Mandan School Board Unexpired 1-Year Term Choose 1
The school board oversees the activities of the school district to give students the best possible experience and outcome. Some of the ways it achieves this is through overseeing the school superintendent, setting policy, and approving the budget.The school board’s work is important to the community more broadly because it educates the community’s future residents and workers, and the budgeting process affects resident’s property taxes. Find out more on the ND School Boards Association’s website.
Biographical Information
Campaign Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/JulieCroninSkaret4Schools
Campaign Phone Number
701-391-0413
Why are you the best candidate for this position?
I am a common-sense parent who cares about what’s happening inside our schools, and instead of standing on the sidelines, I want to be a part of the decision-making processes. Our current board needs a fresh perspective. 7 of the 9 members have served nearly 10 years or longer, and many of them have missed several board and committee meetings. As an elected member, I will attend all meetings. I believe decisions are shaped by our schools and community, not dictated from the top down.
What are your top three priorities?
I have spent a considerable amount of time watching school board meetings, reviewing the minutes, and reading through documents and reports. My top priorities, however, have been formed from the mouths of parents, students, and teachers, specifically. 1-Safety in the Classroom, 2-Staff Retention, 3-Parental Engagement. Teachers can't teach and students can't learn if they don't feel safe in school.
How would you approach enhancing student achievement and improving the quality of education for all students by collaborating with educators, parents, and the community?
I am prepared to do some case studies to find out what’s working in school districts across the country that are similar to ours. What I do know is that one important way to connect educators and parents is through effective parent/teacher conferences throughout the school year. I also know that parents can't make much sense out of the current grading scale, and I believe it’s taking away from student achievement. It’s imperative that we continue and improve our relationships with stakeholders.
How would you support the recruitment and retention of teachers and staff?
I would begin the conversation by addressing what the district has done to get direct feedback from all staff on what keeps them in the district and what concerns them. We can build on what’s keeping them, and we can learn and make adjustments knowing what’s troubling them. The board also should consider creating a working group with various staff members from various schools within the district. This group of peers could be collecting information from their other peers to report to the board.
What is your stance on content selection and access to books in school libraries and classrooms?
My 11-year-old 6th grader came home from school one day with a book full of profanity and adult issues, even described a young girl putting a condom on a boy. I had the book removed from the school. I understand that there are many opinions on what is appropriate reading material and what isn’t, but this is where common sense comes into play. That’s why a diverse group of individuals, including librarians, teachers, and parents, should determine if certain books/authors are appropriate.
Biographical Information
Why are you the best candidate for this position?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What are your top three priorities?
Candidate has not yet responded.
How would you approach enhancing student achievement and improving the quality of education for all students by collaborating with educators, parents, and the community?
Candidate has not yet responded.
How would you support the recruitment and retention of teachers and staff?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What is your stance on content selection and access to books in school libraries and classrooms?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Biographical Information
Why are you the best candidate for this position?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What are your top three priorities?
Candidate has not yet responded.
How would you approach enhancing student achievement and improving the quality of education for all students by collaborating with educators, parents, and the community?
Candidate has not yet responded.
How would you support the recruitment and retention of teachers and staff?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What is your stance on content selection and access to books in school libraries and classrooms?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Biographical Information
Campaign Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/VictoriaL.Vayda-HammondforMandanSchoolBoard
Why are you the best candidate for this position?
I am an ideal school board candidate for this role because I have developed a deep and true-understanding of the needs for our students, teachers, and educators. Every child in our Mandan Public School District is important and every minute in school is just as important. Our Students' future is the education in the classroom. I represent the City of Mandan of serving on a number of boards and committees. My involvement in Mandan will prepare me for my continued service to the Mandan community.
What are your top three priorities?
My top three priorities are creating more Career Technical Education Programs. Students K-12 along with teachers can learn and teach one another and to have the on-hand learning experiences. Second Balancing a school curriculum between teachers and students. I would like to see is reassessing the educational needs. Third Parents are struggling to afford school supplies for their children due to inflation, It disrupts the learning process. Retail stores willing to donate overstock inventory.
How would you approach enhancing student achievement and improving the quality of education for all students by collaborating with educators, parents, and the community?
My approach to enhancing student achievement would be evaluating policies and practices to ensure improvement on student outcomes as well as allocation of resources.
Also making each student better prepared at the end of each grade reduces their risk of falling behind. Improving the quality of education for all students by collaborating with educators, teachers and parents. An example of this would be direct communications, being on the same page and also to develop a strong leadership team.
How would you support the recruitment and retention of teachers and staff?
One way to show support for the recruitment and retention for teachers and staff is to foster a positive culture for the School Environment. Second is to use student-centered learning. Third is to develop more greater open-door policies between teachers and students. Fourth is to provide the teachers, educators, and students with the necessary tools and resources for on-hand training. Fifth is to encourage active learning and sixth making the teachers and students feel respected and supported.
What is your stance on content selection and access to books in school libraries and classrooms?
My stance on content selection and access to books is to provide high quality honest works of literature for all children. It is always up to the librarians and teachers to chose what is based for our children. Isn't what being a teacher and librarians are all about? If we cannot trust our librarians and our teachers to do their job, whom can we trust? We need librarians and teachers to take care of our children to teach and nuture them. Isn't that more of what we need? Teachers and librarians?