McMinnville School District Director Position 3 Choose 1
There are 197 public school districts in Oregon, each governed by a board of education. School boards set goals, establish policies, oversee the performance of district schools, and negotiate contracts. The state Board of Education sets broader educational policies and standards that local schools are required to follow.Qualifications: Candidate must be a registered voter and a resident of the district for at least 1 year. Employees of the district are not eligible unless employed as a substitute driver. ORS 332.016 and 332.018(2)Term: 4 years
Biographical Information
Contact Phone
(971) 319-0963
Campaign Phone (public)
(971) 319-0963
Web Site (leave blank if not applicable)
http://www.instagram.com/baderformcminnville/
Town Where You Live
McMinnville, Oregon
Your Experience/Qualifications
I've been serving on the McMinnville School Board since 2024. I have two children in the district, coach the high school girls rugby club, and teach at Linfield University. I've worked in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors and served on numerous nonprofit advisory boards, gaining skills & experience directly relevant to school board duties.
County
Yamhill
Term
2025
Term Expires
2029
What skills and experience do you bring to school board service?
I’m the proud mom of twins in one of our district’s middle schools and head coach of the girls high school rugby club. As a parent, school volunteer, and coach, I see our district’s strengths and needs—which led me to start attending school board and budget committee meetings in 2023. I’ve served on the school board since 2024.
In my previous life, I was Amazon's first director of social responsibility, and worked in other private, public, and nonprofit sector roles. I've also served on numerous nonprofit advisory boards. All of these experiences have developed my muscles for building relationships, asking hard questions, listening carefully, and working towards solutions.
What is your understanding of the District’s obligations to comply with federal and state education policies?
The role of the board is to ensure compliance with all federal, state and local laws and regulations, including that all related reporting requirements are being met; this is essential to protect the district from lawsuits and ensure continuation of funding. The board is also responsible for overseeing the budget, policies, and leadership of the district, which are key to achieving compliance.
How would you address the issues facing the District’s schools that you consider the most urgent?
Attendance is one of our top priorities. Teachers and staff are making heroic efforts to get students to school and keep them engaged, but there’s more that we can and must do at a systemic level to improve attendance. For example, creating safe routes to school so that kids can bike or walk would, for some students, negate the need to rely on parents or buses.
We are also facing a student mental health crisis. Our district has taken steps in the past year such as ensuring phone-free classrooms, contracting with local mental health providers to provide on-site support, and collaborating with community partners to ensure that families know what resources are available. I will continue to champion these initiatives in our district.