I can attest to the Sheboygan Area School District being a great place to learn. I went to Longfellow Elementary School, Farnsworth Middle School, and graduated from South High School in 2008. During that time, I saw the introduction of technology in schools, the building of the North and South field houses and got a great education from inspiring teachers who quenched my thirst for knowledge.

The idea of a computer lab now seems quaint. The field houses are no longer shiny and new. One thing remains though: the SASD is a great place for kids to get educated, and I want to make sure it stays that way.

I know that the SASD is also a great place to work. My grandmother, Vera Steinhardt was an educational assistant in the district for 36 years. She spent the majority of her time at Grant, but also worked at Longfellow and the Early Learning Center. Her love for working with children inspired me to choose a career that helped me to improve the lives of children as well.

I currently work as a mental health counselor, and want to be a part of working to improve mental health outcomes for our students on a broad scale. Being a board member is a natural way of doing so.

The foundation for student success is a positive learning environment and I will prioritize advocacy and funding for initiatives that support this. Specifically, I will advocate for continued and expanded funding for mental health services for students and advocate for continued training and usage of Restorative Practice. This will promote physical and emotional safety for students, and less burden on teachers to handle behavioral health needs on their own.

Students need to feel a sense of belonging and value for success to happen, and so do teachers. I was surprised to learn that 50% of teachers leave the profession after 4 years or less. I see it as my duty to show teachers their value and keep them connected through continued mentorship programs, employee recognition programs and ensuring compensation and benefits are fair.

Finally, I will also advocate funding for programs that help students express themselves, such as music and STEAM, and programs that will help students feel career-ready post-graduation. This would include advocating for apprenticeship/work-study programs, partnership programs with local colleges and curriculum that promotes increased literacy and success for multilingual and special education learners.

My willingness to listen, learn and advocate for others, as well as my deep commitment to public education make me an excellent candidate for school board. As someone who attended SASD schools and graduated from South, I know that this district is a great place to learn. But, times have changed. I know that so many of our students have many mental health challenges, in part from the pandemic. My training and background as a mental health therapist provides an important perspective on the challenges that many of our students face today.

I see my life purpose as being a guardian of potential. I have an uncanny ability to see people for who they are and for their strengths. I strive to hear people out without judgment. I seek understanding whenever possible. This isn’t just what I do in my work as a therapist; it’s who I am as a person and I feel these strengths will make me an asset to the board. It’s my goal to learn, love and leave the world a better place, and in doing this, I hope to leave a legacy of learning for a new generation of Sheboygan students.

The world is a different place than when I was a SASD student a generation ago. I want to make sure that our students are equipped to live in that world, and that starts with equity. In the SASD long-range plan, equity comes first; it’s the foundation for student success. I want to engage with parents, students and staff that are traditionally underserved and under-represented, which will increase my knowledge of their needs and will establish trust in the board and in the district at large. Through engagement comes shared responsibility. This will help us to face the current realities of the SASD, which will in turn help us to make decisions that meet the needs of all. I want to be able to work on initiatives that increase recruitment efforts for special education teachers and ML teachers, for which there is an increasing need. I want to make sure that existing teachers in those subject areas feel supported in the work they do as well. I support all evidence-based curriculum that increases representation and that helps students feel supported. Our students need to be prepared for the world they will eventually contribute to as adults, and that means making sure that they understand the varied experiences of others.

It is the SASD's vision for students to be productive and responsible citizens in a competitive world. I will advocate for funding for programs that will help students feel career-ready post-graduation.

It starts with making sure all students' basic educational needs are met. Currently, 18% of SASD students are multi-language (ML) learners, and 18% of students receive special education services. It is important for them to have access to curriculum that promotes increased literacy and success.

Once students get to high school, our district does a great job in making sure there are a variety of programs that help them decide their next steps. When I was a SASD student, I took part in the Youth Tutoring Youth program, which still exists to pair high school students in elementary classrooms to see if teaching is a career match for them. The home construction program, apprenticeship and work-study programs also continue and have seen expansion in the last decade, as students see that four-year college is not for everyone. Any hands-on opportunity that students can have to learn more about their interests and abilities is something worth funding.

I was also able to take college classes at LTC, so I was able to graduate college sooner and start providing counseling services sooner. Since I was a student, partnerships with both LTC and Lakeland have expanded and I will continue to advocate for these programs, because I have seen the personal and collective impact of them.

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I would like to bring my experience with Sheboygan Area School District committees and boards, along with what I have learned from my professional background in project management and committee work to further the success of the SASD. I strongly feel that, if possible, people should look for ways to be involved in the life of the community, and I can’t think of a better institution to support than education. I believe that the SASD has a great track record of providing students with a high quality education through an excellent faculty, appropriate curriculum, and sound fiscal management. That is not to say that there are no issues that require review and revision, and I see it as the job of the School Board to take steps as necessary to provide leadership in those cases.

On April 2nd the public will be able to vote for three people to serve on the board for the next three years. If chosen as one of those three, I will work to • prepare our students for the demands of the 21st century • hire, retain and support high quality teachers and staff • address student safety and apply best practice in our facilities • support family and community involvement and collaboration • make sure our tax dollars are wisely and efficiently used

My children attended SASD kindergarten through 12th grade and graduated in 2004 and 2008. During their time in school, I was involved in parent advisory committees at the middle school and high school levels, and was a member of the South High Booster Club. My wife and I engaged with our children’s teachers and coaches throughout their time in SASD. I served on the Board for one of the district’s instrumentality Charter Schools, and in the 2016-2017 school year I served on the SASD school board to fill in for a board member who could not complete her term.

My professional career has been in the Environmental field for 45 years, and I am now retired. During my career I have served on and chaired Governing Boards and committees within professional organizations, which has provided expenrience in working collaboratively to establish and achieve goals.

Within the Sheboygan area I have strived to contribute through being an election poll worker in the City of Sheboygan for 20 years. I have been a member of the Local Emergency Planning Committee for Sheboygan County, also for 20 years, which is a part of the Sheriff’s office and coordinates emergency planning in the county with the Wisconsin Department of Emergency Planning.

1. Meet the academic needs of all students through the use of sound curriculum, properly delivered, and adequately funded. 2. Assist students and their families with access to local services to meet their physical and mental health needs. 3. Provide safe and well maintained facilities that will serve students and the community into the future. 4. Continue to build on the district’s good relations with the community, and contribute to the quality of life in the Sheboygan area.

To address these issues, I will listen to teachers, staff, and administration who are tasked with meeting these challenges as they are in the best position to evaluate current practices. I will listen to concerns and suggestions brought to the school board by students, parents and the public as they are in the best position to state how the district’s programs and policies affect their families and the community. I will work to consider the points of view from all groups to address the challenges facing the district.

The School District has many options for learning. Students and families can choose neighborhood schools and charter schools within the district. Early learning and elementary school classes prepare students to pursue a wide variety of topics and interests in Middle School and High School. Classes, teams, and clubs that focus on math, science, literature, music, theater, visual arts, sports, cheer, and many other areas are available to enrich students and prepare them for life after school, and can form the basis for life-long interests and friendships. With many options come many decisions. Students and parents should know they can opt-in and opt-out of certain of certain courses. Parents and students should learn their options by talking to people at the school or district. Take advantage of all the benefits of being enrolled in the Sheboygan Area School District

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