Jennifer Jacobson, the incumbent vice president of the San Mateo Union High School District Board, is running for reelection to the Area 3 seat in the Nov. 3 election.
Jacobson, first elected in 2022, said in a questionnaire response to Surround Sound News that she is running because "the work I started isn't finished, and I'm in the best position to see it through."
Area 3 covers Aragon and Hillsdale High Schools and the neighborhoods around them, including Hillsborough, the San Mateo Highlands and West San Mateo. Jacobson’s campaign website notes that because Hillsborough addresses are split across attendance zones, some Area 3 families also have students at Burlingame High School.
Candidate information
- Office sought: San Mateo Union High School District Board, Trustee Area 3
- Party: Nonpartisan
- Education: B.S. in Dietetics and M.S. in Nutritional Science, Brigham Young University
- Professional background: Registered Dietitian; portrait photographer serving local families for 17 years
- Family: Five children, all raised in San Mateo and educated in public schools. Two daughters graduated from Hillsdale High School, and three sons are still attending local public schools.
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, according to her questionnaire responses.
She serves on the district's Equity Advisory Committee and was the only board member to serve on both the AI Task Force and the phone-policy stakeholder working group, according to her questionnaire. Jacobson also volunteers as Director of Communications for her local church and as a liaison to the Peninsula Multifaith Coalition, and regularly helps distribute food at the Peace Pantry at Hillsdale High School through Empower San Mateo.
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 student readiness after graduation as her top challenge. The district's graduation rate is 95%, she said, but recent data showed a dip in students completing courses required for UC and CSU admission and in access to college-level classes. She said she wants to examine scheduling practices so students can complete career pathways while protecting AP and dual enrollment options.
On her campaign website, Jacobson said she supported growth of dual-enrollment partnerships with Skyline College, Cañada College and College of San Mateo. Those partnerships now offer more than 60 dual-enrollment opportunities across all six comprehensive high schools, according to the site. She also pushed for a CTE Coordinator role and new pathways in healthcare and business and entrepreneurship, and supported a new construction and trades program at Aragon High.
Safe and connected schools
Jacobson pushed for a phone-free school day policy covering the full school day, not just class time. Her campaign materials say the policy passed 5-0 in March 2026. She said she wants to follow through on a promised digital wellness curriculum and build a school culture where students can share views respectfully.
Fiscal responsibility
Jacobson said the district is on solid financial footing as a community-funded district and is less sensitive to enrollment dips than others in the state. She outlined three budget priorities in her questionnaire. First, protect classroom essentials like teachers and support programs. Second, require measurable results from every program. Third, move successful initiatives like AI training into the base budget rather than relying on one-time grants. On facilities, she said the district has delivered bond projects on time and on or under budget.
Balancing priorities
Jacobson said academic achievement and student well-being are not competing goals. She pointed to the phone-free policy as an example that supports both classroom focus and social connection. She said the district's upcoming five-year strategic plan is where the board should set clear, measurable priorities.
Endorsements
Jacobson's campaign website lists endorsements from elected officials and former trustees. Supporters include San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller, Foster City Mayor Art Kiesel and San Mateo County Community College District Trustee John Pimentel. She also lists Sequoia Union High School District Trustee Rich Ginn and Palo Alto Unified School District Trustee Rowena Chiu. Former SMUHSD trustees Peter Hanley, Diane Vranes and former Las Lomitas Elementary School District Trustee Paige Winikoff also endorsed her.
