Jonathan Bejarano says data, fiscal experience will guide Aspen Peak School Board

Jonathan Bejarano, a candidate for the Aspen Peak School Board, said Thursday that preparing for the planned opening of the Aspen Peak School District in 2027 will require leaders with budgeting, teaching and data-analysis experience.

"My name is Jonathan Bejarano and I am running for Aspen Peaks School Board," Bejarano said. "Breaking up an institution that large and that large and that old isn't going to be easy as slicing up a sheet cake. It's going to take a lot of untangling to become 3 functioning school districts."

Bejarano said Alpine School District, which he described as Utah's largest district with more than a century of history, will not be simple to divide. He argued the new district has a stable tax base and mixed enrollment trends — declines in some aging areas balanced by growth elsewhere — but said those factors do not eliminate planning needs ahead of the 2027 opening.

Bejarano described his qualifications for the board in the meeting: "I am a lead software engineer and work with numbers constantly. I have a master's of business administration, and I know how to collect, analyze, and process data. I taught courses at the University of Utah and Brigham Young University." He added he would follow education law set by the state legislature and "develop policies in line with our state school board."

On policy priorities, Bejarano said he would focus on class-size reduction and transparency. "I will help decrease class sizes to ensure our kids and teachers Peaks school district to know that I will stand up for them," he said, adding that the board needs members "who understand budgets and believe in transparency."

Bejarano framed his candidacy as a call for representatives who will use data to drive decisions and who have classroom or teaching experience. He did not propose specific budget figures, enrollment targets or a detailed implementation plan during his remarks.