School Board Member School board members are elected for a four-year term by voters within the school district during the general election in even-numbered years. Qualifications include living in the district for at least one year, being a registered voter, and a candidate may not be an employee of the district when assuming office or have a spouse or dependent employed by the district. School board members are nonpartisan and are responsible for broad, forward-thinking, and decisive action in all areas that affect students and staff in their schools. School board members have no individual authority, but their authority rests in casting a vote at required governing board meetings. Responsibilities of the board include hiring and evaluating the superintendent, providing input in budget development to ensure funding is provided to meet goals and monitoring and approving the budget, setting salaries for employees, approving purchases, establishing and approving policies, approving curriculum materials, adopting the school calendar, reviewing regulations for compliance with policy, approving personnel actions based on superintendent recommendations, closing or constructing schools; assessing board effectiveness, monitoring progress toward goals. Why you should care:The school board’s role is to advocate for public education in the community and ensure the school district is well run. The board, as a whole, monitors performance to ensure it meets academic, financial, and operational goals. The collaborative decisions made by school board members will affect children and their parents, the livelihood of school district employees, and the economic well-being of an entire community. This position is unpaid and requires time, a willingness to learn about issues affecting the school district, and a passion for a positive culture and public education system committed to providing the best and most appropriate education for all children. For additional information: https://www.azk12.org/media/yjvlpkfo/district-school-board-duties.pdf
Public Policy Priorities
Student achievement/ Student safety and wellbeing/ Teacher recruitment and retention/ School finance and stewardship
Qualifications and Experience
40+ years as teacher, coach, principal, and head of school in parochial, public, private and international schools preschool through high school/ Former principal of Canyon del Oro High School/ Arizona and international accreditation team leadership/ Trustee, The Orme School, Prescott AZ
Memberships & Affiliations
Currently serving as an appointed member of the Amphitheater Governing Board/ Past Arizona School Administrators and Advanced Ed
Endorsements
As this is a non partisan position, I have not solicited organizational support. I am counting on the support of of individuals like you who value public education and support our students and teachers, as I do. I am an educator, not a politician.
Community Service
Interfaith Community Services volunteer/ Past member and president Lions Club and Oro Valley Rotary Club/ Past Red Cross volunteer
Education
BA, University of California, Santa Barbara, including Varsity Crew Letter, UCSB Education Abroad at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon/ MA, California State University, Northridge/ Ed.D., Arizona State University
Amphitheater is open to in-district students and those who choose to open enroll when space allows. Our "Promise of a Graduate" commitment to all students is the same, although unique student needs are honored. In conjunction with Pima County and the Town of Oro Valley the district offers preschool programs at each of our schools that provide play based learning. Our classrooms are inclusive (Special Ed and ELD students included) from pre-K through high school. Amphitheater has long been recognized for its work with refugee students and their families. Numerous programs that support students and families include counselors, Educational Community Home Outreach, Parents as Teachers and Advancement Via Educational Determination (AVID). Teacher training emphasizes recognition of individual needs and differentiation. Our goal is to see every student walk across the graduation stage with the confidence and skills necessary to be successful individuals and contributors to society.
The Amphitheater Governing Board will be hiring a new superintendent this spring. The traits that I will be prioritizing are: Integrity, Commitment to Student Achievement, Communication Skills, Empowerment, Knowledge of Arizona School Law/Policies and School Finance.
I believe strongly that a superintendent acts not only as a leader, but as a role model to district and school staff, parents and students. She/He must be able to build trust among all constituencies to show that every decision will embrace what is best for our students. Our district is a team and our superintendent is the team leader.
Amphitheater follows federal and state guidelines in providing special education child find services to private school students and professional development for their teachers. Home schooled students are also provided child find services. This is true whether or not the students are receiving ESA funding. The state provides a small fund (proportionate share) that is used to provide district- direct services, like speech therapy, to some these students. The district does not provide additional funding out of its own budget for direct services to ESA students.
Regarding ESA students participating in sports at their "home"
district school, I believe it to be fair to charge the cost of participation to the voucher received by the parents. If this is not done, the cost would have to be born by the district without appropriate state funding. This would be a good example of "the money following the student."
1. Lack of adequate funding:
The Arizona legislature continues to underfund our schools. We are continually asked to do more with less. While being good stewards of public money, we need to lobby for more support. In the meantime, we are fortunate that our community has supported override funds that enable us to put as much money as possible into the classroom where it belongs. Currently that figure is 66% of our budget. We are proud of that.
2. Changing demographics/Student enrollment:
Amphi needs to compete for students by continuing to provide excellent programs and high quality instruction. Unique programs that may not be available at other schools should also be prioritized.
3. Teacher recruitment and retention:
A great deal of effort goes into recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers. Besides prioritizing salary and benefits, we strive to provide a teaching and learning environment that values the individual, supports innovation, and celebrates success.
School board members represent our community in ensuring that our curriculum meets state standards, reflects community values, and provides our students with the skills necessary to be successful and contributing members of society. To ensure our curriculum is meaningful and up to date our process includes input from students, parents, community members and teachers. Our curriculum is designed to promote wonder, collaboration, communication, caring, citizenship, creative thinking, critical thinking and problem solving, as referred to in Amphitheater's mission statement "Promise of a Graduate."
Currently we are evaluating the proper use of AI by our teachers and students. I believe AI is a tool that offers immense opportunities for students to explore, question, analyze and discern. However, guidelines must be developed to ensure appropriate and safe use. I refer to this as wisdom-guided AI where human judgement and creativity are strengthened by the use of AI, not replaced by it.
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