Campaign Phone Number
7018808665
The Hazen School District is known for excellence in education and our students are always the priority. Supporting our teachers, administrators, and staff is another pivotal role that a board director plays as well as being a voice for constituents. With my current work in higher education, I have the vantage point of seeing educational trends and how those play out in post-secondary education. Career and Technical Education continues grow in importance for workforce development in ND.
Being in partnership with the North Dakota School Board Association as the lobbying entity for school districts in the state is essential to securing ongoing funding for our schools as state aid makes up a majority of our revenue. Attendance at the state conference as well as the various seminars they offer throughout the year is critical. The work of North Dakotans for Public Schools is another strong voice of advocacy for public schools in which I maintain membership.
At the governance level, it is the role of a board director to review data on academic progress and outcomes as well as student and parent engagement, and to help guide conversations as to professional development and curriculum that support teaching and learning in such a way that students benefit and can achieve at their highest levels.
As a former teacher at Hazen High School, I know what it's like to be in the trenches with students every day. It is not an easy job, but helping teachers feel seen and supported, championing their work in the community and state, and offering opportunities to provide feedback can be so valuable in terms of retention. I currently work with students in teacher education programs, and being able to market the rewards of a career in education is essential to growing the teacher applicant pool.
It is so very easy to be a champion for Hazen Public Schools as there are so many things that our students, our teachers, and our staff do well that are worthy of recognition. Our school benefits when we celebrate our individual and collective achievements, so I hope to do a good of marketing the school district's milestones.
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My top priorities as a School Board member are to keep student success at the forefront of all decisions that are made. Recognizing that our staff is well-equipped to provide a quality education within our district with less dependence on courses outside what our schools are able to offer. Our district is facing reduced finances going into the next school year, so finding ways to reduce spending across the entire district while maintaining quality of staff and education is also a priority.
When faced with budgetary decisions, I am not afraid to ask the hard questions of how many students are affected by the decisions being made. Are we spending money in an area that could be reduced if a smaller number of students are being served? Are we keeping our money in-district instead of paying others outside our district to provide the same services? It is important to look at a financial decision from all sides with differing viewpoints and not just take the face-level or easiest answer.
School board members should be learning about and approving changes to curriculum that are recommended by administration based on assessment data. Ask for reasoning behind dips in assessment data, especially with reading and math scores, to ensure that teachers are being held to a high standard of instruction. Ensuring building administrators are evaluating teaching staff and recommending improvement plans where necessary. Evaluating needs for para-professionals to assist in filling gaps.
Recruitment of staff starts with creating a culture that is open and welcoming throughout the district. Supporting our administration in efforts of job listings, meeting candidates and discussing staffing needs. Retention of teachers and staff rests heavily on the atmosphere created from administration from the top down. Hiring and/or retaining quality administration that are leaders and have solid communication and expectations improves the culture in our schools and assists in retention.
I strive to be a voice for our parents and teachers while conducting school board business. I take the time to listen to concerns from the public and our teaching staff to lend that perspective during school board meetings. Communication between the board and the general public assists in the perception that the public has regarding the board and their decisions. I will continue to be the one to ask questions, dig deeper and not be satisfied with shallow answers to important questions.
