Since being elected in 2020, I am proud of the TCAPS Board of Education’s many accomplishments, including (1) developing a strategic plan with community input, (2) enhancing security across the district, (3) strengthening policies to improve student learning and culture, (4) increasing mental health services, (5) rebuilding trust, and (6) spending taxpayer dollars responsibly. However, we still have work to do in improving student achievement, continuously enhancing security, and maintaining mental health services. Previously, I volunteered in the classroom for 6 years, tutoring students to boost their math and reading skills. That experience opened my eyes to the challenges that students and teachers face on a daily basis. Professionally, I have served the public for 22 years at a federal agency that provides Congress with nonpartisan, research-based information to inform decisions, develop policy, and improve the status quo. As part of a team, I evaluate the effectiveness of federal programs, identify taxpayer savings, and make recommendations for improvement—all skills that translate well to board service. I am also an active parent of two TCAPS students who are involved in various academic, sports, Robotics, and arts programs.

(1) Boosting the academic achievement of *all* students: We need to ensure the students who are struggling continue to receive extra support. At the same time, the top and middle of the class need to be challenged to reach their potential. As a board member, I will continue to advocate for reasonable classroom sizes, more professional development so that our staff can keep up with the latest research on effective teaching, and building a larger tutoring/mentoring program to help our kids.

(2) Continuing to support the social-emotional well-being of students and staff: Teachers and administrators have reported that student behavior and mental health issues reached unprecedented levels during COVID. TCAPS took many steps to increase mental health services (see Q4 below), but these efforts need ongoing attention. In addition, we need to take care of our staff to avoid burnout and build an environment that attracts and retains talent.

(3) Continue seeking input from students, staff, and parents regarding major decisions – and ensure key information is easily accessible to the public. With my professional background working in the public interest, I remain committed to community engagement, fiscal responsibility, and good governance.

For the current school year (2024-25), TCAPS will be able to withstand the cuts anticipated so far, thanks to long-term savings we built up over the past 3 years. While it is uncertain at this time whether there will be supplemental appropriations to fully restore funding for mental health and safety, one outcome is that the “Lunch Buddies” program that was launched in 2022 has been suspended. (There is no longer funding for a district-wide coordinator.) This is unfortunate, as the program enabled a cadre of caring adults (parent, grandparents, and others in the community) to make positive connections with students in our elementary and middle schools.

TCAPS’ budget contains mostly fixed costs, with approximately 90% allocated to salaries and benefits. To the extent that there is flexibility, the administration will need to assess areas to potentially reduce or suspend – and then present recommendations to the Board of Education to consider. Part of that assessment should be measuring the value of contracted or non-essential services to ensure they warrant the investment. We have a Board study session scheduled for Oct. 28, where we will examine our budget more in-depth, based on the outlook for another challenging year ahead.

Yes, safety and mental health remain concerns and are among my priorities for a second term. Regarding safety, I have been steadfast in advocating for assessing and improving our security measures to align with best practices. To that end, we have made significant enhancements to our physical infrastructure, as well as hiring a district-wide safety and security coordinator and school resource officers.

As a trustee, I have also listened to teachers and administrators relay that mental health issues hit an all-time high during COVID. Such issues can lead to classroom disruptions and learning loss. Over the past 4 years, the district has taken several steps to address these challenges, such as (1) opening a health clinic to treat the physical and mental health needs of TCAPS students, (2) establishing a peer-to-peer counseling program at WSH and CHS, and (3) launching the Lunch Buddies program at our elementary and middle schools.

Going forward, it is important to sustain these efforts. In addition, policy matters – meaning the Board should consider whether policies can be strengthened to enhance learning and culture. For example, in 2023 we tightened our cell phone policy to remove classroom distractions and help students focus.

Candidate has not yet responded.

Candidate has not yet responded.

Candidate has not yet responded.

Candidate has not yet responded.

After being injured in a job-related accident, I retired from the California Highway Patrol and continued my education by obtaining a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in education with a minor in Economics. I then successfully completed a teaching credentialing program and later earned my master’s degree in Education Administration. During my 30-year educational career, I have effectively worked with diverse populations of students, parents, and staff. Besides classroom teaching, I have served on curriculum cadres, as a site union representative, a department head, an athletic director, a member of the bargaining unit team to finalize salary agreements between the teachers and district, and as a site administrator. After retiring, I served as a substitute teacher for TCAPS and observed many classroom situations in the district and will bring this insight to the board. My zeal for community service and belief that our community's young people are our greatest asset motivated me to run for the TCAPS board.

Transparency. Allowing all stakeholders to be involved in the process of textbook adoptions. Allowing parents more input on questionable library materials. Reviewing management structure to determine the appropriate level and number of managers truly needed.

The priority is instruction for the regular school day. Therefore, cuts would be looked at stringently for before and after school programs.

Connecting with law enforcement and mental health professionals to interact with the students would greatly assist with their adjustment to life. Life is difficult and our students deserve the best assistance we can give them.

I spent my early years regularly surrounded by a school environment - LITERALLY! My mom was an elementary school secretary and I accompanied her to work and helped her in the office during school breaks. After high school graduation, I was employed as a teacher's assistant and library technician prior to my marriage at 19. My husband and I have two daughters and six grandchildren. After being a stay-at-home mom and home educator for 18 years, I re-entered the work force as a high school principal's secretary and was quickly promoted to an administrative secretary in the Curriculum and Education Department of a district's central office. During my 17 years working in the school district, my responsibilities included: curriculum development, adoptions, and purchases; staff development and training events for teachers and office staff; districtwide standards-based English/Language Arts and Mathematics test creation and distribution; K-5 report card development; mandated standardized test administration; district facility use approval and billing; and vendor provider contract production. My faith, educational background, and desire to serve the community prompted me to run for the TCAPS Board of Trustees.

1) District-wide curriculum adoptions being approved when a majority of the board members have not reviewed the materials and parents/guardians are not given the opportunity to give input prior to adoption. Action: Place recommended materials in a public location for two-three weeks where all district stakeholders can review and make comments. 2) Parental/Community concerns regarding age appropriateness of sexually explicit literature in libraries are not being acknowledged or addressed. Action: Hold a public meeting to review the books in question. Review age guidelines assigned to these books by authors or publishers (if available). 3) Ensure safe learning environments for all students. Action: Survey (online and/or printed) students and staff members bi-annually to ascertain potential safety issues on campuses. Review sites' compliance with existing safety rules and procedures. Have schools report successes and steps for improvement based upon compliance review and surveys.

In an article found on the Institute of Education Services website (https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ390512), the ideal ratio of student to central office administration is "1 administrator per 1,000 to 1,200 students." TCAPS has approximately 8,000 students; therefore, the "ideal" number of central office administrators would be 7-8. Currently there are approximately 15 central office administrators. A review of central office administration staffing needs would be a place to start looking for budget savings. Reviewing number of riders on buses and maximizing student load on routes to more efficiently and economically transport students to and from school could possible reduce cost of transportation.

The local and national news is full of stories regarding school-based bullying, violence, and teen suicides. Concerns about student safety are justified and should be taken seriously. All district stakeholders (students, parents, staff, community members) should feel safe to express their concerns regarding actions or incidents that threaten the physical and mental health of students. Ensuring the anonymity of those reporting safety concerns is essential. Providing access to confidential hotlines and advertising availability throughout district campuses is one way to accomplish this (possibly including a TCAPS district-based number). Acknowledging receipt of concerns and making follow up contact is also important. In all aspects concerning the physical and mental health of students, parents should be involved in the decision-making process and students should be encouraged to talk to and confide in their parents.

I have served on the board as President for the past four years. During that time I have dedicated myself to the district which involves daily learning. I have completed numerous Michigan Association of School Board Classes and have achieved awards for progress through their program. I engage with all stakeholders in the school system to make sure that I am understanding all the needs and concerns that we have to work on.

Beyond my current service to the board I served for 8 years on the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) Executive Committee and am past President of the Michigan Brewers Guild.

My life experiences have prepared me for board service. I am a collaborative leader that understands a functioning board works together and focuses on creating a quality education. It puts aside ideology and personal beliefs focusing instead on creating a culture of improvement.

Budgetary Challenges - We are not even in a recession and school funding is tightening. This years budget was not what we hoped and for the first time in over a decade that the per pupil funding was not increased. We are also contending with increased costs and a shrinking, albeit at a reducing rate, level of enrollment. Continued preparation for financial challenges is critical. Over the past 4 years we have built the reserve fund to nearly 12% which was our board target, well above the State minimum of 5%. This will allow us a more stable budgeting process over other districts who have not been as fiscally responsible.

District Relations - We still have a lot of work to do in improving communication and trust across the district. I hope everyone thinks we have improved in the past 4 years but there is a lot more work to do. We have numerous challenges to positive relations including political divisiveness, budgetary issues, and the large size of of the district. Not only do we have to improve but we also need to start thinking longer term to solidify improvements into our culture so it is harder for future leaders to take us backwards.

Again we were fortunate to have built up a fund to offset such challenges, at least for a short period of time (1-2 years). It is no secret though that if the budget does not see supplemental funding and/or we do not see a much better budget next year that cuts will be necessary. Unfortunately for TCAPS we already have one of the lowest administrative costs in the State so there are less cuts available that do not immediately impact the learning environment.

As far as approaching cuts it is clear that board members need to have a good understanding of the budgetary process. In October we will have a study session specific to the budget (public welcome to come, listen and watch). This will allow an increased understanding of the budget and how it is developed and what areas have any options in cutting expenses. We are starting this process early to allow for stakeholder engagement over an extended period of time.

They are absolutely valid and mental health effects virtually everything a district does. Poor mental health effects school safety, grades, graduation rates, overall student health, discipline issues and more. All of this combines to add a challenge to teachers, staff, parents and other students.

There is no quick fix and realistically there are such overwhelming challenges in society that improvement is not a given regardless of effort. Social Media seems to be a large source of negative mental health but societies addiction to such mediums make a solution challenging. As a district we can focus on making sure that every student has someone they trust around them as well as providing guidance on positive habits. We currently have a large shortage of people working in the field of mental health also which does not help.

I’m running because I believe in kids – and community. I’ve been dedicated to helping kids succeed and building community in many ways: - Founder of Norte: Happy, healthy, strong kids - Big Brother: Mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters - Task Force Member: Safer Kids, Safer Schools - TCAPS Coordinator: Health & Wellness Systems Change - Coach: Traverse Heights Elementary’s flag football team - Sunrise Rotary Club Member: Born To Read and Backpacks For Kids projects - Founder of Youth-Focused Communities: Roadrunner Nation, We Fight, Play Traverse City, Coach Traverse City - Board Member: Traverse Heights Elementary PTO -Advocate: 2018 TCAPS Bond “Yes” Committee I believe that when kids are happy, healthy, supported and loved by their community, they are better learners. And I believe that TCAPS is a better school district when we do everything we can to ensure that every child has the same opportunities to succeed, no matter their circumstances: No matter: - where they live - how much money their parents make - if they have special needs - their race or gender or orientation - if English is their first language I’m now excited to serve in a new way, as a school board trustee, and continue to help our kids succeed.

1. Equitable Student Achievement & Excellence: Close the student achievement gap, increase support for our Title I schools, revisit the Educational Equity listening tour findings, and ensure more schools receive recognition for excellence. Let’s also boost after-school and summer opportunities where they’re needed most. 2. Health, Wellbeing, Connection & Student Support: Strengthen the district’s mentorship programs, prioritize student connection in the next strategic plan, and return to participating in the Michigan Profile for Healthy Youth. 3. Community Engagement & Storytelling: Enhance community involvement in buildings to boost student success and share more positive stories from our schools. 4. Transparency & Accountability: Improve the community’s understanding of the district’s budget, invest dollars in the best way possible to help students furthest from opportunity succeed (especially the state’s record 2024/25 $1B at-risk dollars), and make district meetings and materials more accessible to everyone.

The state's decision not to increase per-student funding this year was a surprise.

So was the 90+% cut in mental health and school safety funding.

Sadly, Michigan's overall education budget is 3.5% smaller than the previous year's $24.3 billion.

And remember, the federal COVID dollars are also expiring this year.

More bad news? We're losing kids - TCAPS is down 75 kids this year (projected) from last year - and 1112 kids since 2017/18. We've had at least six consecutive years (since 2019/20) of declining enrollment.

Some school groups have warned the state's budget could lead to future teacher layoffs (Ann Arbor Public Schools recently laid off 141 staffers to help close a projected $20.4M deficit).

Some good news? The retirement healthcare savings this year will help. And the historic $1B at-risk dollars is a big deal for our kids who are furthest from opportunity.

TCAPS is fortunate, thanks to strong leadership, to have a solid fund balance. We did tap into our savings (~$3M) this year, and our approved 2024/25 budget still came up ~$500K short.

Mission-based budgeting is a solution - allocating dollars based on TCAPS' strategic goals and aligning funds with our core educational objectives, mission, vision, and values.

Absolutely valid. As TCAPS' former District Wellness Coordinator, I recently witnessed great strides in supporting students' mental health. The launch of the Behavioral & Emotional Support Team and Culture & Climate Team, in addition to the reimagined Health & Wellbeing Team, all helped execute TCAPS' strategic plan 1B goal on mental health: "Develop and implement structures and systems of support to increase mental and emotional health and social wellbeing." Recent mental health accomplishments include: University of Michigan's peer-to-peer mental health program at both Central and West High schools Lunch Buddies, a district-wide mentorship program Student Health Center at West Middle To continue improving on this mental health work, I propose: returning to participating in the Michigan Profile for Healthy Youth [TCAPS pulled out in 2022] adding a School Connectedness goal to the next strategic plan (the current one expires in 2025) reviewing the district's mentorship program structure focusing on efficiency, impact, & sustainability reviewing policy for appointing community members to district committees and teams review policy on how community partners in buildings are structured and organized to maximize impact and efficiency