Position/philosophy statement
I believe in providing education for all students so they are prepared for their next stage in life upon graduation in a safe learning environment.
Current Occupation
Retired educator
I have 45 years of educational experience including the last three years serving of the CMS School Board. I served this district as a teacher, instructional leader, and administrator. During the same time, I served on my children's elementary, middle, and high school PTAs, As an educator, I worked to ensure my students were successful while providing a positive learning environment. As a Board member, I have worked with parents and students in need of representation to the district.
Our Board uses the governances model which ensures that our leaders are accountable to the public. It is our responsibility to ensure that our school leaders are providing the best possible instructional experience for our students. While providing quality learning, we must ensure financial transparency for the public who provide the funding in order for the schools to operate. Last year, we saw tremendous growth, but we must maintain or continue this growth as we still have far to go with our student.
It is imperative that we advocate for better teacher pay with the state and local county commission. In fact, last year I advocated for a higher teacher supplement request, but the superintendent did not ask for it. I have advocated to our General Assembly for better pay and as a Board member I will continue to do so. Our professional development has been refined to meet the needs of teachers. I would like to see a continued refinement of our professional development and provide a reward system to teachers who participate in further educational opportunities.
According to longitudinal studies from the National Institute of Health, Pre-K education better prepares our students for kindergarten. Disparities in educational achievement are established early in their young lives, and once these gaps are set, children’s prospects of upward mobility are diminished . These initial differences in early childhood accumulate into long-term differences in educational attainment which will lead to a gap in monetary opportunities. By providing Pre-K opportunities, we give learning opportunities to all children.
For 45 years, I have advocated for a common sense approach to education. We must lift our neediest children and support them to reach their goals. At the same time, we must never lower our standards as we must prepare our children to be competitive in the 21st century workforce. It is difficult to be an educator today. Our teachers must ensure goals are met while at the same time ensuring that the children are taught in a positive social emotional environment. Our district must be competitive with charter, private, and home schools and I want to make our district a place where parents want to enroll or re-enroll their children.
Position/philosophy statement
I believe that public schools are the cornerstone of a strong, thriving community. Every child deserves an excellent education—one that prepares them academically and equips them with the skills, confidence, and character to succeed in life. Schools
Current Occupation
retired CMS teacher
Campaign Phone
7046617438
I possess a diverse professional background, including 20 years of elementary teaching experience within CMS, from which I retired in December 2023. My experience provided a deep understanding of the foundational learning needs of young children and the crucial role these skills play in their future educational success. I am aware of how decisions made by state and local entities directly impact students, families and teachers.
My 20+ years of corporate experience in tech, HR and operations management equipped me with project management and collaboration skills that led to successful project completion and results. My teaching experience combined with my business skills make me uniquely qualified to be an effective board member.
The board's primary focus is providing a quality education to all students. To do so, the board must ensure student safety, equitable access to academic opportunities, be an active partner with city/county planning bodies, manage the budget and hire/manage the CMS superintendent.
Retention efforts should include building strong relationships with colleges and universities, and mentoring college students as they pursue licensure Creating local incentive programs such as college loan forgiveness programs could also help attract new teachers.
Retention: Addressing the causes of experienced teacher resignations requires a data-driven approach, utilizing information gathered from departing CMS teachers to understand their reasons for leaving. (It's not always salary). Solutions should be crafted based on feedback gathered.
Professional development programs should be designed to inspire and educate teachers, providing value instead of wasting time with annual required courses such as "Blood Borne Pathogens."
Pre-K experience provides an opportunity for children to learn social skills, build the ability to self-regulate, learn how to focus and build brain connections that support learning such as focus and memory. Mastery prepares them for academic learning that should begin in kindergarten.
I believe a quality education is the key to eradicating poverty. It is why I returned to teaching and why I stayed in the classroom. It is society's responsibility and obligation to ensure all students are provided with equitable education opportunities that prepares them for further academic and life success. In North Carolina, our state constitution requires us to meet this obligation. I'm running for CMS School Board District 5 to help our students get the education they deserve!
