Jennifer Jacobson, vice president of the San Mateo Union High School District Board of Trustees, is seeking a second term representing Trustee Area 3 in the Nov. 3 general election.

Jacobson, first elected in 2022, said in a Surround Sound News candidate questionnaire, "I'm running again because the work I started isn't finished, and I'm in the best position to see it through." She pointed to ongoing priorities including AI classroom policy, the district's phone-free school day, career pathway completion and a new student assessment system as reasons to continue serving.

Candidate information

Office sought: San Mateo Union High School District Board, Trustee Area 3

Party: Nonpartisan

Area covered: Aragon and Hillsdale High Schools and surrounding neighborhoods, including Hillsborough, San Mateo Highlands and West San Mateo

Education: B.S. in Dietetics and M.S. in Nutritional Science, Brigham Young University

Family: Jacobson and her husband have five children, all raised in San Mateo and educated in public schools. Two daughters graduated from Hillsdale High School, and three sons are still making their way through local public schools.

Profession: Registered Dietitian; portrait photographer serving local families for 17 years

Community roles: Director of Communications, San Mateo Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Liaison, Peninsula Multifaith Coalition

Experience and public service

Jacobson has served as Area 3 trustee since December 2022. She served as Board Clerk from 2024–2025 and is currently Board Vice President for the 2025–2026 term.

Jacobson told Surround Sound News, "As a trustee, I serve on the Equity Advisory Committee and was the only board member to serve on the district's AI Task Force and its phone-policy stakeholder working group."

In her questionnaire responses to Surround Sound News, Jacobson cited several accomplishments from her first term. She identified that student-athletes were over-scheduled and injured, then worked with staff to create a PE study hall option during sport seasons. She compared the district's multilingual learner policy to state law requirements, drafted a fix, and the board passed it unanimously. She pushed for an ongoing literacy and math assessment system; the district now tests students twice a year. She pushed for a bell-to-bell phone-free policy, which she said passed unanimously. Her campaign website says the board approved it 5-0 in March 2026.

On the issues

In her responses to the Surround Sound News candidate questionnaire, Jacobson outlined her priorities for a second term.

College and career readiness: Jacobson identified college and career readiness as the district's biggest challenge. She noted the district's 95% graduation rate but said graduating is not the same as being ready. She pointed to recent data showing a dip in students completing courses needed for UC and CSU admission and in access to college-level classes. She said many students sample a career pathway without finishing one. She wants to examine scheduling practices so students can complete career pathways while protecting AP and dual enrollment options. According to her campaign website, Jacobson supported expanded dual-enrollment partnerships with Skyline College, Cañada College and College of San Mateo, as well as a new construction and trades program at Aragon High School.

Safe and connected schools: Jacobson said "students learn best when they feel safe, supported and connected." She pointed to the phone-free school day as an example of a policy that supports focus in class and connection at lunch. She said she wants to follow through on a promised digital wellness curriculum and build a culture where students share views respectfully. She said every student deserves to feel safe from hate, harassment and discrimination regardless of background.

Fiscal responsibility: On the district budget, Jacobson said SMUHSD is on solid financial footing because it is community-funded and therefore less affected by enrollment declines than many other California districts. Her priorities are protecting classroom essentials, requiring programs to have clear goals and measurable results, and planning for successful initiatives such as AI training to eventually become part of the base budget. On facilities, she said the district has completed bond projects on time and on or under budget and identified stadium seating at Aragon as a current need.

Balancing priorities: Looking ahead, Jacobson said the district's upcoming five-year strategic plan should set clear priorities, tie them to measurable goals and regularly assess progress. She pointed to her multilingual learner policy work as an example of beginning with teacher input.

Endorsements

Jacobson lists endorsements from San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller, Foster City Mayor Art Kiesel, San Mateo County Community College District Trustee John Pimentel, Sequoia Union High School District Trustee Rich Ginn, Palo Alto Unified School District Trustee Rowena Chiu, former SMUHSD Trustee and Board President Peter Hanley and former Las Lomitas Elementary School District Trustee and Board President Paige Winikoff, among others.

San Mateo County has already begun mailing sample ballots to registered voters ahead of the election.