Biographical Information
Campaign Phone
269-767-8689
Age
43
What experience do you bring to setting policy for a public school district?
I bring more than 15 years of experience in banking and credit unions, where I learned to work within regulations, policies, and risk management. I understand the real world impact of decisions. Working in customer service I work every day with people who have different needs, perspectives and concerns. As a parent of a South Haven student and an active member of this community, I would bring both practical experience and a parents perspective. I believe that good policy should be clear, responsible, fiscally sound, and, most importantly, developed with input from the people who will be most affected by it- especially educators, staff, students, and families.
Please identify the top challenges for this school district; and how would you seek to meet them?
As a parent, I see some of our greatest challenges as retaining our excellent teachers and staff with the support they need, ensuring students receive the academic and individualized support they need, and strengthening communication between families, educators, administration, and the board. We need to be competitive with the surrounding districts so that teachers can afford to live in the area where they work. Improvement starts by listening to the people who do the work every day and identifying what can be reasonably implemented or accommodated to make their jobs more supported, while making decisions that keep student achievement at the center and celebrate and strengthen the programs that our district already does so well!
How will you interact with the community in this school district?
I will be visible, approachable, and willing to listen to district families, educators, staff, students, and community members. I also believe strong schools require shared responsibility. I welcome new ideas and concerns, and I often process best by writing things down so that I can consider them carefully before making decisions. I hope our community will be willing to try new approaches and help identify solutions, not only problems.