Position/philosophy statement
Every child deserves a champion who believes in them and supports their success. Together, we are responsible for being champions for children by using our unique gifts and talents to meet their collective needs.
Current Occupation
Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, shift_ed
Age (optional)
41
Campaign Phone
(336)338-8403
I have spent my entire 24-year career working with children and families. I have served as a classroom teacher at the elementary, middle, and high school levels and led the YMCA’s youth development department across two counties, including rural and suburban communities. I led the Guilford County Child Advocacy Network, advocating for school nurses, school safety, free student meals, and fair pay for teachers and classified staff. Today, I serve as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Shift Education, leading a countywide initiative with the school district and more than 30 community partners to improve student outcomes. I will use my collaborative mindset and vast experience to advocate for students and families on the school board.
The primary role of the board is to support the district in improving student outcomes while advocating for the needs of students, schools, and the district as a whole. That means holding district leadership accountable for responsible use of resources and strong student achievement. It also means advocating for fair pay, safe working conditions, and the support our teachers, school support personnel, and classified staff need to do their jobs well. The board must also advocate at the county and state levels for the funding and resources our schools need. Just as important, the board must listen to families and the community, ensure their voices are heard, and make sure they have a "seat at the table" when decisions are made.
The most critical need in our district is closing the achievement gap between students of color and their white peers. Addressing this requires prioritizing funding for the schools and students with the greatest needs, using data to drive informed and equitable decisions. We must also address the social determinants of learning that impact student success, including access to food, health care, mental health supports, and safe learning environments. Strong school and community partnerships are essential, especially in an underfunded district. By making it easier for trusted, reliable partners to support students and families, we reduce the burden on teachers and schools so educators can focus on teaching and students can focus on learning.
To recruit and retain qualified teachers, we must start with competitive pay and supportive working conditions. Teachers deserve to be respected as the professionals they are and compensated for the additional education and training they pursue to better serve students. It is also important that teachers have a meaningful voice in the decisions that affect their schools and classrooms, including budget and policy decisions. Finally, we must ensure teachers feel safe and supported at school. When expectations are clear, and accountability is shared with students and caregivers, teachers are better able to focus on what they do best: teaching and supporting student success.
Pre-K is essential to a child’s success, and I’ve seen that firsthand. Both of my children attended Pre-K, and it gave them the confidence and foundation they needed to start kindergarten ready to learn. I am a strong supporter of universal Pre-K and believe we should work toward access across our state. I am also a proud product of Head Start. Growing up in poverty, Head Start gave me the strong start I needed to succeed. Research shows that when children have a strong start, they are more likely to succeed in school and in life. We must support families from birth by leveraging community resources and organizations, such as Ready for School, Ready for Life, alongside high-quality, universal Pre-K to ensure every child has a strong start.
I am running because I truly believe every child deserves a champion who believes in them and shows up for them. For the past 24 years, I have worked alongside children, families, and educators, and I have seen what is possible when students are supported and communities work together. I understand the challenges our schools face, including ongoing funding limitations. I am committed to advocating for resources and working to fill gaps where funding falls short. I will do this by building strong partnerships, listening to families and educators, and leveraging community support to meet student needs. My heart is with our children, and my focus will always be on creating schools where every child feels supported and valued. I bring experience, collaboration, and a deep commitment to student success.
Position/philosophy statement
I believe public education is a moral responsibility and a public trust. Every child deserves an inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education that prepares them for success beyond graduation.
Current Occupation
Executive Coach
Campaign Phone
336-681-1152
I bring over 30 years of experience as a professor, administrator, psychologist, and executive coach. I have served as a college professor, dean and provost, secured federal and foundation grants and coached leaders in fortune 500 as well as government and higher education. I have worked with leaders and systems to clarify goals, analyze data, strengthen accountability and implemented strategies that produce measurable results. I have led complex organizations, secured major grant funding and worked directly with students who were underserved and overlooked and served the community on boards, PTAs, and youth- and mental-health-focused organizations.
The most important responsibilities of a school board member are to set a clear vision, establish direction, and ensure accountability for student success. This begins with developing and maintaining a strategic plan that provides a roadmap for long-term success, sets priorities, and includes clear measures of progress. A board member must also ensure that administrators, teachers, and students have the resources needed to succeed, including equitable funding for programs proven effective, adequate support for educators, and targeted investments in schools serving historically underserved students. Finally, a board member must advocate for families and the broader community as partners in student success.
GCS’s most critical needs include early literacy and academic recovery, educator recruitment and retention, student mental health support, and closing long-standing opportunity gaps between schools. Addressing these needs requires intentional, need-base use of state and local funding, prioritizing students and schools that have been historically underserved. As a board member, I will advocate for equitable budgeting that directs greater resources to high-need schools and protects proven investments, i.e., early learning, high-dosage tutoring, instructional coaching, and mental health services. Equity forward also requires transparent, disaggregated data to monitor impact, reallocate resources when outcomes are not improving.
The district must make teaching sustainable, supported, and valued, especially in high-need schools. I would support competitive compensation, targeted retention incentives, and improved working conditions, including manageable class sizes and access to instructional resources. Retention also requires strong leadership, meaningful professional development, and mentoring for early-career teachers. Equity must guide these efforts by providing additional supports, coaching, and incentives for educators serving historically underserved students. Finally, I would advocate for teacher voice in decision-making and data-driven strategies to reduce turnover, recognizing that educator stability is essential to student success.
Pre-K education is important for the success of our students as it builds not only a strong foundation for academic success, but also social and emotional success. Early learning is one of the most effective strategies for improving long-term outcomes and reducing opportunity gaps. Research indicates that students attending high quality Pre-K programs show less grade retention and are more likely to graduate from high school attend college and have higher earnings. Pre K programs are critical to advancing the mission of GCS.
With 9 elementary schools in our district offering quality Pre-K programs I strongly support sustaining and expanding high-quality Pre-K access, particularly for students who have been historically underserved.
I want to play a meaningful role in making sure every Guilford County student is recognized, supported and equipped for what lies ahead. As Maya Angelou stated “education—and only education—is the key that unlocks the dungeon of ignorance and allows our youth to share in the glory of a life lived joyously”. To achieve this goal, we as a board must work with our community and local, state, and federal representatives to ensure that education is inclusive, equitable, and accessible to all; this is a fundamental human right for our children and their most powerful pathway to peace, dignity, and opportunity. School board service gives me the opportunity to live out this belief with purpose and humility, while helping guide the decisions and investments that directly support students, educators, and families and ensure all students are valued and positioned for success.
Position/philosophy statement
Empowering grade-school students and teachers through community support is absolutely possible-and when it's done well, it transforms the entire learning environment.
Current Occupation
President FASK (Families Against Senseless Killings)
Campaign Phone
336681-2424
Honored at the White House by President Barack Obama, Dr. Irish Spencer was named a “Champion of Change” for her courageous community outreach and leadership to help the least of these. Her work continues to center on strengthening vulnerable communities—especially advocating for the needs, safety, and empowerment of grade-school students and teachers.
Dr. Spencer is a member of several boards, committees, and commissions locally, regionally, and nationally. “My heart is most happy when I am helping and engaging others.” Her passion includes championing supportive learning environments, increased community resources for schools, and initiatives that protect and uplift young students and the educators who serve them.
At its core, being a school board member is about stewardship, governance, and trust. The role is not to run schools day-to-day, but to ensure the system works for students, families, educators, and the community.
Keep and recruit great people.
Safe, functional facilities and core infrastructure
Student success supports that move outcomes
My approach to budgeting is simple: fund what keeps schools staffed, keeps buildings operational, and directly improves student outcomes—before adding anything new. And I will work collaboratively with county and state leaders to make sure Guilford County Schools has the resources it needs to serve every child well.
To recruit and retain great teachers in Guilford County, we must make this a place where educators can afford to live, feel supported in their classrooms, and be treated as professionals. That means competitive pay, better working conditions, real mental health support for students, and stable leadership. When teachers stay, students succeed—and that’s the investment we must prioritize.
A strong, accessible Pre-Kindergarten program is one of the smartest and most effective investments Guilford County can make in student success. Pre-K is not childcare—it is early education, and it sets the foundation for everything that follows.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Position/philosophy statement
A change must come
Current Occupation
School Teacher
Campaign Phone
3362552247
The skills that make me a perfect candidate would be communication skills interpersonal relationship skills. I am an educator so I have an inside view of what needs to change in the Guilford County school system.
The most important role of a GCS Board Member is communication, agree to disagree work together to solve problems that need attention expeditiously.
The first critical deed, I see is the students learning and achievement. Support for English learners and students with disabilities. Secondly, schools run on people not buildings. We need to retain good teachers and retention and recruitment incentives need to be a part of the plan. High turnover cost more long-term than investing upfront. Our students and their well-being and mental health plays another vital role in this relationship.
Some of the changes that I will seek to make is paying compensation this is a big challenge and state salary schedule lag behind inflation. What can I change or what should we change local salary supplement especially for early career teachers. Retention bonuses at years three, five, and eight when most teachers leave stipend should also be a part of this.
My position on kindergarten is this kindergarten is one of the most important investments. A school district can make. It is where children learn how to learn. Kindergarten is not optional childcare. It is the foundation of a child’s entire educational journey. What happens in kindergarten shapes literacy numerous C social skills, confidence, and long-term academic success.
Candidate has not yet responded.
