Campaign contributions filed in EUSD election

Four candidates competing for three open Encinitas Union School board seats recently filed paperwork showing campaign contributions.

Three incumbents, Gregg Sonken, Marla Strich and Emily Andrade, have endorsed each other and face challenger Jennifer Hamler in the race. There are five seats on the EUSD board.

Hamler has raised $3,985 in contributions this year. A $1,000 loan from Hamler to herself and an $875 contribution from her to the campaign accounted for a significant portion of this total.

She has spent $3,662 toward the election.

Her notable contributors: EUSD board member Maureen Muir, whose term expires in two years and who is running for the San Dieguito Union High School District board, gave Hamler $100. And Gaspar Physical Therapy, a business that names Encinitas Mayor Kristin Gaspar as the chief financial officer, contributed $100.

Hamler has said she’s running because of concerns over district transparency and the implementation of new Common Core education standards.

With contributions of $3,237, Andrade raised the most among incumbents. This figure included a $487 loan to herself and s $100 contribution from Andrade to her own campaign.

Her expenditures came to $1,727.

Teachers of Encinitas, the educators union, gave $1,000, Andrade’s largest contribution.

At reelecteusdboard.com, the incumbents tout their records.

“Seven of our nine schools were named as 2014 California Distinguished Schools,” the website states. “This is the highest percentage of any district in the state.”

The California Distinguished School designation is awarded based on standardized test results and other academic measures.

Gregg Sonken took in $1,039, with a $100 loan to himself accounting for a portion of the total. EUSD board member Carol Skiljan, whose term ends in two years, gave him $100.

He has spent $190.

Strich has raised $5,333 and spent $3,788 thus far.

Eric Hall, the owner of Eric Hall & Associates, a school construction management company, gave Strich $1,500, her largest contribution during the most recent filing period. The company’s website names EUSD as a current client.

Strich, president of the EUSD board, also gained a $100 contribution from Skiljan.

Her remaining contributions during the filing period came from retired individuals in North County, EUSD teachers and a $100 contribution from the EUSD facilities director.

Strich also loaned her own campaign $100.

This story has been updated to reflect Strich’s latest contributions. Those previously weren’t available by press time.