Campaign Issues
Your next School Board Commissioner needs to be ready to tackle the important issues that have an impact on our school system. They will be responsible for setting a strategic direction, hiring and working with the CEO, fiscal oversight, education policy and community engagement. Therefore, the next school board member needs a plan of action that addresses the major concerns in all those areas. I have spent over a decade learning about the challenges that the school system has and hearing the concerns from educators, students and parents. Based on what I have heard, observed and encountered, there are three primary areas that I wish to focus on as your next School Board Commissioner.
Ensuring in School and Community Stability
Before we can even begin to address the educational needs of our students we need to first focus on the environment that they encounter every day. It is our job to ensure that we address the barriers that prevent our students from attending school and that we provide them with a safe and nurturing environment in which to learn. As your next school board member, I intend to work with you to:
- Ensure in improved school safety measures.
-Increase compliance of special education mandates.
- Address tardiness and absenteeism.
- Effectively manage the capital and operating budget & increase transparency.
Providing Parent and Educator Support
We have all heard the old proverb that “it takes a village to raise a child.” This simple yet powerful statement conveys the message that a child’s wellbeing and growth depends on the interactions they have with the people involved in their lives. As your next school board member, I want to ensure that our parents and educators (teachers, administrators and staff) are provided with the essential tools and training they need to help rear and educate the next generation of young scholars. To do this I intend to:
- Ensure teachers and staff are validated and encouraged through incentives and supportive training.
-Corroborate with parents who need wrap around services or support for their children.
-Establish greater transparency for parents concerning the school system in the form of increased community collaborations.
Increasing Opportunities for College and Career Readiness
Only after we ensure that our students have a supportive learning environment and empowered individuals in their lives can we turn our attention to providing them with a stellar education. It is incumbent upon us to not only ensure that our students graduate but also to see to it that they are provided with the tools and resources they will need to advance their career pathway and to navigate life. To this end I will work with you to:
- Re-evaluate our curriculum and increase assessment scores.
- Provide more tutoring and mentoring for students who are struggling.
- Increase collaborations between schools and outside employers.
- Mandate life skill classes including financial literacy and resume writing.
How will we Accomplish this?
By now you have probably gathered that I like old sayings and proverbs. Here is another, “No man is an island.” I interpret this as saying that one person could not possibly address all the issues that plague our school system. It takes the cooperation and investment of all stakeholders. This means that I will need your help to confront the challenges we face. To accomplish the objectives above I intend to:
-Re-evaluate how we are conducting business and servicing our stakeholders.
-Work closely with the new CEO of schools.
-Reach out to community partners (Non-profit, business, government entities) for guidance and assistance.
Research strategies that other school systems employ to implement change.
-Incorporate more buy in from parents, educators, union members and community members.