I am running for the school board to make a positive impact on our education system, leveraging my extensive experience and qualifications. With over 40 years of living in Montana, I have a deep understanding of our community’s needs. As a parent of two children in the Missoula County Public Schools, I am personally invested in the quality of our education. My academic journey through the University of Montana and Montana State University, where I earned a BS, BA, and MHA, has equipped me with a broad perspective on educational excellence. My passion for education is not just professional; it’s personal. I am committed to ensuring that every child has access to a safe and enriching learning environment.

I believe the most pressing issues for our school board are the implementation of increased trauma-informed safety measures and the inclusion of diverse perspectives. Our schools must be sanctuaries of safety and understanding, where every child’s emotional well-being is nurtured. As someone who has navigated the system amidst hardships and as a person of mixed heritage, I bring a unique viewpoint that encompasses the challenges faced by underrepresented communities.

Moreover, having a child who has endured significant trauma, I understand firsthand the profound impact such experiences can have on learning. It is imperative that our educational environment not only recognizes but actively accommodates the varied needs of all students.

Regarding the district’s budget, I am currently observing from an outsider’s perspective. However, I am committed to conducting a thorough review once elected as a trustee. My goal is to ensure that our budget reflects our community’s values and priorities, particularly in supporting trauma-informed practices and inclusive education. I believe in transparency and accountability, and I intend to bring a fresh perspective to our financial decisions, always with the best interest of our students and teachers in mind.

The recent approval in February 2024 represents a significant step towards educational innovation and diversity. While I am familiar with the information available via the Office of Public Instruction, I believe that a comprehensive understanding of these programs will come from direct involvement with the school board. The TEACH Academy, focusing on arts integration for grades PreK-5, and the Connect Academy, an online platform for grades 6-12, are poised to offer tailored educational experiences that cater to the unique needs of our students. As a prospective board member, I am eager to delve deeper into the legislative and funding aspects that are currently in flux, to ensure these initiatives are implemented effectively and sustainably.

I am running because the history, present, and future of Missoula’s educators deserve the best tools we can provide and the opportunity of being a school board member allows innovative ideas and responses to the growing challenges I am from Missoula, have been incredibly fortunate to have great leaders like Jack Sturgis, Mark Thane, Christina Stevens, Gary Gillette, and countless others to help guide my own education and growth. I have served on Jeanette rankins pto board as a secretary, I have 10 year old twins in elementary, a recent graduate from hellgate high, and I volunteer for various school functions. I even go to other schools pta meetings Moreover I know how to listen to our teachers and their continual plight.

The biggest challenges I believe are state funding and constant budget cut concerns. We need more community support and more people willing to pound home the realization of the future we can provide.

Allowances for people to keep jobs, crucial arts and science programs to be funded, and a serious talk about how we are going to start saying yes to requests as they occur without putting so much financial burden on our tax payers

I am most excited to see how well it works

I was a philosophy professor until my first child was diagnosed with dyslexia in fifth grade. Homeschooling him while he learned to read, and then homeschooling my other three kids during the pandemic, caused me to pivot: I now teach an elementary Montessori classroom (grades 1- 6), and do my academic research more in philosophy of education than in ancient philosophy. My single mother raised my sister and I as a public school orchestra teacher, instilling in me the belief that public education is critical to a democratic society. I have three neurodiverse children, and their experiences in and outside of public schooling have been impactful. I’d like to bring those difficult but largely positive experiences to my work as a Trustee.

Having met with the president of the local teacher’s union (MEA), I believe the three most significant issues in which the Board can play a part are: firstly, stretching an underfunded budget equitably (more below), helping to educate the public about the critical necessity of increased funding at both the state and federal levels, and making decisions that support quality of life issues for teachers (specifically, the current cost of housing, the shortage of substitutes, the increased demand for but lower availability of para-educators.) The Board must act as the administration’s conscience and counselors, but I believe they must also serve the general public by raising awareness and understanding of the district’s needs.

The most radical changes need to be made at the state and federal level, and more of us should consider traveling to or writing to Helena and raising our voices in Washington D.C. to make adequate public school funding a reality. Communications from Superintendent Hill, the current school budget posted online, and discussion with current Trustees suggest to me that the current administration is doing the best they can with what they have, and that rising Trustees must be prepared to make heartbreaking decisions to stretch funding in the most equitable manner possible. As a teacher, I suspect I will lean towards wanting to enable classroom teachers to be the best advocates for the children they serve in my decision recommendations.

I am cautiously optimistic about the charter schools. Having had neurodiverse children, and now teaching in an alternative educational environment (elementary Montessori), I am strongly in favor of experimentation that allows new modes of teaching and learning to occur. These new schools will also bring new methods and training to our local teachers, and they do so with out-of-district funds. Let’s embrace them and see what we can learn.

To the League of Women Voters: Thank you for the opportunity to tell the public a bit about my perspective. I have been humbled by the attention and support my children have received by our amazing school system, and am eager to repay that debt.

As a mom of 3, I’ve got skin in the game when it comes to our public schools.

With a Masters in Special Education, and a background in early intervention, I’ve sat in IEP meetings in almost every school building in the district. Partnering with families, educators and administrators, I’ve helped student-centered teams successfully navigate some pretty rough waters.  

I know how tricky it can be to make sure everyone gets their needs met, but I also know that relationship building and a little creativity can go a long way.

Great things happen when people come together and put in the work behind the scenes. I’ve got my sleeves rolled up and I’m excited to serve this community as we navigate the waters ahead.

Talking to community members about their perspectives this is what I’m hearing: Students wish the school lunches were tastier, and less prepackaged. They like having art class every week, and want to keep it. Families would love more accessible extended school day options. If the school day matched their work day it would make life more doable and lower family stress levels. Educators want to feel valued by their community, these cuts and role shifts have been devastating. Administrators need the legislature to prioritize education at the state level through appropriate funding. They are trying to meet basic needs, increase academic rigor, student engagement, and family satisfaction on a shoe string budget with a skeleton staff.

At the state level, the legislative body must value education. Funding for public education has been squeezed even as the state recognized a 2.6 billion dollar budget surplus. Montana is dead last in the nation when it comes to teacher pay and our district (and districts across the state) had to make historic cuts this year. These cuts have an impact on our community and the quality of education our kids receive. Our current board has made some tough decisions regarding the budget, but the more you dig in the clearer it becomes that the issue is at the state level. As a school board, as a community, and as a state, we must put our money where it matters and make sure the Montanans of tomorrow get the same opportunities we did.

With a background in Special Education I understand the need for alternative approaches in education. The Connect Academy in particular has been an exceptional opportunity for students who are neurodivergent and struggle with the sensory aspects of a traditional school day. I see this as an excellent option for families in our district and know how grateful many are to have it. Initially I was annoyed to learn about the TEACH Academy, especially on the heels of learning about budget cuts. However, when you look deeper, it was one of the only avenues to bring more state funding into the district and ultimately the entire district will benefit. This is a product of state level decisions, with the school board doing its best to serve our kids.