Meet the candidates running for BVSD Board of Education in the 2025 election

Three BVSD school board seats are up for grabs this November, and just one race is contested.

Current board president Nicole Rajpal will retain the seat for District B, and business owner Anna Temu Otting will fill the seat for District F. The only contested race is in District E, where Deann Bucher, a longtime teacher, and Jeffrey Anderson, an NCAR data scientist, are competing for the open seat.

Click on the candidates’ profiles below to learn more about them. You’ll also find their answers to our six-question candidate questionnaire covering topics such as fiscal responsibility, declining enrollment, AI in classrooms and student mental health. See the full list of questions below and read the BRL Election Guide.

• Motivations and qualifications: Why are you running for a BVSD board seat now, and what experience and qualifications make you prepared to serve? 
  
• Declining enrollment: Student enrollment across BVSD has been falling for years, with some schools projected to dip below 50% capacity by 2029. What would you do to address declining enrollment and its impact on schools, including the possibility of grade-level or school consolidations or boundary changes?
  
• Budget and taxes: BVSD spends significantly more per student than the state average, and more each year as enrollment declines. Meanwhile, homeowners are shouldering more of the cost as the district becomes increasingly locally funded (currently 95.8%). What would you do to balance student needs with fiscal responsibility? Should the district consider future tax measures (e.g., mill levy overrides or bonds)?
  
• Equity and student disparities: Hispanic students make up 22% of BVSD enrollment but account for 43% of suspensions and only 11% of gifted program placements. What would you do to address these disparities and ensure minority families feel confident the district is consistent in its handling of bullying and inequity?
  
• Student well-being and mental health: As of March 2025, 55% of schools nationwide reported increased staff concerns about students exhibiting symptoms of depression, anxiety and trauma. What should the district do to support students’ social-emotional health while maintaining strong academic expectations?
  
• Technology and AI: BVSD teachers are already using AI tools like MagicSchool to develop lessons and communications, but the district has no clear policy on transparency or risks. BVSD also launched its first year of a districtwide cell phone ban, with no formal impact evaluation. What should the district do to guide and evaluate the use of new technologies, and what sort of boundaries — if any — should the district set for AI in schools?