(6/2022) The primary election date for Maryland is set for July 19, and the 2022 election couldn’t be more crucial for the future of our students. This year, a total of 16 candidates filed for the four seats open in the Board of Education race. It is critically important that those seats are filled by individuals who are fully committed to enhancing our public education system through transparency and communication, full and fair funding, and collaboration with key stakeholders including parents, educators, business leaders, non-profit partners, and our students. Elected school board members must be willing to work within Frederick County communities with a focus on student achievement, enhanced funding, recruitment and retention of quality staff/educators, and equitable policies that serve all students.

Here’s why I hope that I will earn one of your four votes for the FCPS Board of Education. Some candidates focus on single issues or priorities, without a full understanding of what it takes to make change happen. Given my experience working with education systems, I am well-aware that being a Board member requires consistent pulse-checks on the direction and progress of our entire system. When a crisis or challenge arises, our students, educators, and community deserve a Board that is responsive to those needs and willing to engage in tough conversations and make tough decisions.

Board members must hold the FCPS superintendent accountable in meeting the district’s priorities while building a strong and sustainable budget, ensuring timely and productive negotiations with employee associations, responding to the needs of students and staff, and attracting/retaining a diverse, capable workforce. FCPS is a great school system with good student outcomes for most students - but there are areas that require immediate attention, strategy, and resources. As a Board member, I will focus on solutions, not complaints.

When elected to the Board of Education, I will work collaboratively with other Board members to ensure that all FCPS employees have competitive salaries and benefits. Our system is rapidly losing highly-qualified and effective educators to other counties - while many others are leaving the profession altogether. Our school system will not survive without the talented individuals who make it run every day - and we will never be able to reduce class sizes if we are unable to retain educators in our classrooms. In addition to closely examining pay scales, I am committed to examining workload priorities, decreasing class sizes and increasing educator:student ratios, and exploring creative ways to attract new talent to FCPS.

I also strongly believe that access to additional programming to meet the unique needs of all students is critical - including mental health, restorative practices, early childhood education, wraparound support services, programming to reach learners with limited English proficiency, and more high-quality career and technical career programs. While the current FCPS career and technology programs offer excellent opportunities, I plan to prioritize the expansion of additional pathways such as carpentry, mechanical/collision repair, and service programs such as cosmetology. Our schools must acknowledge that every child is not college bound, and make efforts to remove the stigma of pursuing alternative post-secondary options.

As a parent, as a community member, and as a professional deeply connected to education systems, I am personally invested in the success of Frederick County Public Schools. In my view, there is no greater investment of our County’s resources than the investment in the future of our students. Our entire community wins when we have a strong education system. Let’s work together to build a bright future for all of our students.