Campaign Phone
9208583450
Preferred Pronouns
she, her, hers
Facebook
facebook.com/votechristycodner
Preserving our community's values and keeping divisive politics out of our public schools is important. My top priority is ensuring all students receive a high-quality public education. Working in Appleton as a social worker and counselor for over 20 years has given me a unique understanding of the many challenges facing youth and families in our area. By ensuring students feel safe and accepted and improving their emotional wellbeing, we can achieve even better learning outcomes in AASD.
AASD is dedicated to assuring success for every student. Our special education program is well respected and we are known for our quality educators. However, AASD is struggling to recruit and retain staff, in part due to inadequate compensation; wages have not kept up with the cost of inflation, paraprofessionals are barely paid a living wage. We can also do more to reduce academic achievement gaps, improve upon existing mental health programs and increase supports for LGBTQ+ students.
Teachers must be fairly compensated; they are essential to providing our students with a quality education. Due to the growing complexity of mental health needs of students, we must do more to ensure safer working conditions and more in-classroom support. Professional development opportunities and incentives for obtaining a master's level education would also help. Workload must be more manageable. Focusing on supporting their emotional health is essential to decreasing burnout.
While it is important that administration provides oversight of curriculum development to ensure compliance with state law and standards and that it aligns with our district's values, allowing teachers more flexibility and autonomy could be more cost-effective and lead to better learning outcomes for all students Teachers are in better position to recognize and understand cultural differences and learning styles of students in order to ensure inclusivity and set up kids for academic success.
It is crucial that schools are able to focus on helping students become proficient in reading. Children are being exposed to harmful content online and book bans serve to distract from this important issue. Parents are in the best position to monitor their child's reading materials, as they do for movies and video games.
Parents are encouraged to have discussions with their children directly about concerns and may contact the teacher to suggest alternative reading options if necessary.
Campaign Phone
6122170865
Preferred Pronouns
he/him/his
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Pheng4aasd/
I am a 2001 alumni of Appleton North and currently have my kids enrolled in the district. My family has been members of the Appleton for the last 30 plus years. I am running to continue the consistent leadership and successful work of the district the last three years I have been there. I also continue to believe in ensuring the board reflects those who live in the district. Additionally, we need a good board to ensure that robust, nuanced and rigorous conversations take place.
AASD has been fiscally responsible in managing its budget. The district does all that it can to ensure that supports are there to help students succeed. That being said, sometimes the resources and capacity of staff can be stretched thin. Student behavior is another area of concern that should be addressed by all stakeholders not just AASD alone.
It is important for us to ensure that the workplace and environment is enjoyable. Staff feel heard, seen and cared for -- that they are valued and matter. Their can participate in decision making and giving feedback. Its important to ensure that their voices and experiences are reflected and amplified at the board level too. It is also important to value their contributions beyond giving them raises. Showing appreciation is important.
Parents always have a choice about their child's learning. It is also the responsibility of the district to create a learning environment that is conducive to allow for critical thinking and informed choice making to happen. Part of learning and education is to create spaces for development ensuring that each learner can make their own conclusions based on the information taught to them. Its also important that students see themselves and their experiences reflected in the materials taught.
Again, parents always have a choice. It is important that students get to also experience different information and materials being taught to them being that the materials are age appropriate to their developmental stage too. Education is about opening ideas; see different perspectives and allowing the student to see all points of view before making their own conclusions about the information.
Campaign Phone
9203580180
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569350880102
I am a father of two current AASD elementary students. I believe in high-quality, public education for all students and am concerned about the financial challenges that districts in WI are facing. AASD’s current funding gap will test our values as a community and the strength of our systems in the coming years. The Board, along with the administration, educators, and staff need to work together with the community to ensure that no student's potential is limited by a broken state funding model.
Our greatest strength is that, each day, thousands of district employees and volunteers wake up and do their best to support our students.
As we move forward, we need to address years of scarcity investments which have led to educators, families, and schools feeling unsupported and underinvested in. The district needs to better listen to and authentically learn from our community earlier in decision making processes.
I believe that the AASD needs to become the district of choice for educators. In addition to remaining competitive with compensation, this means ensuring supported work environments and demonstrated appreciation.
One example is to adjust our current staff funding formula. It does not allow the majority of our schools to ever have a full-time student support team (dean, social worker, counselor). Without adequate supports for our students, these roles fall on our classroom teachers.
While we work to ensure quality, up-to-date curricula, it is critical that we authentically listen to and learn from the experiences of our educators and students. We need to prioritize relevant and engaging curricula that supports our goals of career and life readiness.
I believe that exposure to a diversity of ideas and perspectives is critical to providing students with the tools to find life and career success. Parents are empowered in the AASD to review and/or request alternative materials should they feel that is in the best interest of their child.
