Bancells, 45, said she wants to spend more time with her three daughters, Stephanie, 20, Kelsey, 17, and Jessica, 14, and her husband, Marc.

“My family is taking more and more of my time,” Bancells said. “It's more of a fair thing for someone else who can put more time into district functions.”

She said parents don't get less busy as their children grow older. All three daughters play team sports, including Stephanie, who is a student with special needs, Bancells said. Kelsey will be a senior in high school and Jessica an eighth-grader.

The two other incumbents, Mary Borevitz and David Horacek, said they plan to run again.

Potential challengers who have picked up candidacy papers but haven't filed them as of yesterday afternoon are: Pia Harris-Ebert, who recently retired from the San Marcos Unified School District and was the teachers union president; former San Marcos school board member Jay Petrek; Carlos Ulloa, a principal who campaigned unsuccessfully for a seat in 2006; and attorney Randy Walton.

Bancells said she believes the district's priorities for the next four years will be rebuilding San Marcos High School and the modernization of other campuses; passing a bond measure to fund school renovations and upgrades; and continuing to implement the best teaching practices, proven strategies and advances in technology.

Bancells first ran for a seat in 1996 on a platform that focused on bringing phonics back into classrooms. She said she's passionate about improving reading ability.

Being a school board member has taught her to appreciate the complexity of teaching, Bancells said, and how much teachers have to do to motivate students. Teaching is not about standing in front of a class, she said.

It has been rewarding to play a part in preparing students for the real world, Bancells said, something she's reminded of at graduation ceremonies each year, when seniors “have the whole world ahead of them.”

The most controversial period of Bancells' tenure was in 2006, when a divided board forced Superintendent Ed Brand to resign. Three trustees, including Borevitz, accepted his resignation and approved buying out his contract for $410,000. Horacek and Bancells strongly opposed the majority's decision, as did many residents.

Exactly why the board majority wanted Brand ousted was never revealed.

Bancells said what happened in the past is the past. She said she received mostly supportive reactions from the community at the time.

“I'm not ashamed at the way I reacted,” she said.

It was a rocky couple of months, Bancells said, especially because the district has a history of collaborative relationships, not tension and infighting.

“It was hard for all of us,” she said. “None of us thought it was an easy decision. . . . It was an unhappy time.”

The board promoted an assistant superintendent, Kevin Holt, to take the helm, and the district has been moving forward ever since, Bancells said.

Bancells' last school board meeting will be in December.

“It's going to be sad for me to go, and I'm going to miss it,” she said. “But I know it's the best for the district and for me.”

Linda Lou: (760) 737-7574; linda.lou@uniontrib.com