Recommit and reimagine.
Students with Special Needs and Learning Differences
Invisibility is a terrible thing. For these families, their struggle is often a private and difficult one. It is hard to know where to start, what services are needed, and how to access them. The time, effort, and money required can be staggering, if not an impossibility.
The pandemic put a halt on many special services. Students struggling academically experienced significant delays in assessments and support. We must prioritize meeting the needs of these students with urgency and provide more classroom support for teachers so that everyone is set up for success.
Rigorous Math Opportunities and Math Support
All kids can be good at math. And all learners can do more than we think. As an educator, I have seen this for myself. Gains require one-on-one work over a period of time and a strong relationship between the learner and teacher. As a community, we must expand math learning opportunities and individualized support for kids, and ensure every child who needs help receives it.
Physical and Mental Wellness
Many children and teens are experiencing mental health problems, aggravated by the disruption and isolation of the pandemic. Some have lost friends and family to COVID-19. We are seeing record highs of anxiety, depression and ER visits. I am committed to ensuring that our kids have caring connections with peers, teachers, and counselors, and families have access to the services they need to heal and thrive.
Support for Teachers and Staff
COVID-19 brought home the fact that teachers are our greatest asset. But the profession is in crisis. If elected, I will work with the district to hire, retain and support our teachers and staff, including hiring more teachers and staff of color, so that they want to come, and stay, in BUSD.
Multilingual Learning Opportunities
We live in a global society. All kids should learn a minimum of two or three languages starting at a young age while their brains are developing. Language has the power to expand viewpoints, build confidence, and accelerate academic outcomes. I have co-founded a language public school in a neighboring district. I am committed to expanding multilingual opportunities for all of our students.
Stable and Enriching Afterschool Care for All
School hours simply don’t work for working families. Short of changing it, we must prioritize stable and enriching afterschool care for all. Afterschool is also a natural place to propel success through academic and enrichment offerings.
Right now, families who can afford it are paying for it outside. If elected, I am committed to expanding those opportunities for our district and ensuring that all families have access to stable and high quality afterschool care.
Flexible Learning and Digital Literacy
Harnessing the best of what humans offer and what technology offers is the future of education. Online learning, if done effectively, has the power to personalize and help learners assess their own learning and progress. When you can teach yourself to learn, you can do anything.
When I embarked on designing a hybrid online law program from top to bottom for my institution, quality and rigor were my guide. If elected, I will bring my experience to the district and support flexible delivery models and digital literacy as strategies to accelerate and enhance learning.
As your school leader, I promise to:
Bring strategic thinking to every problem.
Ensure every approved solution is backed by a strong plan for execution.
Hold leaders, including the School Board, accountable with regular progress updates.
Make transparency a priority so that families know exactly what to expect at each year of their children’s education.
Build strong family and community partnerships to propel academic success.
Address equity through a lens of growth and innovation (not deficit).