in business administration and public health.

While she has lived most of her life in Alameda, Jensen lived in Washington, D.C. for about 14 years and her background includes a stint as an analyst for the Maryland Legislature. She currently works for the city of Oakland as a senior services administrator, helping manage programs at senior centers. If re-elected, Jensen said she hopes to make lessons on a healthy lifestyle, such as exercise and eating right, as much a part of the district's curriculum as algebra or literature.

"I want to see all this stuff integrated so that we have kids who are healthy, well-informed and educated," she said. As an incumbent, Jensen said she brings a sense of continuity to the district and its policies. "I feel like I am doing a good job and I want to continue," she said.