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I have a love and a passion for children to achieve their academic goals no matter what obstacles they face. We need to partner with parents and the community to make our public schools accountable in making sure our children are shielded from policies that interfere with providing a safe learning environment. They need the basics of knowledge built on a solid foundation so they can be successful in life while pursuing their dreams. I have been involved in the children’s ministry at my church for 7 years and find my time spent is more rewarding than challenging. I value integrity. honesty and respect in building strong relationships with students, staff and educators. I am super friendly, a hard worker and a great listener.
I will strive for positive change to achieve academic excellence by prioritizing english. Statistics have shown a decline in reading and math proficiency levels since 2019. I will champion parental involvement because I believe parents have the ultimate authority over their child’s education and should be given the right to opt out of any curriculum that conflicts with their conscience held beliefs. With student concerns for safety, I will strongly advocate for SRO’s to be reinstated.
Get rid of teachers' unions. Salaries and benefits make up about 80% of a typical school budget. We need transparency of every dollar spent. Prioritize. Everybody gives a little, 10% across the board. Keep benefits to a minimum until you balance the budget. Strategize to keep student enrollment and attendance rates up.
Take a good hard look at the 65 mandates that were passed in the Education Finance Bill last session. I would stop marxist theories that are being pushed in the curriculum that cause division. Unfunded mandates will only bankrupt school districts and leave burdensome taxes on employers and employees to fund the required Paid Family Leave Program. Why does the school system usurp responsibility from the parents, feeding and housing students when they need to prioritize performance levels.
Getting parents involved in World’s Best Workforce, a committee made up of staff, parents and the community in making curriculum decisions. Parental engagement is essential. Meaningful parental involvement can improve academic achievement and increase their child’s motivation leading to improved attendance rates. Parents are the ultimate educator of their child and should be given full access to their child’s curriculum and right to determine what is best for them without infringement.
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Since being appointed and then elected to our School Board, I have gained a more comprehensive understanding of our district's policies and daily operations. My passion for staying involved and informed has been integral to my efficacy as a board member and representative of the people in my community. As a black woman, I also bring a level of representation to the board table that has been lacking in a district composed of mostly black and brown students. My perspective and connections highlight a part of our community whose voices need to be heard in order for our district to provide the most equitable and inclusive academic space for our students and staff.
I plan to focus on our district's finances, the execution of our strategic plan, and community engagement. All of these things affect our staffing, program offerings, enrollment, and the overall academic success of our students. Finding a balance in these areas helps to ensure that every student, family, and staff member will feel that they can belong, learn, and teach in our district effectively.
In the face of budget cuts due to declining revenues, I plan to help our board make the most informed decisions possible that will take the least from the classroom. This means knowing where our deficits lie and what our needs are so we can still effectively support our students and staff. There should also be emphasis put on fiscal responsibility, transparency, communication, and legislative advocacy, which will also be useful for future fiscal years.
Advocacy and resources are necessary for our families who have certain racial or economic barriers. I plan to support our school's reception of grants and the adoption of programs and activities that offer opportunities and resources to our students of color and newcomer families. I also support our district's academic and social programs that offer payment assistance and scholarships, which allow all students to have equal opportunities for exploration and growth.
I aim to maintain a presence in our schools and community. I will also work to keep myself accessible and accountable to build trust in this space. Feedback gained should be taken seriously and our teachers and families know best what their students and classrooms need. Our district also offers surveys that measure the concerns of our teachers and community members. This is annual data that will help us make changes that will cultivate the desired atmosphere of collaboration and belonging.
Every child has a right to be educated in safe and healthy communities, surrounded by caring and committed educators. That is what I attempt to center as I’ve campaigned, and what I hope to actualize once elected. I am committed to deeply listening so that all families and educators feel heard, and supporting policies that further get us to actualizing caring and supportive schools for children, their families, and educators. I aim to focus on areas of alignment, which I know we have more of than areas of disagreement. And, even amidst disagreement, I will always seek to uplift diverging perspectives in policy making so that all community members can understand how I and other school board members will arrive at the decisions we make.
1. Adequate staffing in schools - we need more nurses, counselors, or teacher’s aides. Adequate staffing impacts classroom sizes, recovering from learning loss, and programming.
2. District communication including accessibility, website updates , and translated materials. We have such a large open enrollment population so communication is important.
3. Expanding creative school partnerships within our community for collaboration and mutual success that centers youth
I would prioritize and center students, families, and educators, as they are at the core of such a decision. I would hope my actions are preemptive. Considering that the district is not bringing in a comparable tax compared to other districts, we may also need to revisit the conversation around a need for a levy.
Our district's equity statement sets a standard for ensuring every student belongs and succeeds. It's a guiding framework for our equity initiatives and I fully support it. Equity must be integrated across all schools as building a shared commitment to equity is important. An ongoing process, we need to regularly review and adjust our practices based on feedback. I'm dedicated to ensuring that equity remains central to our efforts, creating a learning environment where every student can thrive.
I actively seek input from stakeholders to understand their needs and concerns. My responsive and proactive approach to gathering perspectives is what distinguishes me as a leader. Students, parents, educators, and community members have insights and can collaborate with school board members to address the needs of the entire district. I am excited to be responsive to all the stakeholders that are invested in the wellbeing of our schools and community.
