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Campaign Phone
3028242347
Neighborhood/area of residence
Browntown, Wilmington
Are you currently a school board member? (Y/N)
N
How many school board meetings did you attend last year?
1
Implement "Board Member Stipends": We can learn from some other states that are moving toward a living wage or per-meeting stipend. A modest monthly stipend can help a working-class candidate cover childcare or transportation costs.
Offer Childcare During Meetings: Providing on-site childcare for board members and the public removes a massive barrier for younger parents whose voices are needed at the table.
Most people run for office because someone they respect asked them to. Staff and board members should proactively reach out to leaders in local nonprofits, PTAs, and faith-based organizations. Invite voices from historically marginalized communities.
Develop a school board training where people can learn budget, language, and goals.
As a candidate for the Christina School Board, I believe the decision of how to structure our school districts is too consequential to be rushed. While I recognize the urgent need for equity, I am not yet convinced that a single, massive consolidated district is the only, or, best path forward.
The district needs stability for students to be successful. I am not closing the door on any model, but as a leader with 10 years of board experience, I will not vote for a 'radical shake-up' until we have clear, data-driven answers on tax rates, feeder patterns, and the protection of our teachers’ contracts. Our students deserve a decision made with a 'due diligence' mindset.
I bring 10 years of nonprofit executive board leadership experience to a district that is at a critical crossroads. I have managed budgets, led strategic planning, nurtured community outreach, and championed project management.
I have dedicated my life's work to leading incarcerated youth through yoga and mindfulness practices that help regulate the nervous system.
My experiences and skills enable me to lead from wisdom and conscious relationship to establish professional governance. My background allows me to hit the ground running on day one auditing our budget to prioritize our 'literacy emergency,' protecting our educators' collective bargaining rights, and ensuring our most vulnerable students have the safety they need to learn.
I recommend a professional, multi-step reconsideration protocol that requires a formal written challenge process that outlines specifically what material the person would like removed and why. If a parent finds a specific book in the curriculum objectionable for their child, after being reviewed by a committee, we can provide an alternative high-quality text that meets the same learning standards.
A challenged book, topic, subject or program should be reviewed by a committee of subject-matter experts, including librarians, teachers, administrators, and field leaders. They must evaluate the work as a whole, not based on isolated passages. While being reviewed the material must continue to be available for students until a decision is made.
I find it unethical to name a singularly most important issue, however, none of the issues can be effectively addressed if the board is in chaos. I will push for a formal Board Ethics and Operations Agreement that goes beyond the state-mandated training.
I will also strategically address the fiscal realignment of the district. I will call for a Top-to-Bottom Budget Audit to ensure that the new revenue from the 10% tax increase is being braided with state Opportunity Funding.
I will address the root cause of chronic absenteeism and prioritize the expansion of the Community School Model by using my nonprofit experience to bring health and nutrition partners into our schools that need it the most.
With my 10 years of nonprofit experience, I will
maximize "Opportunity Funding" for Multilingual and Low-Income Students. I will ensure these funds are being used to hire more reading and math specialists, school counselors, and social workers in our highest-need buildings. I will push for a public Equity Dashboard that tracks the performance of our English-language learners (ELL) and low-income students.
I will also push to modernize the special education services and I will ensure that the voices of our Wilmington and under-served Newark families are the loudest in the room during redistricting talks. I will leverage my nonprofit background to incorporate district funds with outside resources to expand Community Schools.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
I am in support of a presence of well-trained, trauma informed, law enforcement for immediate physical threats, but I also advocate for new funding for Social Workers, School Psychologists, and De-escalation Specialists.
I strongly believe that SROs should never be involved in routine school discipline or minor behavioral issues. SRO presence can disproportionately impact students of color and students with disabilities. I support increasing well trained school constables, not SRO's.
