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Anne Arundel Board of Education District 4

Background: Legislation enacted in 2017 changed the Anne Arundel County Board of Education from an appointed to an elected body and eliminated one adult Board position. Implementation of the new structure began in 2018 with the election of four Board members to a six-year term. In 2020, three Board members were elected to a four-year term, and in 2024, all seven adult Board positions are on the ballot.Duties: The duties of the Board include, but are not limited to, the following: selecting and appointing the Superintendent of Schools; appointing personnel; continuous appraisal of the educational and administrative management of the school system; communicating and meeting with community members, staff and students; ratifying collective bargaining agreements; adopting policies, budgets, and courses of study; establishing school boundaries; making decisions on facility, procurement and financial matters; and deciding appeals.Base Salary: $8,000 per year.Term: Four years; limited to two consecutive terms.How Elected: Elected by voters in each councilmanic district.Qualifications: The Board is comprised of seven adult members, and one student member who serves a one-year term. Members must be residents of Anne Arundel County; elected members must reside in the councilmanic district they represent. The student member is selected by the Chesapeake Regional Association of Student Councils (CRASC) and is a regularly enrolled senior-year student of good character and in good standing in a public county high school.

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    Sarah J. McDermott
    (N)

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    Stephanie Mutchler
    (N)

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    Juan Carlos Villao
    (N)

Biographical Information

BACKGROUND AND GOALS: How do your educational background and experience prepare you for the duties of this office and what do you hope to accomplish if elected?

AREA OF NEED: What do you consider the area of greatest need in our county's public education system and how would you propose to address it?

SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT: How would you prioritize initiatives to ensure school environments that are safe, supportive and conducive to learning and teaching?

MENTAL HEALTH: Do you believe the district should provide mental health resources for students and staff? Please explain why or why not.

EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION: In addition to fair pay and benefits, what initiatives would you support to attract and retain high-caliber teachers and staff in all district schools?

FISCAL OVERSIGHT: What are your budgetary priorities and how will you balance them with implementation of the Blueprint for Education mandates?

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Campaign Website http://www.sarahforaacps.com
Campaign Phone 4438755760
Campaign Email smforboe@gmail.com
Campaign Mailing Address 2622 Orchard Oriole Way
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Odenton, MD 21113
As an Air Force veteran and public servant with experience in program implementation, budget and personnel management, legislative coordination, and constituent services, I will bring a unique perspective to the Board that emphasizes oversight, accountability, and a commitment to seeing an initiative through to completion.
The greatest need for our school system is undoubtedly recruiting and retaining certified educators. As a Board member, I will address this need by advocating for an increase in educators’ salaries, health benefits and resources, and classroom size reductions. Making AACPS more competitive is not only what is best for teachers but also for students and families.
I will advocate for more resources directed towards clubs and activities to allow for students to build deeper relationships with peers, educators, and administrative staff. These opportunities emphasize trust and better behavior in a learning environment. I will also encourage restorative justice practices, which encourage self reflection and accountability through mediation, rather than zero tolerance behavior policies.
AACPS should increase mental health, social service, and counseling resources for students and staff. Increasing the number of counselors and psychologists per school is critical to assisting students with emotional learning while navigating challenging situations.
Teachers should be allowed to have say over the size of their classes through the collective bargaining process. They should also have access to mental health resources just like students. These items may seem like after thoughts, but they have an impact on an educator’s daily experience.
My budgetary priorities will be the continuous evaluation of our school system’s competitiveness in terms of recruiting and retention of quality, diverse, and certified educators, advocating for the modernization of our Career and Technical Education courses for students pursuing immediate postsecondary careers, and the implementation of community schools. I will work in coordination with our Superintendent to ensure these priorities align with Blueprint mandates as seamlessly as possible.

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