Special Education
I wrote this and posted it to Facebook, but forgot to post it here. These are some of my thoughts on special education.
Let's talk about special education and what changes need to be made. As a former inclusion teacher (I was the regular education teacher and co-taught with a special education teacher) I have a great deal of knowledge about special education and the laws that govern special education. I think I can help bring unique ideas to the classroom from that perspective.
I think we need more special education teachers in order to help reduce the number of students on their caseloads. Special education teachers are expected to be in the classroom with students, in IEP and other student meetings, writing IEPs and communicate effectively with parents. Our special education teachers are outstanding but overworked!
In addition to more special education teachers, I would also look at hiring an IEP coordinator for the high school, the 2 middle schools, and 3-4 to share at the elementary level. These special education teachers would help coordinate IEP meetings and be the experts in our buildings to assist with IEPs. This could also help our teachers better communicate with parents and spend valuable time in the classroom.
Stay tuned...more ideas are coming!
Lots of Questions
So all candidates received a bunch of questions from a group of concerned citizens and I wanted to publish my answers. I hope you will read through them and let me know if you have any questions.
1) Part A : How would you look at ways to reduce spending and maintain a 5% fund balance during the pandemic? Part B: Are teacher layoffs an option?
I would like to go item by item through our budget and cut things that are not needed. In every large budget, there are many things that can be cut. I do not want to cut programs such as the arts. There are a large number of grants available to schools that our district is not accessing. I would love to increase efforts to tap into these (non-tax payer) funds, especially for technology, science, and diversity training. I want to see parents choose Stillwater Area Schools over other options. We should be attracting students to our schools because of their excellence. This increases funding and can offset costs in certain areas. I would also like to investigate increasing the cost of pre-K and bringing it in line with pre-Ks in the area.
I believe in small class sizes so I would try to avoid teacher cuts at all cost. I believe we need more teachers, especially in the area of special education. The caseloads for special education teachers do not allow them time to do their necessary paperwork, be in the classroom with students, and effectively communicate with parents. If there are administrative positions that are not benefiting students, I would evaluate them for redundancy.
2) Part A: Would you consider re-opening Oak Park and Withrow to alleviate overcrowding at Lake Elmo and other schools? Part B: If not, what purpose do you propose for those buildings? (OP and W)
I would consider re-opening Oak Park. I think that with so much growth in the Lake Elmo area, Oak Park would be an option to address over-crowding. Since there is only a 5-mile separation between Lake Elmo Elementary and Oak Park, we would not have long bus routes. If we open Oak Park, we need to find a place for the Transitions program. I do not think moving Transitions to Withrow is a good idea. I think it is too far from the center of the district. I would look at moving the administrative offices to Withrow and then using the Central Services building for the Transitions program. Another option is partnering with community businesses to help construct a Transitions building that simulates an apartment and workplace to give these students the maximum benefit from the program.
For Withrow, I would look at the financial viability of moving central services and also opening an environmental/farm pre-K program. Central services can be anywhere in the district since the employees are able to drive. The pre-K would be able to draw students from throughout the district and allow a different type of pre-K experience.
3) Part A: What is your position on non-voter approved levies? Part B: If the opportunity should arise again for a non-voter approved levy to fund the Brookview expansion, how would you vote and why?
I think that our district must give our voters/taxpayers the right to approve levies for substantial amounts. I do see reasons to have non-voter approved levies but would use those sparingly and for limited amounts of funds. I think it is the job of the board to be transparent and use money wisely. This gives our voters/taxpayers confidence to approve levies and bonds. I do think Brookview needs to be expanded (as it was originally planned). However, Lake Elmo MUST have a new school. Lake Elmo scored the lowest (by far) in the CDP and it must be addressed. I would not look at expanding Brookview without it being linked to a new school for Lake Elmo. At this point, it is too close to the 2021 bond and levy to pass a non-voter approved levy. I think the taxpayers would feel that we had already taken money, so why approve a large levy in less than a year. I think both Lake Elmo and Brookview need to be in the 2021 levy. It is the board’s job to make the levy benefit all schools such that the parents at each school get behind the levy and promote voting YES in 2021. I would like to start designing the new school and addition before the levy so that we are ready to break ground as soon as the levy passes. This would also give a visual of what the levy will do if passed. I feel this is the best compromise and gets both the new Lake Elmo school and Brookview additions in the shortest amount of time.
4) Please share your thoughts on the following state/federal initiatives; Common Core, World’s Best Workforce, and Reimagine MN.
I think Common Core was a huge disaster! I believe in more local and state control of learning. Since its implementation, key test scores have declined. Common Core stressed group learning, math strategies that made no sense, and did not focus on the correct answers, only how to get to the answer.
World’s Best Workforce is a good group of goals the state of Minnesota has set for students throughout the state. As with any initiative, there must be funding in order to reach our students that are not meeting the standards. I feel that identifying schools that need support is a noble objective, but there are students in every school (even the top performing schools) that need additional support. I would prefer the support to target students in need. I think data driven decisions help districts direct money and time to the right individuals. I think it is important to remember that supporting students and meeting them where they are is the most important thing we can do.
Reimagine MN focuses on creating lasting equity in excellence for all students. This is so very important right now with all of the Covid-19 restrictions. We must continue to ask ourselves how we create equity and excellence when every student’s home life is different and some do not support learning. I believe that the Reimagine MN gives the district resources and an outline to start moving forward toward equity but we must lean in as a district and do the work.
5) What role should parents play in the school district?
Parents play a huge role in the education of their children and in the school district. We need parent involvement to increase. Our parents want to see the great work going on inside our school buildings and offer a wealth of knowledge to our teachers and students. I believe that the more parent involvement a school or district has, the healthier it is. Parents, students, teachers, administrators, and the board should work together and listen to each other in order to move our district forward. I would welcome parent input and help throughout our district. I would also encourage outside organizations that give students support, such as Big Brother- Big Sisters.
6) Should pre-K be continued or expanded in our schools to generate additional revenue for the district? If yes, explain your thoughts on the space constraints that imposes to grades K-5 and do or do you not consider that to be an issue?
I think that if pre-K continues in our district, that we must raise the price in order to bring in a small amount of additional revenue. We need to be at a price point that is competitive with other pre-Ks in the community. I believe that an additional Early Education center should be added in the southern part of the district. This space would absorb the pre-K programs from our elementary schools, thus helping to alleviate the overcrowding at some elementary schools. Because our pre-K programs fill up every year, we could now offer additional pre-K classes to the community. We could also rent out space in the new Early Education center to generate additional funds.
7) Academic proficiencies are not increasing and the achievement gap in our district is not closing. What would be some of your ideas on how to improve this?
We must meet each student where they are in their learning and then give them an individualized plan to increase their achievement. For example, does a student refuse to turn in their homework? If so, we need to reach out to the student and parent and find the barriers preventing that student from success. Is it time? Is it a home environment that does not foster learning? In these cases, we must reach out and find solutions. In one of my previous districts, they created a Graduation Success Center and provided a place for students to obtain food, clothing, and laundry services. This center also provided a safe space after school that had computers and tutors to assist struggling students. This is how you can reach students and show them you care and will work with them to succeed.
Covid-19 is certainly not going to help reduce the achievement gap and I truly feel that many students will lose a whole grade levels during this time. I feel our most vulnerable students will suffer the most because they need the positive interactions from their caring teachers in order to learn. In talking to teachers after schools shut down, many students never turned in another assignment or interacted with their teacher at all. What is the plan should this happen again this fall? Do schools have the resources and capability to go door-to-door and help students?
8) Do you support a governing model that allows Administration to make decisions without full board authorization? Or do you support a governing model where the board provides more direct oversight and accountability?
I believe that the board must create a vision and direction for the district and put a great superintendent in place to execute it. The oath taken by a school board member requires them to be ultimately responsible for educating the students throughout the district. I feel that the board must be involved in all financial decisions in order to protect taxpayer’s money. For smaller purchases, this means setting a budget but for larger purchases, the board must act in a transparent, responsible manner to ensure the best use of funds. I do not believe that the board should be micro-managing at the school level. The board sets the policy and then the superintendent and building administration should implement it at the building level.
9) Part A: Over the summer, past and present SAHS students of color described disturbing episodes of racial discrimination at the high school involving both students and staff. What steps would you take to address these issues? Part B: Do you think we need any staffing changes? Part C: What changes would you recommend?
As a board member, I would immediately request the formation of an inclusion and equity community group that would advise the board on issues. I think this council could assist the board as issues arise and the board would not be starting from scratch, but already have a trusting relationship with groups that have been marginalized. I think having an advisory group like this would help give the board a different lens in which to view our schools. I also agree that the board needs to reflect the diversity of our community.
In addition, I would work to hire a superintendent that has experience with equity issues and has a plan for helping our district move forward. I do think this issue takes everyone working together to understand and dismantle the barriers. Parents, teachers, staff, students, the board, and the community must have access to training and an opportunity to learn from each other.
Finally, I think that any form of racial or bigoted behavior by anyone in a school should be escalated to the principal. Much like a hate crime in the community, we need to have a specific protocol for any hate speech or action and a thorough investigation and intervention must follow. We cannot hide these issues and can only address them once they are identified.
10) A recent survey of teachers showed about 75% didn’t feel it was safe to conduct in person school even with the hybrid model. Do you support starting school with a hybrid model or 100% distance learning? Why or why not?
I support starting school according to the governor’s guidelines under the least restrictive environment possible for students based on the scientific numbers in our area. I believe that parents should have the option of full online learning or the least restrictive environment possible. Students learn better with teachers in the classroom. This is important socially, mentally, and most importantly academically. I think we will come out of this pandemic and discover that some students have fallen behind creating an even larger achievement gap from which some students will never recover. I think teachers should be involved in the process of planning for the upcoming school year and understand the protocols and expectations. I do not think this has been laid out fully (as of 8/20) and this may contribute to why the teachers did not feel safe returning. I think that as teachers return to pre-planning this will become clearer to them.
11) Describe a recent board decision you agreed with and why.
I agreed with the board’s decision to go to the hybrid model for returning to school. I felt the discussion between the board members was productive. I believe that the board weighed the opinion of the superintendent and the principals and came up with the best possible choice for the district while giving parents the option of keeping students home. I think the board listened to parents who said they wanted and needed students in school. I think the hybrid model was the most difficult model to plan for and therefore a good place to start. I do believe that students, especially our youngest learners, need to be in school as much as possible. However, with COVID positive cases for Washington County rising and already above 18 per 10,000, I think full in-person learning was not practical to begin school. I hope that if the numbers go down through the year, the board will consider full in-person learning, especially for elementary learners. I think it is important to use science and data when making the determination of when to allow students to be back in school.
12) Describe a recent board decision you disagreed with and why.
I think the board made a mistake when they approved their racial equality statement. Having no input from the community effected by racial discrimination was insensitive and unproductive. I feel that having a community council in place before such statements are made gives the board a place to go for advice and consultation. Trust between the board and the council will develop over time and will add to working relationship. It also seemed the statement was not a joint effort by all board members. I would have consulted the community council and then I would have had input from all the board directors. Finally, I would have had a first and second reading like other policy changes and given the public a chance to weigh in on the statement.
13) A new operating levy will need renewal in the near future. As a board member you will need to put together a proposal that district voters will agree to fund. Will you consider the recent CDT’s (Community Design Team) recommendations entirely, or only pieces of the CDT? What do you consider to be the most essential projects to ask voters to fund?
The CDT was an expansive view of many things that need to be done within the district. To do everything in the CDT during Covid-19 would put a huge burden on our taxpayers. I think we need to prioritize pieces of the CDT. I would prioritize first the items that directly impact students, and then possibly do lower priority items in the future. As a board member, I would craft the operating levy to include upgrades for as many schools as possible in order to gain support from the entire community and give each school some buy-in. It is important to involve teachers and principals at each building to discuss issues that may have changed since the CDT recommendations were made. Covid-19 may shift some of our priorities related to building upgrades. For example, I would make sure that every bathroom in every school in our district is fitted with modern upgrades to promote, facilitate, and ensure cleanliness in our schools.
In addition to the operating levy, we will also need a new levy and a bond. In the bond, I would include a new school for Lake Elmo, an expansion of Brookview, and possibly a new Early Education Center in the southern part of the district.
14) To end the questioning, please tell us your best joke. Yes, you read that right. Best joke.
Imagine if America switched from pounds to kilograms overnight. There would be mass confusion.
(remember I was a science teacher!)
Not a Video..but important! Community Collaboration Team
Let's talk about what needs to be DONE in our district! Over the next few weeks, I will be posting many of my ideas to help our district in a variety of areas. Let's start with some of my ideas on a community collaboration team. As a board member, I would immediately request the formation of an inclusion and equity community group that would advise the board on issues. I think this council could assist the board as issues arise and the board would not be starting from scratch, but already have a trusting relationship with groups that have been marginalized. I think having an advisory group like this would help give the board a different lens in which to view our schools.
Imagine what would have happened if the board has this type of advisory council before they wrote the board statement on equity??? I can only imagine how much more meaningful that statement would have been if it had been written in collaboration with a group such as this!
Whether I am elected or not, I pray this type of group is put in place to help unify our district. Keep watching...more ideas are on the way! Tell me your thoughts below! I am listening and vow always listen!
Why Run For School Board?
I think I can use my skill set and make a positive change in our district.
I decided to run for school board because I think I can make a difference!