Campaign Priorities

Sandy has identified three key priorities for her re-election campaign.  Please take a moment to learn why each priority is important to her. She welcomes your feedback on these priorities and invites you to share ideas on other priorities that you deem important for the success of our school system.  

1 – Academic Performance

 Our state constitution declares every child has the right to a sound basic education that has been defined as equal opportunity in a public school system where students are equipped with sufficient knowledge and skills to function in a complex and rapidly changing society. According to a recent study, a public school system must provide a competent
teacher in the classroom, a competent principal in the school and equal access to resources for every student.

Sandy is excited about the school performance data shared in early September. Eight (8) schools exceeded overall growth, eighteen (18) schools met overall growth, and four (4) schools were removed from the state’s low performing list. This growth and improvement is a direct reflection of the work of our educators and the commitment of our students. “I applaud the work of our teachers and students, particularly given the many challenges the district faced last year. We must not miss the opportunity to celebrate these improvements and then continue the hard work to grow year after year,” Sandy said. 

Last year’s financial crisis forced the district to re-evaluate spending at every level, including programs, tools and resources. As we move into this new year with leaner spending, teachers are collaborating now more than ever to analyze student data and provide targeted instruction for our students. After two years of learning loss recovery, a mold emergency, a financial crisis, and key changes in leadership roles, Sandy is excited about her re-election and the opportunity to sharpen the focus on teaching and learning. 

2 – Safe and Healthy Facilities

While serving on the ABSS Joint Facilities Task Force in 2017, Sandy quickly realized that safe and healthy facilities must be addressed. In fact, she learned that 70% of our schools were built more than 50 years ago resulting in outdated buildings with ongoing maintenance and repair issues. In 2023, we opened Southeast Alamance High School, our first high school built in more than 40+ years. 

Last year, mold was discovered in more than 30 of our schools. This crisis brought long overdue attention to the need for mold remediation, much needed facility repairs, and the necessity of a preventative maintenance plan. Remediation efforts delayed the start of the academic year and the work carried a price tag of almost $30 million. At present, dehumidifiers are still present at many schools as we tackle roofing and HVAC repairs and replacements.  

This year, the county and the school board are working to address those roofing and HVAC needs as quickly as possible. The initial phase includes projects at eleven campuses identified as the highest priority in an independent facility study completed for the Board of Commissioners earlier this year. Bond proceeds exceeding more than $19M will be used for this important first phase. The work of ABSS Chief Operations Officer, Greg Hook, and Assistant County Manager, Bryan Baker, is a tremendous example of the power of collaboration!

As our community grows, our schools are unable to accommodate the increased student population. Most core areas such as cafeterias, media centers, gyms, and auditoriums don’t offer cost-effective options to update or remodel. Cuts to local, state and federal funding have made it difficult for new construction or expansion projects. (The $150M ABSS bond passed in 2018 allocated $70M to fund Southeast Alamance High School and $80M in renovation and expansion projects at multiple schools. All projects also included security enhancements.) 

“It is important that our students have safe and healthy learning environments. Leaking roofs, unsafe walkways, broken door locks, crowded hallways, and hot classrooms are simply unnecessary distractions in the school day. Increased security measures and continued partnerships with local law enforcement agencies are also key in protecting our students and staff,” Sandy said. School resource officers (SRO) are trained to work with our school leadership teams to ensure safety yet SROs also build relationships and trust with students which can prove beneficial in crime prevention. Sandy is proud of the work over the past two years to make it possible to provide funding a full time SRO for all campuses in ABSS.

3 – Teacher Recruitment, Retention & Pay

Sandy believes that our classroom teachers are the real MVPs across our district. Today, more than ever, our teachers are being asked to do more with less – less resources, less support and less pay. Teachers show up every day and do the work regardless of what challenges exist. She believes a thriving school district is a reflection of passionate teachers, supported by strong leadership, and valued by parents and community.

“In 2020, our local teacher supplement was ranked in the top 10 creating a competitive pay scale to now ranking Alamance County #10 in NC, up from #27 just ten years ago. Focusing on continuous improvement in our schools will create an inviting workplace where our educators are valued and every student receives a quality education. Teaching is so much more than measuring test scores. It is a commitment to the academic success and well-being of every student and those efforts must be rewarded,” Sandy said.

Over the last two years, the local teacher supplement dipped to #20 in the state. Though still above the state average, the lower supplement oftentimes creates a challenge when competing for teachers with nearby districts who pay more. That being said, Sandy also realizes that many teachers value a school culture too where they feel valued both in the classroom and in the community. Money is not everything but is certainly an important tool for recruitment and retention. (As our district closes in on thirty days of the new academic year, Sandy applauds the work of our human resource department to move our district closer to being fully staffed!)

For a closer look at ABSS, click here for the 2024 NC Teacher Working Conditions survey. ABSS shows a 93.2% response rate with 1,535 responses across 38 schools.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

As an incumbent, Sandy also realizes the importance of a continued focus on transparency and accountability. It is crucial to continue building a strong relationship with our county. This is best accomplished with full transparency and accountability. The $150M school bond passed in the 2018 election, the current joint facilities project with our county leaders and the $53.3M budget for the 2024-25 school year reflect a significant investment by our county in the school system. Our ability to account for every penny spent will solidify the mutual interest in improving the efficiency of our school system and its operations while reinforcing our commitment to spend taxpayer dollars wisely.

A shared focus on progress is also important. Dr. H.V. Murray was a member of the Burlington City School Board in 1958 when a $6.5M bond was on the ballot. Mr. Murray was asked when the spending ends with our schools. His response was powerful: “There is a simple answer to that. When the time comes for us to stop spending more money on schools, it means that our city and county have stopped in their progress.”  

As a local REALTOR®, Sandy clearly understands the importance of progress. Housing projections in Alamance County continue to climb, particularly in areas where overcrowded schools are already challenging. As our population grows (more than 184,000 citizens today), our school system and our county must adapt to meet the evolving needs of our education system.

Sandy stated, “We have the opportunity to continue to improve transparency and ensure accountability with our community partners. The future success of our public school system is dependent on the engagement of our students, our teachers, our business community, our local leaders and our citizens. We must forge partnerships focused on progress with a commitment to working together for the best interest of Alamance County. Simply put, public education matters.”