The first time I attended a board meeting I was struck by the fact that both the employee union and teacher’s union have standing agenda items where they are given an unlimited amount of time to speak at each meeting. No such agenda item exists for parents or students.

Parents and students may speak during public comment, but they are limited to three minutes. To me, this demonstrates an imbalance in representation. The district exists to serve the needs of our children, not the needs of adults. Our processes should reflect that. Children must be prioritized, not just in theory but in practice.

I will ensure that our students and parents are heard in addition to district employees. I will hold biweekly town halls and have an open door policy – accessible to everyone. I will engage with all viewpoints.

Studies show that students whose families are involved and engaged in their education are more successful in their academic careers.

I am fortunate to have the opportunity to volunteer in my child’s classroom as part of the structure of our school. I have seen firsthand how difficult it is for one teacher to provide individualized attention to a large class filled with varying levels of need and ability.

Having volunteers in the classroom is beneficial to both students and teachers in that it relieves teachers of the burden of having so many children to focus on at once, and it provides more individualized attention to the students.

Engaging with teachers and understanding how they work and the challenges they face is critical for both parents and teachers. More “face time” helps to develop relationships based on mutual respect, fosters trust, and empowers parents to be involved and engaged in their children’s learning.

When parents support teachers, teachers have more bandwidth and energy to provide excellent education to our kids.

I will ensure that all instructional materials are posted online and accessible to every parent to the fullest extent possible under the law. If any materials are copyright restricted, they will be made available for parents to review on site.