I am running for reelection. The reasons that led me to run the first time haven't changed. I believe I can make a real impact as a board member, and as a parent in this district, I'm invested in its success. What's changed is that I now understand, in a way you maybe can't until you've done it, how demanding this position actually is. It's hard work, but it's good work, especially given the financial challenges our district has worked through over the past few years. I feel a responsibility to see that work through, not walk away from it partway.
Having served for four years, I can offer some continuity, which is particularly valuable during a sensitive financial recovery, on a board that's had a fair amount of turnover. The qualifications that matter most are temperament and patience, the ability to take in information, weigh it, and make sound decisions without getting knocked off course by every setback along the way. Just as important is knowing how to work with administrators toward the right outcome, rather than dictating an answer and expecting someone else to execute it. My approach is patient and collaborative, and focused on the big picture.
This is possibly the most daunting challenge of this role. I've voted for difficult decisions on staffing over the past several years, decisions I didn't take lightly. Some of those decisions have already been felt by students and families. Further cuts from here would mean even more students feeling it in obvious and painful ways, including class size and program support. That's part of why I voted for a significant tax increase again this year. At the same time, I don't think we can keep asking taxpayers for increases at that scale. Those increases need to come back down to more reasonable levels, despite the financial pressures that occur every budget cycle.
I won't pretend I have a clean answer for how to strike that balance. Healthcare costs, state funding formulas, and mandated expenses come from beyond what any one board can control. I'd like to increase engagement in legislative and funding processes at the state level, where much of that pressure originates. But mostly what I can offer locally is judgment, careful analysis, and a willingness to make hard calls rather than easy ones.
Curriculum decisions are best driven by the educators and administrators we've hired specifically for that expertise. My role as a board member is to ask good questions and make sure we're setting the right direction, not to dictate content in an area where others are better positioned to lead.
That said, there are a couple of broader areas I think the board will need to stay engaged on. One is making sure our curriculum continues to evolve, particularly as things like artificial intelligence start to reshape how students learn and how they need to be prepared for the world. That's a conversation every district will have to have in the next few years, and I'd rather we be thoughtful and proactive about it than reactive. Beyond that, I want to see continued improvement in outcomes for our students, and that comes from supporting good teachers and good instructional leadership.
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