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How do you feel about...

Question 1: CURRICULUM

I want to make sure we have high quality curriculum at all levels of education for our students. All curriculum should be listed transparently on our district website so families can feel confident in the education their child is receiving.  I want to put a higher focus on reading and comprehension so that all children in our district are reading at grade level and have high comprehension skills. Our community has been very out spoken that they would like to see more life skills and trade skill options available to our students so every child can find success after high school. I want to bring more local business partnerships to our district, more opportunities for apprentice programs and more educational pathways for our students. I also want to expand the school districts running start program to partner with more universities to enable students more choices on college pathways. 

Question 2: SCHOOL SAFETY MEASURES 

Student and staff safety is paramount to our families trust and confidence that their children will be cared for and protected while in their care. We need to make sure each school has vestibule front entries to control access to the building. We need to make sure all buildings have high functioning camera systems, and emergency plans with trained staff who are confident in emergency procedures. We need to make sure our discipline policies are clear so students and teachers in the classroom can feel confident and safe. 

Question 3: BOARD TRANSPARENCY

Over the past several years our community has asked for more transparency from our school board, more communication from our school board. During school closures parents felt the board push them away by removing verbal public comment at digital school board meetings. Parents felt ignored when email were going unanswered. I experienced this lack of communication and transparency myself and know that we can do better. We need to involve the community proactively when it comes to policy and action items the board is considering. We can do this by moving public forums ahead of board decisions, give the public the opportunity to comment and ask questions after board presentations instead of just at the beginning of the meeting while all the action items are at the end. I will bring more transparency and communication to our district through options like open office hours, and returned emails. If board members are not talking to our community then how can they know how to best represent them. 

Question 4: PARENTAL RIGHTS

I will work to preserve parental rights for all families in our district. There have been movements to distance a child's education and development away from the parents with a greater focus on governmental care. Our children need their parents and their families. When elected I will always work to include parents in their child's education and developmental decisions. A school should never stand in the way of parental rights. 

Question 5: CRITICAL RACE THEORY

I believe that no classroom should teach to a political or social bias. In classes, where educationally appropriate students should be given well rounded views of history and social issues. This curriculum should be easily accessible  to families and the community and visible on the school district and individual school websites so parents can feel confident their student is not receiving a biased, and opinion based education. These policies will build an environment of trust. 

Question 6: BOOK BANNING

All books contained in our school libraries should be available in an open catalog that parents and community members can access easily. Each book should be evaluated for grade level appropriateness, educational value, and content by a set standard and rubric created by a committee of teachers, librarians, and parents. This rubric should be open to the public to see how books are evaluated for their schools' library. If a parent wishes to address a concern regarding a book there should be a set administrative procedure to show the rubric and evaluation of said book. A system needs to be in place so any parent can decide the content their student has access to check out from the school library. 

Question 7: EXPERIENCE

Many years of service or experience itself is not required or necessarily effective on a school board. The top five districts in Washington state are comprised by people serving their first or second term as board members. New members bring fresh perspectives, and different ideas of how to meet the challenges of our current students. Good board members are people who are driven and excited to do the hard work it requires meet student needs. As a parent of current Central Valley students, in elementary, middle and high school I will bring a new and exciting perspective to our school board. I am in the classroom, I am invested in the education our children are receiving because I am in the middle of it. We need new movement on our board. Our children are facing challenges that our current board did not face when their children and grandchildren were in school. We need current parent representation on the board. That's the kind of experience that really matters. 

Question 8: SCHOOL BUDGET MANAGEMENT

We need a board that demands a balanced and well used budget. We need a board that is proactive in looking to the future and anticipating enrollment, needs, educational advancement of staff, and projected funds from the federal and state government. We need to have a well funded emergency fund for unpredictable costs. This past year our district failed to look forward, it over hired teachers and staff with funds that were temporary. This resulted in almost 100 teachers and staff either needing to retire or being laid off. When our school budget isn't being stewarded well then someone has to pay the price, and this past year it was our teachers that were let go, and our students who lost their teachers, resulting in more crowded classrooms and less programs or classes available. We need to have more accountability and responsibility for our communities tax dollars. 

Question 9: LEGISLATIVE ACTION

All school board members are part of the Washington State School Directors Association (WSSDA). WSSDA brings board members together to bring focus to legislative issues effecting our schools and students, as well as developing policy which is adopted in individual districts. I am excited to become a member of WSSDA when elected. I believe that all communities should be actively informed of impending legislation that affects their children, schools and community. I want to help inform our community of upcoming legislative issue so individuals can advocate for themselves and their families. We need to be on the front end of issues as they pass through our state legislature so we can make sure our voices are heard.  I want to be involved in advocating for retention of local control. I want to be a voice for our district regarding policy development so we can retain our community values and not be mandated upon.