Student-Centered Decision Making Our district faces financial challenges because of recent legislative changes to the local levy process and declining enrollment. As decisions are made by the School Board, I commit to keeping the focus on students. The School Board members are the stewards of taxpayer money, but they should always have students in mind as they make decisions. I believe an organization’s budget is a reflection on their priorities. If student success is a priority, the budget should reflect that. For students to be successful, policies and decisions should protect the classroom. I believe in supporting teachers with high-quality professional learning and effective collaboration structures. I believe in small class sizes and caseloads so teachers can focus on individual student needs. I believe student-centered decisions consider the whole child, including social, emotional, physical, and academic supports needed for the success of all children.
As a Board Director, I will ensure the focus stays on students, that teachers and families are supported, and decisions are made in their best interests.
Equitable Outcomes for ALL Kids The Anacortes School District faces similar challenges to other school districts across Washington State. Outcomes are not currently equitable for all kids. I believe the School Board should be asking critical questions to examine these outcomes and why student achievement is varied based on race and income level, such as: Are we critically looking at opportunity gaps? Which students are we closing the door for? Where are inequities? In what ways are we (the adults in the system) failing some kids and families? Are all kids getting what they need to be successful? What do teachers need to support all students? I believe School Board members play a role in designing an equitable school experience for all students.
As a Board Director, I will ensure these questions are asked and examined so that Anacortes becomes a school district that meets the promise of providing all students the opportunity and support to succeed in our schools.
Making the Plan a Reality As a foundation, the Anacortes School District has a solid strategic plan with the right pillars identified. The next step for the Board is to make sure the vision laid out in the plan becomes a reality. The School Board should look critically at the metrics of success within the plan. Are they collecting the right evidence of success? The Board should examine the details within the plan and ask if they have the right goals or if there is more the district should be thinking about. For example: many measures of success in the strategic plan are student test scores. Are there other measures to look at that reflect the whole child and skills needed for success as productive adults after a K-12 education?
As a Board Director, I will ensure a focus stays on making sure the goals of the strategic plan become a reality; it is enacted and there is critical evaluation of its success.