There are 197 public school districts in Oregon, each governed by a board of education. School boards set goals, establish policies, oversee the performance of district schools, and negotiate contracts. The state Board of Education sets broader educational policies and standards that local schools are required to follow.Qualifications: Candidate must be a registered voter and a resident of the district for at least 1 year. Employees of the district are not eligible unless employed as a substitute driver. ORS 332.016 and 332.018(2)Term: 2 years (incomplete term)
Town Where You Live
Bandon
County
Coos County
Term Expires
06/2025
In my professional life, I have been a financial advisor for 20 years helping families plan for a dignified retirement so I have extensive experience with budgeting and staying on track with one's finances.
I was a member of the Bandon School District Budget Committee prior to joining the School Board, and prior to that was the Treasurer of my school's PTA from 2021-2022 where I oversaw an annual budget of nearly $200,000.
The District should always make a good faith effort to comply with state and federal education policies, and should only exert its discretion in deciding how to apply policies when such latitude is plainly stated.
Any decision the District makes should always be made with the goal of improving the lives of as many of its students as possible, as well as protecting those whose needs require special consideration.
Keeping Bandon's finances on a sustainable path is a key need as we move forward, as large parts of federal school funding could potentially change in the next two years. About 70% of the students in the District qualify for free or reduced lunch, and ensuring that programs like this continue to be prioritized even if federal funding goes away is key to protecting our most at-risk students.
In addition, the District needs to prioritize better teacher pay. The majority of teachers in our District work a second job to make ends meet, which makes Bandon at risk of losing the very people that have created the highest-quality education in the county.
The skills and experience I bring to the school board would start with my life long history hear in Bandon. My family moved here when I was a 1. I went through all three schools in Bandon K-12, and graduated in 2004. After graduating from Western Oregon University, I moved back to Bandon which is where I wanted to raise my family. I worked on the Cranberry Festival Board, along with being a member of the Executive Board for the Bandon Chamber of Commerce for several years. Some of the skills I bring are through my career in Law Enforcement. Including already working daily with school faculty, including all three principles of the schools, along with the Superintendent. Including daily patrol checks of the schools, along with training others
Some of my understanding of the District's obligation to comply with federal and state education policies is that they have to certify their compliance with the antidiscrimination obligations in order to continue receiving federal financial assistance. As for our state, if ORS 659.850 is violated, civil action can be filed in Circuit Court.
I would address the issues facing the District schools I consider most urgent, by being open-minded and willing to hear any and all ideas. Problems are solved with positive communication and the willingness to hear different views and ideas.
