The Issues At Hand
Assessments/Standardized Testing
From the Federal Level down to the Local Level we require too much testing. As a product of the infamous "No Child Left Behind" Act, I know, first hand, what it's like to have your whole K-12 Education Career dedicated to passing tests (aka read, write, and regurgitate) rather than methods actually proven to improve academic performance and knowledge retention.
We must promote and encourage legislation and system restructuring that moves us from simply teaching to tests to teaching our students and assessing them, when needed, with high quality assessments that will be effective in providing information regarding academic progress but also for our instruction that must be adaptive.
We can't forget that kids are kids and must allow them to be kids even in an education setting where they spend roughly 8 hours a day for around 180 days of the year.
Advocacy and Legislation
To me, it is simply not a choice whether or not to advocate for our students but a must.
Our school board must be involved in all aspects of advocacy, decision making, and legislation from the local level all the way up. This ranges from Tax Abatements, TIFs, Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs), State Funding and Requirements, State Report Card Criteria, Federal Legislation, etc...
Building Conditions
This is simple. If our buildings do not provide a safe and comfortable environment, how do we expect our students to learn?
College and Career Readiness
This takes an approach from two sides.
Sandusky is a Legacy City and we must embrace that, but we also must embrace the future of our economy. It is imperative that we partner with our City and Community to fulfill the current job needs while also being a great partner in making our city and region attractive for the job growth of the future.
We must continue to encourage, improve marketing, and increase our enrollment numbers in both Career Center and Post Secondary Options. Roughly 2/3 jobs will require a College Degree, but we also must not forget about careers that require alternative education and the obtainment of apprenticeships and certificates.
Community Engagement
I believe that a community can only truly succeed if we (parents, extended family, staff, community members, etc...) are actively engaged and take responsibility for our community. We must be dedicated to our children receiving a high-quality education and for them to succeed.
I also will be dedicated to being actively involved beyond my chartered duties, open, and transparent with our community throughout my time on the board. My time as an Area Commissioner in the City of Columbus provided me first hand the importance of our officials being actively involved and the success that comes from that. I believe we need to come together to create a youth council and a partnership board that includes city, school, county, and local non-profit members so that we are collaborating and engaging with as many stakeholders as we can.
English as a Second Language/Gifted and Talented/Special Education
We must make sure that all are able to succeed and garner an equitable education.
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As our communities become more diverse, we must be proactive in providing services such as English Intervention programs that go above an beyond
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Increasing enrollment in the Regional Center for the Arts and Academic Studies
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Our Special Education program must be adequately funded. The instruction that we provide in this setting must be top of the line to make sure that all students are provided an opportunity to succeed and that their lives are being enriched. We are a welcoming community and our education must demonstrate that.
Ensuring Safe Schools For All
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Working towards a more safe and trusting school climate
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Looking at crisis intervention programs and how they will work best for us
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Ensuring sufficient access to mental health resources including counselors
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Providing information sessions for the public on safe gun storage practices
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Looking at our current policies and security practices in making sure that our students are protected
Funding Public Education
The Ohio Supreme Court stated in March of 1997 that the States method of funding our public education system is unconstitutional as it did not create a "thorough and efficient system of commons schools". Still, to this day, we do not fund our school system in a constitutional manner. In fact, our system has only gotten worse. Our State Legislature has created a bigger divide since that ruling by sending more money to private schools with no real regulations or financial accountability - proven time and time again via scandal after scandal - and has not adequately invested in our public education system.
As a School Board Member, I will fight day in and day out to advocate for a constitutional and more equitable funding method that does not put the burden on local communities via high levies and income taxes to bridge the funding gap. I will also help to increase the impact of the Sandusky Education Foundation from educational enrichment to scholarship funding.
Graduation Rates and Student Success
Sandusky City Schools should pride itself in having a high graduation rate; however, I believe we can do better! We must work towards meeting our goals as a district to increase our Attendance and Graduation Rate. Just as in College or University with Academic Advisors, we should be working with our students on individual plans of success during their time with us that provide them with specific and long term academic goals while encouraging them every step of the way.
We must also increase the marketing of our 22+ Program to lower the number of Sandusky Residents without a High School Diploma to provide them with one more bridge of access to opportunities and a huge sense of pride.
Role of a School Board Member
Our School Board must be held accountable and responsible regarding all governance duties. Our board should be committed to governing in an effective and efficient manner.
School Board Members are a representative of students and parents and should advocate at every level for a student-focused education.
Our Board should be dedicated to the idea that every child should be highly-educated, prepared to be a leader, and empowered to succeed as a global citizen.
Lastly, our Board needs a non-voting student member so that the voices of students are present and represented at every meeting.
School Faculty and Staff
Our schools would not be the wonderful place they are without all of our Faculty and Staff whom are caring individuals dedicated to the success of our children. I also want to shoutout many of our Bus Drivers, Custodians, and Food Services Staff who go above and beyond their duties to encourage your children to succeed. During my time on the board, I will be equally dedicated to the success of our Faculty and Staff just as I am to our children. If we fail them then we fail our children and that is not acceptable. Finally, our teachers deserve to be treated with a higher status as they are an instrumental part of the fabric of our community.
Tax Abatements/TIFs (Tax Increment Financing)
Our school board should be apart of any decision making regarding the abatement or creation of TIFs if school taxes are involved. We must also look at this in a pragmatic fashion. While I do understand that tax incentives are a huge tool to foster economic development and growth, I do believe these should be used in a fair manner so that our schools are not being dealt the short side of the stick. I believe that if you want to be apart of our community you shouldn't want to avoid helping to fund the local schools within the community. Here are my three top key policies:
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I do not simply support just a blanket 100% Tax Abatement or creation of a 100% TIF with developer demands. I support Fair Taxation.
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Advocate for the adoption of removing school taxes from Tax Abatements/TIFs under the Ohio Revised Code (ORC)
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Utilize alternative methods such as fair Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreements to guarantee an equitable payment is being made and advocate that the School Board has full negotiation rights regarding PILOT contracts