Including parent & student views, while fostering a truly inclusive school & preserving the pedagogical requirements is possible. Hosting town hall meetings, forming advisory committees with diverse representation, utilizing surveys for broad feedback, collaborating with local and county-level PTAs, and other civic-groups, and ensuring transparent communication. These efforts aim to create an inclusive, collaborative educational environment that reflects our community's diverse needs and values.

To tackle aging facilities and overcrowding, my strategy includes exploring school bonds for funding new constructions and renovations, advocating for equitable resource distribution, and pushing for transparent procurement processes. This ensures modern, safe learning spaces for every student. The key to a healthy school budget starts at the county council so my advocacy would extend to using my platform to weigh in on zoning and land-use decisions, specifically as it applies to the budget.

Safety in schools involves reducing class sizes for personalized attention, increasing counselors/support staff through full funding, and enhancing anti-bullying programs. Key strategies include fostering teacher-student relationships for early intervention, promoting empathy and conflict resolution, and implementing a comprehensive anti-bullying policy. Engaging the entire community is crucial for a safe, supportive educational environment. We need better zoning decisions to enhance our budget.

Blueprint is not intended to supplant existing school programs. It is intended to expand it. Accordingly, it is expected that the school system maintain or improve its existing level of service while implementing the program. The County has a taxpayer allocation problem driven by adverse zoning & land-use decisions. The BOE needs a county that makes responsible zoning decisions. The BOE also must have a strong oversight of contracts & procurements to save taxpayer dollars to fund schools better.

Key challenges for the next superintendent include restoring trust in the central office, fixing the transportation system and addressing questions about the contract with Zum. It is also crucial to review the school system's anti-racism philosophy to correct flaws exposed by the censorship of school protests against the genocide in Gaza. I will look for candidates who demonstrate transparent leadership, a commitment to equity, and the ability to implement effective solutions to these problems.

To include parent and student views in Board decisions, I will work to optimize advisory committees with diverse representation, expand engagement platforms via newsletters and social media, ensure transparent communication channels, involve parents and students in review committees, provide feedback with systematic follow-up, and foster a culture of openness and respect.

To tackle aging facilities and overcrowding, I will collaborate with HCPSS's maintenance team to allocate budget for repairs, enhance indoor environmental quality initiatives, and prioritize transparency and community engagement. This approach ensures efficient management of resources and creates safe, modern learning environments for students.

To ensure a safe learning environment, I will work to engage teachers, parents, and students in focused discussions, pilot initiatives based on feedback, and refine them iteratively. Leveraging existing policies such as Policy 9460 for incident reporting and investigation, I will promote efficient reporting tools, clarify definitions, and offer support services to affected students. This holistic strategy aligns with community needs and cultivates a positive school climate.

Allocate funding to the top three priorities aligned with HCPSS and the Blueprint's five pillars: high-quality instructional programs, educator support and development, and enhanced safety measures. These investments ensure equitable education, support for teachers, and a safe learning environment for all students.

These allocations align with the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, promoting collaboration among stakeholders and responsible use of resources to benefit all students.

The next superintendent of HCPSS will face challenges including budgetary constraints, particularly a 13% increase in student transportation costs, impacting safety and program support. I seek a candidate with a proven record in fiscal responsibility, strategic planning, and a commitment to educational excellence. The candidate must prioritize student well-being, foster transparency, equity, and collaboration, while driving innovation and community engagement.

As Board Chair, I held an unprecedented number of budget public hearings and plan to hold more. I will continue to visit schools, attend community events, meet with PTAs, and make myself available to the public. I take parent and student concerns seriously and offer an open invitation to give feedback on curriculum, programs, and policies. Additionally, as the Board’s Policy Chair for five years, I embrace the critically important community feedback on the development of HCPSS policies.

I am in active communication with our state legislators, County Executive, and members of the County Council to ask for appropriate funding to fix our facilities. Overcrowding can only be solved with additions to existing schools or new facilities, not with portables. Under my chairmanship, the Board established a work group to ensure standardization of the criteria for rank-ordering the capital budget allocations so that we do not put the community on roller-coaster rides with constant changes.

The Board must raise the priority level of this issue to ensure that it is being addressed systematically and in the schools by the Superintendent. Principals must be given the authority and training to adequately do this. The elimination of cell phones in schools must be considered as a first step to address the mental health crisis that is contributing to disruptions, fights, and bullying.

The Blueprint spells out how to allocate funding—the money coming from the state must follow the child. Children with higher needs, those receiving special education, and those learning English receive more money. The Blueprint uses equity to close gaps in educational outcomes of students. Having recently earned my Certificate in Education Finance from Georgetown University combined with my degree in Economics, I am uniquely prepared to lead on school funding allocations to benefit our students.

The next Superintendent will face budget shortfalls, bussing problems, a shrinking candidate pool, post-pandemic learning loss, community mistrust, and meeting the Blueprint requirements. I will look for a demonstrated problem solver that fixed large, systemic issues. They must be collaborative, transparent, and willing to make hard decisions for the good of students. They will need to prioritize inclusiveness and equity, and know how to provide high quality education to learners at all levels.