Listening, Learning, Leading:
Putting Children First, Always.
Child-centered Focus on Education.
- Support and strengthen social and emotional learning/welfare of all students with full curriculum and personnel support.
- Demand opportunities for all students to learn not only academics, but life skills too. If students learn to function as a whole person (academics + social/emotional skills), they are more prepared to become successful and fulfilled adults. I saw this time and time again as a college professor. The students who succeeded had the tenacity and grit to make it through that first semester and subsequently finish their college careers. This directly aligns with FCPS vision: All Fayette County Public Schools graduates are prepared for college and careers, engaged fully in their communities and ready to excel in a global society.
- A strong focus on equity in the classroom with the support of curriculum and personnel. Despite where our students start, they must all cross the finish line at the same time. When we lift those who need it, we are all lifted.
Student - focused voting.
- Support teachers with the resources, training, and reduced class sizes to ensure they have the time and tools to focus on building strong relationships with their students. In turn, students will strive to learn, grow, and become their best selves.
- Focus teacher support on the gains of each student and not the final test score.
- I make decisions and votes based on solid evidence and facts. These skills have been ingrained into my being as a mathematician. I will always look at all the options and consider all the outcomes before casting a vote for our community. The students and their well-being are number one.
Empowering local Schools.
- Make sure each school’s Site Based Decision Making Council (the body of parents, teachers, and administrators elected on a school level) has the full ability with proper budget and curriculum options to meet the unique needs of their students and community. One size does not fit all when it comes to curriculum. For example, if a school has a large population of English as a Second Language (ESL) learners, that school must have the ability to provide a curriculum that meets those student’s language needs. This is an equity issue.
- Our teachers need to have a voice at the table for their students. As a member of a SBDM council, I have seen firsthand the reduction of curriculum decision-making abilities at the school level.
- All stakeholders need to have a voice in our education system. I believe in the power of the public-school system and that means the entire community needs to be at the decision-making table. This starts at the school level.
Support underserved students.
Whether learning in-person or at-home, underserved students are more vulnerable now than ever.
I support budget and policy decisions that encourage:
- Trauma-informed teaching to help students feel safe.
- Continual evaluations of disciplinary practices to curb criminalization of Black and Brown students.
- Historically accurate resources for equitable education.
