What Did Sandy Say? Candidate Questionnaire for Women League of Voters

2024 Vote411 League of Women Voters Questionnaire:

What experience and skills make you the best candidate for this office? (Max. 750 characters) For almost 26 years, I often heard others speak poorly of ABSS yet so many students - including my own - were thriving. My involvement in PTAs for many years allowed me to build relationships with teachers, meet other parents, and see firsthand the strengths and the needs of our district. As a local REALTOR® since 2002, I quickly recognized the important link between public schools and housing. Homebuyers chose to live in communities where they believed strong schools existed. As a parent, a local business owner, and a lifelong Alamance County citizen, I felt my experience and knowledge, both personally & professionally, would bring a unique perspective to the Board. I always lead with a simple question, "how does it affect the children?"

What are the most important responsibilities of a school board member? (Max. 750 characters) Simply put, school board members should always focus on what is best for the children - all children. We are constantly faced with making decisions that impact our schools. Many of these decisions will not please every citizen, so it is important to understand the issue, why it is important, and its advantages and disadvantages. We must ask questions to ensure we are informed about its potential impact. Most importantly, we must have the courage to make hard decisions and the conviction to stand behind it. We also must lead by example. The beauty of the school board is seven different leaders with a common goal chosen to lead a very diverse community with a common goal - doing what is best for our children. We must stay focused!

What are the critical state funding needs for this county’s schools and how would you address those needs? (Max. 750 characters) I believe funding to support teacher pay, mental health, and facilities is critical. Teacher recruitment and retention remain challenging as educators continue to leave an underfunded, overworked profession. Unfortunately, the teacher pipeline is also in crisis. State allotments for teaching positions are not aligned with the reality of what is needed on our campuses. The pandemic brought a sharpened focus on mental health issues in our young people across all grade levels, yet we cannot adequately fund social workers, nurses, and guidance counselors to support our most vulnerable students. Lottery funding does not support public education at the levels it was initially intended by the State leaving much need for aging facilities.

How would you assess teacher satisfaction in your district, and how would you promote professional development? (Max. 750 characters) In the annual Teacher Working Conditions survey, 88.54% of our teachers indicated they agree or strongly agree when asked if their school was a good place to work and learn. I note this data because, during my service on the school board, the district has transitioned leadership in many key positions, including three superintendents. Teachers have remained committed to ABSS through turbulent times of financial uncertainty, teacher shortages, school safety concerns, redistricting, and a mold crisis. Our workforce shows up and engages our students every day, often under extraordinary circumstances. I believe input from our teachers should influence professional development options. Giving teachers a voice is important to job satisfaction!

Pre-Kindergarten is: Importance Scale - Very important. Please explain your choice. (Max. 750 characters) Much research has been done to show the impacts of educating our youngest generation prior to kindergarten. In fact, this work benefits our smallest learners and our communities at large. Teaching and supporting youth throughout their adolescent years results in productive citizens. Investments in nurturing and educational childcare at the earliest ages creates an opportunity for children to build relationships through positive interaction. Children learn basic skills - academically and socially - that will better position them for the start of traditional kindergarten. While we have excellent resources in Alamance County, like Smart Start, NC Pre-K and private childcare options, there is always a need to reach and engage more children.

Describe your philosophy on recruiting and retaining qualified teachers. (Max. 750 characters) Our district must be intentional in identifying the resources and tools to tap into teacher pipelines. We must be able to demonstrate our ability as a district to offer competitive teacher pay, engaging learning environments, strong administrative support, and relevant professional development opportunities. Alamance County is home to more than 184,000 citizens and more than 22,000 young children who choose public education. Attracting a diverse workforce capitalizing on beginning teachers while also recognizing the strength of our veteran teachers must be a priority. We must recognize the most valuable resource for any teacher is time. Time to teach without interruption, engage small groups, prepare lessons, and collaborate with others.

Additional Comments (Max. 1000 characters) My three highest priorities include academic success, safe and healthy schools, and teacher pay. Academically, we celebrated growth in our classrooms last year, yet we must continue to improve. Safe and healthy learning environments are vital to academic success. We added school resource officers, tackled mold remediation in more than 30 schools, prioritized HVAC and roof projects, and added athletic trainers. Teacher pay remains a top priority. Our supplement ranks 20th in the state while nearby competing districts are consistently paying more. While I recognize money is not the only factor, it is certainly an important factor. With more teachers leaving the profession, we must find ways to attract and retain talented educators.

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Posted on 25 Sep 2024, 12:42 - Category: Q & A Insights