Ginny
MERRIFIELD
Public schools.
Public decisions.
Clear information. Open discussion. Accountable leadership.
Explore Ginny's priorities for student learning and a more open conversation about our schools.
Trustee Area 5
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Clear Information
✦
Open Discussion
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Accountable Leadership
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Trustee Area 5 ✦ Clear Information ✦ Open Discussion ✦ Accountable Leadership ✦
COMMITMENTS
Transparency You Can See.
01
Information people can find.
Advocate for a clear starting point for public curriculum materials and explanations of the review process.
02
Questions that get a response.
Hold regular opportunities for public questions and publish answers to recurring concerns.
03
Decisions people can follow.
Explain the reasons behind board votes in plain language.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT TRANSPARENCY
How easy is it to get a clear answer?
Understanding public education starts with access to information. Consider what you can find, how questions are answered, and what you still want to know.
Can you find what is being taught?
Can you locate curriculum information and instructional materials by grade and course? Is it clear where to look and how to request anything that is not posted online?
What happens when a lesson raises questions?
Is there a clear way to review the full teaching context, understand its purpose and raise a concern with the appropriate person?
Can you participate without attending a meeting?
If a meeting time does not work for you, is there an accessible way to submit questions, provide feedback and follow the discussion afterward?
Can you follow the reasoning behind a decision?
Do public materials explain what was considered, how feedback was addressed and why the board chose a particular course of action?
Are the answers clear and complete?
When you ask a question, does the response address it directly, point to supporting information and explain anything that remains unresolved?
Do you understand how materials are selected?
Who reviews instructional materials, what standards guide those decisions, and where can you find the relevant policies or approval records?
Do you know who can answer your question?
Can you easily identify whether to contact a teacher, administrator, district office or board representative? Do you know what response to expect?
What would help you evaluate the board's work?
What information is useful today? Where would clearer explanations, easier access or better follow-through help you assess the decisions being made?
Your questions deserve clear answers.
Explore the available records. Read the candidates' priorities. Consider what accountability should look like in practice.
Put the priorities in plain sight.
If I’m elected, I will
☑️ Develop a comprehensive District-wide AI strategy grounded in shared values that promote authentic learning.
☑️ Provide earlier, personalized career & college counseling — starting in 7th grade.
☑️ Close the math gap so that every student is workforce and college-ready.
☑️ Approve smarter budgets: less on legal fees and consultants, more $ in the classroom.
Map source: SDUHSD Board of Trustees page.
Area 5 is purple on this map.Trustee Area 5
Do you vote in Trustee Area 5?
This is the trustee-area boundary map published by the district. To confirm which trustee area you live in, use the county's official lookup tool.
Explore the public record.
This is a campaign page, not an official San Dieguito Union High School District website. Links go to independent public sources.
Meet Ginny Merrifield
Her work in education includes helping establish Pacific Ridge School and serving on the founding board of E3 Civic High. Her children attended local public schools.
About Me
I grew up attending public schools before graduating from Princeton University, where I met my husband. We moved to California and raised our three children here in Carmel Valley where they attended Carmel Del Mar, Carmel Valley Middle School, and Torrey Pines.
I've been a lifelong advocate for high-quality education: I co-founded Pacific Ridge School in Carlsbad, and I serve on the founding board of E3 Civic High, an innovative public charter school serving mostly low-income students of color in downtown San Diego.
During COVID, I worked with families across North County to challenge school closures, and we ultimately won a statewide lawsuit that reopened California schools in winter 2021, a ruling that took effect immediately and applied to districts across the state.