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Campaign Phone
302-242-1213
Neighborhood/area of residence
Kent County
Are you currently a school board member? (Y/N)
Y
How many school board meetings did you attend last year?
0
As a teacher with over 40 years of experience, I have a deep understanding of the educational landscape, including curriculum development, classroom management, and strategies to support diverse learners. I have worked collaboratively with colleagues, administrators, and families to create inclusive learning environments that prioritize student achievement. As a parent of two who matriculated through the district, I am committed to ensuring that every child in our district receives a high-quality education that prepares them for a successful future. This dual perspective enables me to advocate effectively for policies and initiatives that benefit all stakeholders in our school community.
Teacher shortage is an issue that is facing school districts across the country. We need to focus on strategies to make the profession more attractive, beginning with increasing the pay. The salary needs to be competitive. Teachers make all other professions possible but fall at the lower end of the salary scale. Once teachers are hired, we need to do everything possible to retain them by providing as much support as possible. Teachers should be offered the opportunity to attend ongoing training and professional development. We have to create an environment, a sense of family, in which teachers would not want to leave, other than pursuing a promotion. This has been my experience, hence why I remained in the same district for 35 years.
If there are concerns, there has to be an opportunity for the community to publicly express the reasons for the request. The same opportunity will have to be afforded to those who may disagree with the request. The board should listen to those concerns without bias. The board should also review the established policies and laws that need to be followed when making the decision on keeping or removing curriculum, books, etc. There should be a process that is followed. A diverse committee can be convened to go through the review process. The decision, for or against, should be publicly shared with the community.
"Every student, every day" is the mantra. If all the adult stakeholders lived by this, we would meet the needs of all students regardless of their race, creed, religion, socio-economic status, or academic level. It is our responsibility, our moral duty, and the law to do our very best to meet the needs of all students. Where necessary, we may need to fund special programs that will provide additional support to meet the needs of diverse learners and background.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
No. The current funding is mostly based on enrollment as of September 30. The September 30 count determines the number of teachers and staff the school is entitled to have. There are other supports schools may need that are not part of this formula. The formula should include the need for additional services students may need such as Reading and/or Math Interventionists. Additionally, students transfer into schools throughout the year. There should be other times, throughout the year, schools can request additional funding based on their net growth.
A Fully Weighted Model has been suggested:
The funding should be based on the needs of each student. Additional funding given for high needs students.
Funding follows the student.
Improving student achievement requires a multifaceted approach. Following are some of my thoughts: Students thrive in an environment that is positive, engaging, and fosters a growth mind set. Students should be encouraged to be actively involved in their learning. Students have different learning styles and therefore a variety of teaching methods should be incorporated when activities, discussions, and projects are being planned. In addition, examples should be relevant. It is necessary to regularly assess student understanding in order to adjust the lesson. At any given time, when any student shows signs of struggling with the content, immediate targeted supports should be implemented. Early intervention is the key.
