VOTE411 Voter Guide

I have been in education for over 43 years, teaching at the college level for half of that and then being a college administrator for the other half. I ended my career a year ago as President of Tillamook Bay Community College in Tillamook, OR for 7 years. I managed my own board of directors for those seven years and was also on the NW Regional ESD Board of Directors for those 7 years, one as chair. I also worked closely with superintendents in my college district to produce seamless transitions for high school students to college and provided many dual credit college courses in both transfer and CTE courses that saved Tillamook families over $250,000 a year in tuition and fees. I am a strong supporter of CTE programs.

Our district certainly does that and our board will follow state and federal laws and policies. With the federal issues currently with DEI, we choose to follow Oregon state laws that support it.

Achievement gaps are at the top of the list to ensure all students can be successful in school and work toward finding a career that will fulfill them, especially the underserved. Also to keep students and staff safe is a priority. Budget concerns will also continue to be an issue, especially with the uncertainty of federal funding. We need to work hard to ensure the limited resources are put where they will make the biggest difference in those key issues.

I am a career classroom teacher and educational leader of 27 years who has worked in a range of diverse environments including here in Bend La Pine Schools. I have significant experience teaching in grades K - 10 specializing in differentiating instruction to meet the spectrum of unique learner needs and backgrounds. In addition, I am richly practiced at vetting and adopting curricula, tracking student data and designing interventions, leading educational teams, designing and overseeing experiential and service learning programs, and serving as community liaison in outreach initiatives. Essentially, if it takes place in schools, I have likely been involved, readying me to bring an essential "lens" to the school board's leadership.

With the closure of the DoE, a lot remains to be seen; however, federal demands of meeting ESSA, title IX, and IDEA, for example, must always be addressed. At the state level, it is essential to comply with expectations of curricular standards, certification requirements, funding mandates, graduation requirements, and special education considerations to name a sample set. Essentially, from both the federal and state level, there are clear expectations to be met to remain in compliance while offering each student the opportunity for a fulfilling, empowering education. School board membership requires ongoing attention to both enduring and changing demands to assure regulatory fidelity.

The discouraging National Assessment of Educational Progress scores at all levels is a chief concern to be addressed in Bend La Pine Schools. A "back to the basics" approach that focuses less on "off the shelf" curricula and/or EdTech and, instead, prioritizes teachers' collaborative expertise in providing data-driven instruction is sorely needed. A clearly defined and monitored Professional Learning Community model would be highly effective in this regard.

In addition, teacher burnout directly related to workload and student conduct can not be ignored. Building administrators must assure fidelity in upholding the district's code of conduct.

Finally, every child must feel welcome and safe in school and see themselves in the curriculum.