Knox County Board of Education District 6 Choose 1
Biographical Information
Campaign Website
http://cadenceforschoolboard.com
Campaign Email
cadenceforschoolboard@gmail.com
Age
35
Mailing Address
12201 E DONCASTER DR
Knoxville, TN 37932
Knoxville, TN 37932
Why are you running for this office?
I am running for office because District 6 deserves someone who cares about our kids, teachers, and the future of our public schools. I was originally inspired to run after hearing about the private school voucher program. I reached out to our current District 6 school board member to express my concerns that this voucher system would pull public money out of public schools. She never returned my calls or even replied to an email saying she received my message. I was incredibly upset that a person elected to represent our public schools in Knox County would advocate against their best interests. I decided then and there that I would ensure District 6 had a strong advocate for public schools by stepping up to run for the School Board.
How has your background prepared you to serve in this office?
I was born and raised in Hardin Valley and attended school at Karns and Hardin Valley. I have a unique perspective to bring to the table as a former student of District 6 schools.
I am also the daughter of a counselor. I was raised with the tools of navigating conflict management my entire life. I am very skilled at building bridges, mending relationships, and reaching meaningful compromises.
As a former theatre educator, I’ve worked with children of all ages. My work in the theatre has also primed me to solve problems creatively on a shoestring budget. The theatre is often underfunded, just like our public schools, but we are expected to make magic happen, and we always manage to find a way to do just that.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
I believe the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office are to govern transparently, responsibly, and in the best interests of our public schools and community.
Transparency: people deserve to know how decisions that impact them are being made and where their money is going within Knox County Schools. I intend to hold systems, elected officials, and myself accountable to our commitments.
It is vital to govern responsibly. My actions have consequences that impact the entire county, not just District 6.
I am not running for personal gain, but to be of service to the community and an advocate for every child, teacher, and public school. It will be my responsibility to listen, advocate, and serve our community.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I am an excellent listener and communicator. I understand that true connection and effective communication are essential to find solutions. If we listen to one another with curiosity and the intent to understand, we can create better schools together!
Having experienced our schools through the eyes of a child and a teacher’s helper, I understand what our teachers and students really need, and I have no qualms about speaking up on their behalf. Our teachers need coverage so they don’t have to hold their bladders for eight hours. Our students need developmentally appropriate schoolwork. Our school buildings need renovations so that our kids and teachers are safe in our schools. We have real problems, and I will not turn a blind eye to them.
What top three things will you prioritize if elected to this office?
My top three priorities are to keep public funds in public schools by saying NO to the voucher expansion. With proper funding and budgeting, we can support our educators by promoting a better work environment, ensuring a good work/life balance, and providing school supplies. Finally, we can and should prioritize our children’s well-being by providing more mental health services, focusing on developmentally appropriate curriculum, and disincentivizing overly stressful assessments. We cannot expect our students to thrive if they do not feel safe physically, mentally, or emotionally in our schools.
To put it more simply: 1) Protect Public School Funding. 2) Support Our Educators. 3) Promote Overall Wellness for Our Kids.
What are the main points you want voters to remember about you and your candidacy?
I am just like you. I'm a mom who got fed up with the way our public schools are being defunded, the way parents' and teachers’ concerns keep getting brushed off, and how our kids are continuously being let down as a result.
I am here to represent you, regardless of what you believe politically. When a firefighter gets a call to put out a fire, they don’t first ask who you voted for; they just help. When I receive a call from a teacher, a parent, or a community member, I won’t ask either; I will just help.
Everyone deserves representation that cares about them. When I say I care, I mean it. I turn that care into action. I use my unique skill set to find creative solutions to difficult problems to create meaningful change in Knox County.
Biographical Information
Age
67
Mailing Address
8622 Royal Oaks Drive
Knoxville , TN 37931
Knoxville , TN 37931
Why are you running for this office?
I am running for District 6 school board because I want to advocate for students, teachers and parents. For such a time as this, I feel called to continue supporting education as I have for the past 37 years as a classroom teacher, a parent to 2, and Nana to 10 grandchildren, all who are either in public schools now or have graduated and gone on to their careers or higher educational institutes. Every aspect of the education system is important to me and my hope is to keep our schools on a direct path that is competitive, positive, safe, and supported. I believe our schools are strongest when parents, teachers, administrators, and communities work together.
How has your background prepared you to serve in this office?
First, the work ethics of my parents: my dad, a welder and my mom, a teacher. Second, my own personal educational journey that led me to become an honors graduate from the College of Education from UT. I obtained endorsements in teaching Pre-School thru 8th grades and a Reading Recovery Specialists. I served on the school board for Grace Christian Academy as a teacher advocate when it was in its starting years. I retired after 27 years from Grand Oaks Elementary School in Anderson County. There, I mentored 17 UT student teachers and received the UT Mentor of the year award. I then continued to teach at Grace Christian Academy in 4th grade for 8 years, 2 years in the Learn Center and 6 months in their Hybrid Program. Retired now, I tutor.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
A school board member, their core responsibilities are to demonstrate integrity, accountability and a commitment to ensuring that every student is provided the opportunity to lean, grow, be safe and succeed with their academic journey, . Board members should use data and financial information to make informed decisions that support academic achievement, school safety, and each district's success. Another core responsibility is to hire, evaluate, and support the superintendent who oversees the day to day operations of the county. Lastly, members are to be representatives of the community by being good stewards of tax payers money. Our schools thrive when the school board along with parents, educators and communities work together.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I believe my greatest qualifications for serving on the school board is the combination of nearly 4 decades of classroom experiences and a genuine commitment to students, families, teachers and community. Throughout my career, I have taught students in both public and private school settings, worked with children across multiple grade levels, mentored future educators and collaborated with parents to support student success. I will use my experience, knowledge and passion for education to ensure that all students have opportunities they need to succeed, that educators have a voice in the decisions that shape our schools, and that parents feel they are being heard with concerns they have Top three for their children.
What top three things will you prioritize if elected to this office?
The top 3 focus areas to prioritize would be first, school safety. Facilities that are up to date with security measures and faculty that have been trained to promote safe classrooms. Second would be maintaining the retention of high qualified teachers by having a competitive salary compensation and a positive, supported work environment. Lastly, and most important, is students' educational success. This would be closing achievement gaps, return to fundamentals in
K-3rd grades, quality curriculum, and a focus on life skills that many students are lacking.
What are the main points you want voters to remember about you and your candidacy?
Being asked to run for district 6 school board took me by surprise because I am not a politician. I am an educator that sees how the education of our children will affect me and my community. As I campaigned, I listen to my communities concerns and researched district policies and guidelines for successful schools. I have the experience of working with a team, the ability to show respect for diverse points of view and to stay aware of serving all needs of students, regardless of abilities and backgrounds. My candidacy is being run by top notch, respectable citizens that share the same values towards education as a whole. It has been a great experience meeting citizens of District 6, and I appreciate your vote-for such a time as this.