Greenwood Community School Board, District 3 Choose 1
The purpose of the school board is to provide oversight and governance for a school district and its schools. Its responsibilities include developing a system of accountability and setting the district s direction; ensuring the district s central administration staff pursues its stated goals; controlling the district s funds; and soliciting the support of the community. School board members serve 4-year terms. Adapted from https://ballotpedia.org/School_board.
Biographical Information
Campaign Mailing Address
784 Brookview Dr
Greenwood, IN 46142
Greenwood, IN 46142
What strategies would you use to ensure effective communication and collaboration between the school board, teachers, parents, and the community?
I think there should be an “open door” policy to ensure effective communication. If elected I would happily welcome any questions or concerns from any teachers, parents and residents of the community.
What are your main priorities for improving the quality of education within our district, and how do you plan to achieve them?
I feel there is an issue getting substitutes in the corporation. Teachers take time to create sub plans when they have to be out. When that class doesn’t get covered, it might get split between other classes to take, go into study hall or maybe hang out in the gym just so they’re supervised. When that happens, they lose that day of learning. I think sitting down with other board members and trying to figure out if substitute teachers need to be paid more? Maybe award additional compensation for certain subs that are consistently subbing in the corporation? You know, the “regulars.” I feel something can be accomplished to where teachers aren’t filling in for others during their valuable prep period.
How do you intend to address the diverse needs of students, including those with varying academic, social, and emotional needs?
Counselors and Student Service advisors are trained to look for specific signs of these specific diverse needs. Implementing training to pass along to teachers and staff so they know what to look for as well. The more staff members knowing what to look for would make a huge help for kids.
What is your perspective on how the school board should address concerns or objections regarding specific books in the school library or curriculum?
I feel that specific books that may be questionable or some might think inappropriate should be left to the parents’ discretion.
What is your approach to ensuring fair and competitive teacher compensation?
I think ensuring fair and competitive compensation for teachers should be determined by the evaluations conducted by the building administrators each year. The administrators see the teachers’ daily work ethic and performance.
Biographical Information
Campaign Mailing Address
1138 Rockwell Drive
Greenwood, IN 46143
Greenwood, IN 46143
Campaign Phone
812-205-5508
What strategies would you use to ensure effective communication and collaboration between the school board, teachers, parents, and the community?
We have created a new website and mobile app in the last year at Greenwood Community Schools to better inform stakeholders of pertinent information and events. From these platforms, the community can access school information, school board minutes, event calendars, and staff directories with email links. We have also created individual school board member email addresses available on these platforms for anyone to communicate to the school board directly. I promote, and our current school board supports an open-door policy. I am very vocal and encourage the staff, parents, students, and the community to let us know when they have concerns or issues, so we can address these with the administration and communicate effectively.
What are your main priorities for improving the quality of education within our district, and how do you plan to achieve them?
A top priority to improve the quality of education at Greenwood Community Schools is to continue the momentum of administrators to better prepare students as they transition from one building level to the next. With both new leadership and returning leadership, this has begun to create new lines of communication between all three levels of schools - elementaries, middle, and high school - to ensure the students have a better transition and are more prepared to move on. We have also encouraged the growth of new high school course offerings and graduation pathways, while maintaining the state’s required standards. Another main priority is retaining and recruiting a well-trained, diverse staff.
How do you intend to address the diverse needs of students, including those with varying academic, social, and emotional needs?
Our district takes pride in meeting the needs of all students. We have a comprehensive special education program to help individualize instruction for all types of learners – this continuum ranges from daily living skills to enrichment groups and challenging course options. Our population of English language learners continues to grow and our programming for them does as well. Greenwood recently applied and qualified for the CEP program which offers free breakfast and lunch for all enrolled students. This is not only helpful to families, but ensures all students are ready to learn when they arrive. Each building employs student service advisors and other staff to address social, emotional, and behavioral concerns as a team with teachers.
What is your perspective on how the school board should address concerns or objections regarding specific books in the school library or curriculum?
All schools should have and maintain age-appropriate books, learning materials, and proper resources to allow students to study and learn what they need to for the education level. I also feel they should have access to books that can help students to expand their views, ideas, and offer various perspectives in a safe and educational manner. If any materials are thought to be inappropriate for a certain age group, I would support the thorough review of these materials by a neutral committee. At Green-wood, we created a structure for a special committee, if needed, that is apart of our policy. The findings from the committee would then be presented to the School Board as a whole and voted upon. I support this process.
What is your approach to ensuring fair and competitive teacher compensation?
I take pride and fully support fair compensation for are teachers and staff. We have significantly increased teacher pay at Greenwood during my first term on the school board. Greenwood Schools currently has the highest starting and max salary for teachers in Johnson County. We have also increased the pay for support staff and our SRO’s. The State Legislature plays a large role in what are annual budget will be from year to year. Our board has accomplished this by maintaining a strong financially conservative approach over the last several years and this continues to be a board priority as we hired a new CFO this summer. My commitment is to maintain that fiscally responsible approach to finances while maximizing our pay for all employees.