My Key Issues for Running for School Board:
1. All decisions made by the school board, the administration, the parents and the teachers must be in the best interests of the students.
- Our School Board must plan for and manage facilities, budgets, educators, staff and many other complex issues with multiple perspectives.
- All those are important, but our highest responsibility is always to the students, ensuring each child has the opportunity to learn in a safe environment, where their educational, social and emotional needs are met.
- Because not every child learns most effectively and efficiently in the same manner, we must embrace, support and provide multiple teaching styles and techniques.
2. We must bring back respect in education.
- Many teachers, myself included, view teaching as a vocation, a calling. I know I was inspired in my teens by a high school social studies teacher. The way he taught in the classroom, and how he made learning fun, caused me to consider teaching as a career choice.
- Many, if not most, teachers had similar experiences while in school. Truly dedicated teachers make learning enjoyable, an experience to be remembered.
- As we continue to witness an erosion in respect and decorum affecting our teaching professionals, we must work to rebuild and sustain an environment in which dedicated professionals are respected and rewarded for their performance, and for the critical role they play in preparing our children for adulthood.
3. One important way we can show better respect toward our teachers is through their salary.
- Funding is hard to come by. Teachers often end up with what is left of the budget. Teachers are professionals and should be paid as professionals, and in recognition of the vital tasks they are asked to complete with our children.
- Raising teacher pay is a visible recognition of their value, and, as a practical matter, will attract more experienced and accomplished teachers into our district.
4. Preparing our students to be model and productive citizens is a must for our schools and the future of our county.
- I spent 36 years teaching in Clay County. I love the people, the community, the activities, my church, and everything about our schools.
- I take pride is seeing this school district continue to be recognized each year, as one of the top school districts in the state. I love running into students I taught years ago, who are now adults with children in our schools.
- I have a daughter who is a teacher in our district. I have three grandchildren who are students in Clay County schools. I want them – and all our students – to have the best opportunities to be successful not only in academics, but in every part of their life.
5. Successful schools start with positive, multi-perspective communication among the school board, school administration, teachers, and all Clay County citizens.
- Effective communication includes treating others with respect, speaking respectfully to one another, listening to different perspectives and working to build consensus around positive plans and initiatives to move forward.
- Adults must model the behaviors we expect of our students.