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I am running for Collingswood Board of Education because I believe that education is one of the most critical foundations of a functional society. I believe that every child deserves those foundations no matter their background. I bring with me 6 years experience of providing academic and behavioral support for students with disabilities, training in behavioral health, community advocacy, and a Masters degree in Science, Technology, and Society from Drexel University. I hope to bring together my research and analysis skills as well as my on-the-ground experience of public schools and specialized programs to support my district and the students we serve.
My main goal would be to increase community involvement in the district to support areas that are struggling. We already have community members who are creating organizations to generate alternative funding, I would like to see those efforts supported and expanded. I believe that people want to help, and my goal would be to find ways to let them.
Another goal for my first year is to spend time learning about and evaluating our policies for ways to create sustainable systems to improve board and district functioning, as well as explicitly define and strengthen the board’s oversight capabilities. We must ensure our ability to be good stewards of community resources and centering student-facing support.
My view on test scores is that they are an important benchmark that also has significant limits in exactly what is measured. They are snapshots of a few important skills, but out of context. Many things contribute to low scores that are not reflections of instructional quality, but of unmet needs that impact the ability to test well. I think that scores tell us where to look but don’t tell us what we will find.
My steps to improve those scores would be to take the time to contextualize the existing scores in order to target areas for improvement. We need to ensure high instructional quality, we also need to build the conditions for success beyond the classroom. To do this we have to be open to thinking differently about what scores mean.
I believe that we can improve school safety by accepting that there is no one-size fits all solution to school violence. I think we should refocus our priorities on understanding the nature of violence that occurs within our districts. Security measures such as key card swipes, metal detectors, bag searches, and strict policing of student movement is a waste of time and money if the issue is targeted harassment.
I believe that if we understand the source of the violence and we are willing to think beyond just catching perpetrators and punishment, we can build sustainable secure environments. Student safety is paramount, finding the source of violence in order to target solutions is critical to achieving that goal.
Our first is balancing our budget with an eye towards student-facing services. Financial problems for a district are not just a question of revenue, but a question of allocation. We need both more funding, and a shift in allocation.
Our second is the cost to the taxpayer. Tax increases are inevitable, but also come with diminishing returns if we over-extend on what the community can handle. Foreclosed houses generate no tax revenue.
Our third is the community’s severe loss of trust and sense of investment in the district. We are seeing falling enrollments and major staff turnover, which leads to lowered student achievement, loss of state funding, and damage to the school community.
I have lived in Collingswood for nearly 22 years and am in my 20th year as an educator. Having served in varying roles from classroom teacher to school principal and central office administrator, I have wide experience in the education system. While I will not always have the solutions on my own, I have insights and expertise that will be helpful as a member of the Collingswood Board of Education. I believe it is important that all members actively participate on the Board, and I believe that with all of our experiences, insights and knowledge, we can come together to provide the best school oversight and governance possible for our community’s children and the community as a whole.
My 1st goal will be to bring together all Board Members, school administrators and our community to reduce the impacts upon our children. We are going to have to make lean decisions, but our children cannot afford for us to take our budgetary issues out on their learning experiences. We will all need to critically review and analyze upcoming budgets thoroughly to achieve this goal.
My 2nd goal is to work with my colleagues on the Board of Education to have clear communication with stakeholders to ensure that the district is taking concerted, targeted and effective steps to ensuring the culture and climate honors the dignity of all students, especially those who have been marginalized through racism and other forms of discrimination.
Test scores are one measure of our students’ learning and our schools’ success at educating them. They also tell many other stories, including those of community and individual wealth, generations of racist policies and so on. The data should be used just as any other assessment data is used; that is, to inform curriculum planning and instruction.
Schools must always continue to identify potential security concerns and work to improve security and safety features on a continual basis. Schools must be focused on state of the art physical security as well as cyber-security. Children are the most precious among us, and it is our responsibility to continually review our security and safety procedures and ensure that we honor them by protecting them. Part of keeping children safe and secure is also ensuring their Civil Rights are protected.
1. School Funding
2. Culture and Climate
3. Community Trust in the Schools and Board of Education
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I am running for the BOE to bring the perspective of a parent who has had children at every level of education in our District, and has the experience of sending a child out of District for their education. I have firsthand experience being actively involved at the Secondary level for 6 years. Thanks to this experience, I have valuable relationships with staff and students, as well as families all over the District. My background and expertise include: mother of 4 sons; practicing Attorney (experience in family law, DCCP litigation, Mediation); PTA Board at the Elementary, Middle, High, and now combined Secondary PTA Board-level; experience organizing and executing large scale fundraisers and scholarship creation, funding, and execution.
My top 3 goals would be: increased student enrollment in the High School; increased positive climate, culture, and buy-in from the community at large with respect to the School District; and increased trust from the community at large in the vision for the District and in District leadership.
While test scores do not measure the whole child, I think they are extremely important because they show how our kids are comparing to their peers outside the Collingswood bubble. As a Board member, I would suggest allocating resources to additional supports and student preparation. I would also suggest trying to capitalize on peer-to-peer tutoring and mentorship opportunities in an effort to improve student comprehension and performance.
I have seen firsthand how a strong and supportive leader in our high school combines with a well-trained and supportive staff in District's Wellness Center, and stricter cell phone policies (Yondr pouches) to really create a controlled and positive high school environment. My suggestion would be to continue to support the leadership in all of our Buildings and also continue to support and equip our Wellness Center staff in their work with students.
I think the top 3 issues facing the Collingswood School District are: creating a robust learning and growth environment where families want to send their kids, their money, and their time; streamlining a vision for our district with clear goals and a clear plan for how we get there; and re-evaluating our sources of revenue and how we spend that money wisely.
