As an LCSW, I’ve dedicated my career to supporting children & families, specializing in family care & child development. I’ve seen firsthand the challenges students face both inside & outside the classroom. I’m running to strengthen the district’s fiscal responsibility, prioritizing funding for classrooms, essential programs, and the well-being of students, staff, and families. My priorities include optimizing one of the lowest tax rates in St. Louis County to drive district-wide progress and addressing the whole child—academically and emotionally. I aim to foster stronger partnerships between schools, families, and the community, promote anti-bullying initiatives, and prioritize teacher and staff retention. With my professional background, I will facilitate constructive discussions, build consensus, and bridge diverse perspectives to create a stronger, more united school district.

In 2015, I did not live in the district, and I am aware of the significance of Prop R.  If I was able to vote for it in 2015, I would have voted yes.  Financial investment in our children is vital and there hadn’t been a tax increase for the school district in some time. Therefore, I would have supported this Proposition as it made an investment in our community and children.

I agree with the passing of Prop S because it was another way to strengthen our district as a whole. School entry way safety is vital to bolster the feeling of security for students, parents, teachers, and staff.  Newly renovating much needed spaces inside and outside of schools is also needed to create a more vibrant and fresh learning environment for teachers and kids. Facilities such as HVAC systems and roof projects provide a comfortable and secure building.

While all safety upgrades are important, the District still has delayed projects, i.e., ADA accessibility, lighting safety, and restroom upgrades. Something to note however, in October 2021 $500,000 of Prop S money was spent on the Oakville High School baseball/softball field and in September 2023 funds were spent on Mehlville’s baseball/softball field. While it is true that updating outdoor fields can be considered safety upgrades, prioritizing projects over others that some would consider to be outside the scope of safety related — as it pertains to in-school educational safety — should be considered for emergencies or completed after more pressing safety-related projects are finished. Such spending choices can erode public trust in the Board and makes it more challenging to ask tax payers for other needed projects in the future.

I did vote yes to approve Prop E and I filled out the community survey about this tax increase as well. I supported it because this increase sends a clear message to the staff letting them know they are seen and valued, and we have the dollars to back it up. We must support district staff to ensure retention and make the District a place where people choose to live because of the schools.

As a new board member it will take time to understand the dynamics and operating procedures within the board.  Also, the board operates as a unit to collaborate together with the superintendent, so progress on objectives that are outlined here will be pursued within the proper governing channels given to the board. 

Evaluate the use of revenue to hone district-wide progress.

• Learn more about the district’s spending by taking a deep dive into the district’s budget with the guidance of the CFO and the current board members. 
• Work with the board and the superintendent to understand the progress made recently to implement parts of the current strategic plan, especially Theme Two (Safety) and Theme Five (Effective and Efficient)
• Work to create goals and objectives for the new strategic plan, starting in 2027. 

Ensure the district addresses the whole child, academically, emotionally, and socially. 

• Evaluate the current strategies suggested in Personalized Student Preparation and Belonging and Mental Wellness according to the district’s current strategic plan.
• Focus on the current efforts to increase access and opportunity to programs and services during school and with after-school programming. 
• Research best practice standards to support students on a personal level that encourages parental and caregiver involvement. 
• Evaluate the current practices within the district on how biopsychosocial issues influence classroom achievement. 
• With evaluation and the research done, conduct needs assessment with the community. 

Strengthen partnerships between schools, families, & the community.

• Assess current practices of communication through the variety of systems used. 
• Assess time and funding used to support the different forms of communication used by the district. 

Anti-bullying initiatives

• Evaluate and understand the district’s current anti-bullying policies and procedures.  
• Understand current students and parents/caregivers views of how bullying affects their child(ren)
• Find the best practice standards of anti-bullying policies and programs.
• If able, form a committee composed of school administration, parents/caregivers, and staff to offer ideas and solutions to counteract bullying. 

Emphasizing teacher & staff retention

• Evaluate current staffing numbers, turn-over rates, and teacher longevity in the district. 
• Evaluate systems of engagement, development, and workforce well-being. 
• Assess, understand, and evaluate progress made in the current strategic plan, Theme Four (Employee support).

Teacher evaluations should focus on a variety of aspects that impact students and their performance. But standardized outcomes of students’ academic progress shouldn’t be the sole factor in determining whether a teacher does well within their evaluations.  Other areas of focus can be planning and preparation, learning environments, classroom management, collaboration with colleagues, and instructional methods. Effective teacher evaluations should promote and uplift professional growth and include multifaceted evidence of teacher practice, student learning, and professional contributions.

Teachers should have a say in their professional development.  If there are certain yearly, quarterly, or monthly required training because of DESE or other regulatory bodies, then it would be beneficial for teachers taking said training to weigh in as much as possible concerning the flexibility of who, where, and how those trainings are completed.  I will use the training I’m required to complete as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) to clarify my point: Every two years LCSW’s need a set amount of CEU’s.  These can be about all sorts of different topics but they must be related to social work in some way.  Also, a certain amount of those hours, must be about ethics, suicide, diversity, cultural humility, etc.  However, I have a choice about which training I take, and when and where I choose to take them.  However, I must ensure the training will be able to give me CEU’s. It’s the ability to be flexible within a set of standards, while still complying to the requirements of those regulating bodies that is important.