School Board MemberSchool board members are elected for a four-year term by voters within the school district during the general election in even-numbered years. Qualifications include living in the district for at least one year, being a registered voter, and a candidate may not be an employee of the district when assuming office or have a spouse or dependent employed by the district.School board members are nonpartisan and are responsible for broad, forward-thinking, and decisive action in all areas that affect students and staff in their schools. School board members have no individual authority, but their authority rests in casting a vote at required governing board meetings.Responsibilities of the board include hiring and evaluating the superintendent, providing input in budget development to ensure funding is provided to meet goals and monitoring and approving the budget, setting salaries for employees, approving purchases, establishing and approving policies, approving curriculum materials, adopting the school calendar, reviewing regulations for compliance with policy, approving personnel actions based on superintendent recommendations, closing or constructing schools; assessing board effectiveness, monitoring progress toward goals.Why you should care:The school board’s role is to advocate for public education in the community and ensure the school district is well run. The board, as a whole, monitors performance to meet academic, financial, and operational goals. The collaborative decisions made by school board members will affect children and their parents, the livelihood of school district employees, and the economic well-being of an entire community. This position is unpaid and requires time, a willingness to learn about issues affecting the school district, and a passion for a positive culture and public education system committed to providing the best and most appropriate education for all children.For additional information:https://www.azk12.org/media/yjvlpkfo/district-school-board-duties.pdfMiembro de la junta escolarLos miembros de la junta escolar son elegidos por un período de cuatro años por los votantes del distrito escolar durante las elecciones generales en años pares. Los requisitos incluyen haber vivido en el distrito durante al menos un año, estar registrado para votar y un candidato no puede ser un empleado del distrito al asumir el cargo o tener un cónyuge o dependiente empleado por el distrito.Los miembros de la junta escolar no son partidistas. Estos son responsables de acciones amplias, progresistas y decisivas en todas las áreas que afectan a los estudiantes y al personal de sus escuelas. Los miembros de la junta escolar no tienen autoridad individual, mas bien, su autoridad se basa en emitir un voto en las reuniones requeridas de la junta directiva.Las responsabilidades de la junta incluyen contratar y evaluar al superintendente, brindar aportes en el desarrollo del presupuesto para garantizar que se proporcionen fondos para cumplir con las metas y monitorear y aprobar el presupuesto, establecer salarios para los empleados, aprobar compras, establecer y aprobar reglamentos, aprobar materiales curriculares, adoptar el calendario escolar, revisar los reglamentos para el cumplimiento de las políticas existentes, aprobar acciones de personal basadas en las recomendaciones del superintendente, cerrar o construir escuelas; evaluar la efectividad de la junta, monitorear el progreso en función de las metas.Por qué debería importarle:El papel de la junta escolar es interceder por la educación pública en la comunidad y garantizar que el distrito escolar esté bien administrado. La junta, como un todo, supervisa el desempeño para cumplir con las metas académicas, financieras y operativas. Las decisiones colaborativas tomadas por los miembros de la junta escolar afectarán a los niños y sus padres, el sustento de los empleados del distrito escolar y el bienestar económico de toda una comunidad. Este puesto no es remunerado y requiere tiempo, disposición para aprender acerca de los problemas que afectan al distrito escolar y pasión por una cultura positiva y un sistema de educación público comprometido con brindar la mejor educación posible y la más adecuada para todos los niños.Para información adicional:https://www.azk12.org/media/yjvlpkfo/district-school-board-duties.pdf
Public Policy Priorities
My policy priorities for FUSD focus on ensuring responsible and equitable use of district resources while advocating for meaningful and engaging professional development for teachers. I also stand for maintaining the integrity of public education by opposing the ESA voucher program in its current form, promoting fair access to transportation, and pushing for long-term workforce development solutions. Additionally, I advocate for expanded educational opportunities in language and culture development in schools, oppose the banning of diverse literature, and support initiatives to bring teachers and families together to support students holistically.
Qualifications and Experience
I have served since May 2024 on the FUSD School Governing Board and have engaged with students, families and teachers to support the development of our education programs for the community. As a professional, I served as a certified middle and high school history teacher here in Flagstaff and worked as the department chair as well. I am currently employed by NAU, focused on academic support and success for students at the university level. I have obtained four degrees with a B.S.E.D. in History Education, M.Ed. in Education Leadership, M.A. in Political Science and a Ph.D. in Political Science.
Organization Memberships and Affiliations
ASBA
Occupation
Director, Academic Support
Education
Ph.D. Political Science
My vision for the school board is to create a learning environment where every student, regardless of background, feels valued and supported. I believe in fostering inclusive spaces that respect and celebrate the diversity of our student population, ensuring equitable access to education for all. I am committed to supporting policies that provide resources for students from all walks of life, including those from underserved or minority communities, and ensuring that our schools are a place where differences are celebrated. Although this question is focused on students, I also advocate we extend the aforementioned ideas to our teachers and staff as well. By focusing on creating a holistically diverse environment for all, meaningful learning can come from engaging dialogue. As a part of expanding access and diversity, I will continue to advocate for equitable access to transportation, support for teachers, and opposing efforts that divert essential funding from public schools.
When recruiting and evaluating a district superintendent, I will prioritize qualities of strong leadership, transparency, and a deep commitment to equity. A successful superintendent must have a proven track record of addressing diverse student needs, supporting teachers, and fostering a collaborative environment. I will look for the individual to understand the importance of fiscal responsibility, especially in managing resources like bonds and overrides, and who can advocate for increased state funding. Expertise in navigating complex educational policies, strategic planning, and community engagement will also be key. Most importantly, a superintendent must value public education as a tool for equity and be dedicated to creating opportunities for every student, regardless of their background.
Education is a public good and ensuring equitable access to quality education for all students must remain a priority. To address the costs of special education evaluations and proportionate share services for ESA students, I would advocate for policies that ensure these expenses are covered equitably without undermining resources for public school students. As for ESA students participating in sports at district schools, I believe participation should be possible, but with clear policies in place. As a board, we approved school fees this past year, which included a rate for ESA sports participation that reflected the costs of an individual students participation, ensuring school funding is not spent on students we do not receive funding for. The current ESA program raises concerns around equity, accountability and the diversion of already limited funding resources for public schools and we must maintain that the ESA program does not funnel more money away from public education.
1. Teacher Recruitment and Retention: Attracting and retaining qualified teachers is essential, especially with the challenges of low pay and high housing costs in Flagstaff. I support higher salaries, workforce housing initiatives, meaningful professional development and making this a core priority in the budget.
2. Equity in Education Access: Ensuring all students, especially those in special education and underserved populations, have equitable access to quality resources. I support the prioritization of funding for special education services, transportation solutions, and programs that support diverse learners, making equity a budgetary focus.
3. Funding: Bonds and overrides can provide the necessary funding to address urgent infrastructure issues that otherwise may be delayed, or go unaddressed, due to budget constraints. In our current context, bonds are an important piece of the fiscal reality for FUSD, and I support bringing back an override to the voters.
The primary role of a school board, in curriculum development, is to approve curriculum ensuring it aligns with FUSD’s educational vision, community values and state standards. I have worked closely with teachers and administrators to ensure all approved curriculum fosters inclusivity and diversity, meets educational standards and is accessible to students from diverse backgrounds and with special needs. Furthermore, through board meetings, I have heard and actively engaged with parents to garner community feedback. Alongside curriculum approval, I have also highlighted the need to prioritize funding for professional development for teachers enabling them to effectively implement the curriculum and adopt new teaching methods when necessary. As a board member, I will regularly assess curriculum that comes before us to ensure it is meeting the broad array of needs in the district.
