I am a passionate supporter of public education and a current Trustee. I’ve seen firsthand the commitment of many individuals who contribute to the success of our schools. Together, we've confronted challenges, from negotiating budget cuts without compromising programs or teachers, to defending public education amidst heightened scrutiny. We've embraced the increasing diversity of our student body and successfully appointed a new Superintendent. We have a high quality system with strong support from our community. To navigate the challenging issues ahead that prioritizes students’ needs will require compassionate and visionary leadership. I have the perspective and experience to be an engaged and thoughtful member of the board.

I moved to Bozeman in 1989 and raised 3 kids who attended BSD7. I’m a former BSD7 teacher and adjunct MSU faculty; currently I am an education consultant. My belief in the excellence of our schools is based on a personal/professional lens. I’m grateful for the support when I was first elected to the Board and proud of our accomplishments such as implementing the Early Literacy Program. Our teachers are exceptionally dedicated. I pledge to advocate for the excellence of our schools; listen attentively and draw upon my experience to contribute effectively to the Board. My involvement in subcommittee work, participating in teacher development, and serving on the Board of Directors for the MTSBA reflects my commitment to public education.

My role as a Trustee is two-fold: First, to oversee policy that guides our district to achieve our goals; secondly, to engage and support the leadership of the district to enact our vision and core purposes. It is my responsibility to advocate, be informed, participate, listen, and act in accordance with the laws and policies of our state and district to provide a quality education for all kids in the Bozeman community.

While I take pride in our accomplishments, I recognize that there's still much work ahead. Teacher recruitment and retention remain significant challenges, exacerbated by the realities of living costs in Bozeman. Additionally, stagnant enrollment in our K-5 population necessitates careful navigation of potential budget cuts. We’re at nearly double the enrollment of multilingual learners and only beginning the transition to block scheduling for our middle and high schools. However, amidst these challenges, we hold onto the bright promise of providing every child in our community with a quality public education.

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Even though I have a Belgrade address I do live in the Bozeman School District. I am running to continue serving on our well-functioning Board in the effort to continue to help our district achieve our goal of providing ALL students with an education that helps them reach their full potential. I also would like to continue as a trustee to help our district navigate challenging issues in education and in a way that provides good solutions so our educators can provide students and parents with essential services for quality learning experiences. I want to assure ALL of our students are provided the best opportunities to learn, thrive, and succeed in life.

I have been on the Board for 19 years and I served on the Montana School Boards Association Board of Directors for 13 years. I have had two children go through Bozeman Schools and now have grandchildren entering school. I have learned from each of these experiences about how education is addressed at the state level and what challenges our educators and staff face in the classrooms and buildings every day. I have developed many good connections and relationships with different education stakeholders, at the state and local level, and I believe my knowledge and relationships can be of value in addressing the many issues within our system of education today.

The role of a trustee is to govern, not micromanage our system. A trustee needs to stay attuned to what is happening in our schools and our district and govern in a way that is supportive of our educators but also recognizes the needs and desires of our community, parents, students, business leaders, etc. A trustee is also responsible for governing our financial resources to assure the funds taxpayers pay to support our students is transparent, effective, and efficient. A trustee is also responsible to establish and maintain good community communication and support of our community as that is an essential element in a successful school system.

There are many issues we face but the most challenging ones at this time are classroom behavior, teacher time to collaborate and teach effectively, and funding of our system of education. Each one of these requires significant time and resources and our district does a good job of addressing these as best we can. However, we need to have more attention from key state stakeholders to learn what the challenges are and what can we do to resolve those challenges. In the end it is all about our students and what resources, time and money, we need to be as responsive, effective, and efficient to provide them what they need to reach their full potential. I want to continue to engage in those essential discussions.

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I have decided to run for a School Board Trustee position because I am fully committed to the educational well-being and success of my two elementary aged children. Our children’s education is the foundation of a prosperous society. Schools are the guardians of what we as a society hold as one of our most valuable and important assets in life, our children. I am passionate about contributing to the continuation of our high-quality educational system committed to meeting the diverse needs of all students in the Bozeman School District.

After growing up in Butte, I moved to Bozeman in 2003. During my time in Bozeman, my wife and I have started multiple small businesses and have successfully sold two of them. Owning these small businesses gave me the knowledge, skills, and aptitude necessary to effectively address the complex issues facing the Bozeman School District. Due to my strong business background, I understand the critical role of sensible management of our district's resources. I am fully dedicated to promoting transparency, accountability, and effectiveness in the distribution and oversight of our district’s financial resources.

I believe our school district is responsible for providing a high-quality education accessible and equitable for all students. I am committed to advocating for policies and programs that focus on core academic excellence.

Lack of transparency for policies and fiscal responsibility. I will work diligently to ensure responsible distribution of our district's financial resources by promoting transparency, accountability, and efficiency in budget planning, allocation, and management. I will also advocate for transparency and parental input for all policies and initiatives in the Bozeman School District.