I am currently the youngest Board member and candidate, at the age of 34. My wife and I have two elementary aged children in the school district, and one who will be attending soon. I am the son of Mexican immigrants; growing up, we lived a few years in Twin Oaks, a trailer park, and the bulk of my upbringing was in the Town of Lima. I attended UW-Whitewater for my BBA and my MBA, with an emphasis in Finance and final GPA of 3.908. I speak Spanish, and I am able to communicate with long-time, and new, constituents of Whitewater who also speak Spanish and also pay taxes. I believe strongly in servant leadership, and participate in a few civic organizations and events when possible such as being a member of The League of Women Voters.

As an instructor myself at UWW, I can relate to many of the teachers of similar age. I outreach to teacher leadership to listen and inquire how I can help - no matter the age. Building rapport is important to me, in fostering an environment and culture of belonging; this news spreads to other school districts, and attracts a diversified pool of teacher/staff candidates. In circles of local teachers/staff who work with Latino students - it has been shared with me that Whitewater has been the most welcoming; our district student population is about 40% Latino, and has been for many years. During outreaches, the majority of Whitewater Latino parents are extremely grateful and satisfied of how teachers/staff aide all of our students.

As an incumbent, the Whitewater Unified School District has a clear list of duties and responsibilities that a Board member should uphold and role model for our youth, including recommendations on how to civically engage and how to behave. All of this, is public information, which can be found online. As the current Vice-President, it is important to me to empower the other Board members where possible and I always leave a pathway of open communication; Board members are not obligated to communicate with each other beyond meetings, but I encourage it - avoiding walking quorum. The most important duty I focus on, and given to us, is: "Advocate for children at the local, state, and national levels." [10, Policy 150, Board Power and Duties]

I attended Whitewater schools k-12. I lived in low income housing with my mother and sister through middle and high school. I have a lifetime tech-ed licensure, 20 years experience in the classroom, and a Master's in educational leadership. I have also worked in the construction and automotive fields. I have formed groups responsible for donations of thousands of dollars of equipment to the WHS tech-ed wing. I send both of my children to the Whitewater School District, and have coached their many sports since my 13 year old was in tee-ball. In the trades I have built homes, decks and basements. I've repaired more vehicles for members of this community than I can remember. And, I'm happy to be a Whippet for life.

As a member of the school board I will encourage and advise the district to seek the most qualified candidates for any open positions. It is imperative that a district such as ours increases its literacy and mathematics proficiency at all levels. The best way to increase those scores is to recruit and retain quality educators who enjoy their work and strive to get the most out of their students. Support staff play a vital, yet often overlooked role in our current educational model. Students look to teachers and aids as role models and will rise to meet expectations. The district can and should look to our many wonderful families for ideas on how to best support their students. Parents after all, are a student's first teachers.

The role of a school board member is to set and adhere to district policy. Board members should make informed decisions based on the values of the community and their constituents. Board members should ask for and welcome community input and be the model of transparency. The school board should ask tough questions of itself and its employees and meet challenges head on. Board members should lead the district by example focusing on what is best for children and creating a positive and caring school culture.

What differentiates me from other candidates and board members is I am a mom of a student at Whitewater High School and current President of the Whitewater School Board. I have the ability to lead, listen to all stakeholders and bring people together. I am an advocate for children at the state and local levels. I am active in Scouts, currently serving as the District Chair for Rock River, and leader for Whitewater Pack 716. I am also a coach for Battle of the Books, active in 4H, and PTA. I have served on various boards: including the Rock Prairie Montessori Board of Trustees, Glacier’s Edge Council Board, CCO of the Series Portfolios Trust, and CCO of the Catholic Financial Services Board.

I always prioritize the interests of students in our District including aligning our teacher and student population. It is important to understand students' needs and ensure that the Superintendent hires staff who reflect the diversity of Whitewater. Upon hiring, priority should be given to mentoring new teachers and assisting in the development of a culturally responsive curriculum. As a board member, it is important to understand the District's needs and support this process. Since finding diverse staff can be a challenge, I recently voted to approve an incentive program to support the hiring of hard to fill positions like Multilingual teachers.

As a board member, it is my responsibility to support the students and staff in our District, represent the community on the school board, serve as a liaison between the District and the community, adhere to open meetings laws, advocate for the District’s needs at the state and local levels and maintain a relentless commitment to ensuring that ALL children can learn at high levels! The role of a school board member is to set the direction of the District. This includes adopting policy for governance and management of the District, budgetary oversight, reviewing and approving curriculum changes and conducting an annual review of the superintendent.

I was raised and still live on the farm adjacent to the one my ancestors settled on in the 1840's, which is now part of the Whitewater School District. I developed at a young age the quality of integrity and a strong work ethic. My career as a public school teacher spanned 32 years in the areas of Agribusiness, Special, and Alternative Education. I served as the Chairman of the Town of Richmond for 14 years and have been in a partnership with my brother for 34 years as an owner operator of a farm. I also presently serve as the president and sextant of the Richmond Cemetery Association. I am dedicated to public service and have been attending various board committee meetings and nearly all of the regular meetings over the past 2 years.

Emphasis should be placed on the candidate most qualified per the job description and have the ability to adapt to all students, regardless of social, economic, or ethnic backgrounds. Diversity, equity, and inclusion is everything in our society. How is a district going to recruit a teacher who "looks" like any of the following that make up the student body: rural student, urban student, student from a poor family, student from a wealthy family, academic student, vocational/technical student, athletic student, gifted/talented student, special education student, and so forth. Students need to understand their heritage and that of their fellow students and community members. The curriculum should reflect the diversity of the students.

The duties and powers of a school board and authority of a school board are explicitly stated in the Wisconsin Statutes 118 and 120, respectively. The members of the board collectively govern the district. They establish goals and a vision, adopt policy, and evaluate the progress of the processes and plans of the district. Essentially, the board is tasked with the oversight in management-doing what they think is best to run the operation. A board member needs to listen to the issues and concerns posed to them by constituents, be respectful of fellow board member views, not be afraid to voice their own opinion even if no other member might agree, and should also be visible at school and community events.