The school board is the governing body of the school corporation. Board members establish district policies, adopt the annual budget, hire and evaluate the superintendent, oversee district finances and facilities, and make decisions affecting educational programs and long-term planning. Board members represent the interests of students, families, staff, and the community while ensuring the school corporation complies with state and federal laws.
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Occupation/Current Position
Retired
Education
Goshen College, BA '91, Indiana University, BGS w/Certificate in Paralegal Studies '12
Campaign Email
ciamurphy26@sracynthia4schoolboarddist3.com
Campaign Phone
574-538-9611
After retiring from a career at IUSB, I devoted a year to being “Nana” to my three grandchildren. I also reflected on my plans and goals for how I would want to contribute to my community. Considering my former role as a retention specialist supporting students and families, my path became clear: I would run for school board. Listening to people’s dreams and struggles motivated me to run. It is powerful witnessing resilience in others (as well as finding my own, as a single mother).
My education (BA in Social Work, BGS in Social Sciences with a Certificate in Paralegal Studies, and graduate work in both Counseling and Human Services and Social Work) will help me to be an effective school board member. I will bring a grassroots perspective as I strive to represent the residents of District 3, where I have lived for 27 years.
In addition to being prepared to react to the impacts of Senate Enrolled Act 1 on local schools, board members will need to be proactive regarding the recent changes to federal and state eligibility for programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/food stamps) and Medicaid. Cuts to these programs have already removed thousands of Hoosiers from eligibility. This directly impacts the Community Eligibility Provision that allows schools to offer free and reduced lunches to all students if 25% of the study body’s household receives either one of these benefits. The loss of this provision means families must individually apply to the schools to receive this nutritional support for their students.
We know that hungry children struggle to learn. This will complicate the process of feeding hungry children. It is unacceptable.
Parents, students, and community members play an essential role in decision-making. It is the school board members’ responsibility to find ways to communicate with constituencies in ways that create transparency and build trust. Community focus groups, community discussion circles around difficult topics (such as school safety), and school board town halls are examples of how I believe that the board should engage with community stakeholders. Once this feedback is collected, the board -- in its role to charter the future direction of our schools -- needs to have meaningful, transparent discussions that take this collective feedback into account.
Students are the priority and concern of all of us. This is not a partisan issue. I am, however, an independent thinking, proud Democrat because the Democratic Party has taken a strong stance in support of public education and party support provides increased visibility and support for our core values.
Local elections are about how we all come together as a community to support and take pride in our public schools. We do not all have to share the same political beliefs to attend a band or orchestra event, cheer on a sports team, be inspired by a student art exhibition, or support our teachers, paraprofessionals, school bus drivers, and the cafeteria workers who ensure that children have at least one guaranteed meal a day.
The question is not what to cut. The question is what are our local taxes designed to fund? Local communities have local interests (such as high quality, safe schools, and sufficient fire and police protection) at heart. Public tax dollars that are invested in local public schools educate the next generation for the jobs/careers that sustain and allow our communities to grow and thrive. The current state and property tax “reform” in SEA-1, when combined with loss of per student funds to private school vouchers and “school choice”, transfer needed financial resources out of our local public schools. This is the real conversation that we must have now—before it is too late.
