Education is my passion

On March 11th, I am asking for your vote. I take this request very seriously and have spent the past 14 years developing the competence and expertise I feel is necessary to best serve our community on the school board.

Unlike my opponent, I have spent my professional career focused on education. I taught at Kearsarge for 13 years, and have a Masters of Education from Harvard, providing broad insight into what has and hasn’t worked at school boards across the country.

This experience will allow me to propose no- and minimal-cost changes to our school district which have a proven track-record of success. Please continue reading to learn more about my background and ideas for how we can improve the school system through smarter use of our budget to create the best environment for learning and teaching.

Ideas for Low or No-Cost Reforms

• I’ve seen firsthand how much trouble my students had learning in sweltering classrooms approaching 90 degrees.  A small investment in the addition of passive cooling such as transom windows will continue to pay dividends for decades with no ongoing cost.

• As a teacher, I experienced how ineffective our evaluation and feedback systems are.  We need to overhaul teacher, student, and administrator feedback and oversight in order to improve transparency, effectiveness, and morale in our school district.

• I’ve watched our district spend countless thousands of dollars on consultants without a needs assessment, a competitive bidding process, or deliverables, while students went without basic supplies.  On the school board I will push for accountability for these funds, and ensure our budget prioritizes putting money where it helps: on the ground, in our classrooms, with our students. 

• Unfortunately, every profession has underperforming members, and teachers are no exception.  I’ve witnessed staff members continually fail to meet the requirements of their performance improvement plans, with no consequences, due to inadequate follow-up from leadership.  I will push for increased accountability to identify those teachers who don’t live up to their colleagues’ exemplary standards.

• I led negotiation for the teacher contract and served as president of the Kearsarge Regional Educators Association.  I know the contract inside and out, and can help our school board improve it to better serve our community in future negotiations.  

• I have interviewed teachers who have left the district and found many of them to be happier in other districts. I think we can learn from best practices identified in research as well as exemplars from around the state to ensure an optimal teaching and learning environment, helping us recruit and retain the best local talent.

A Strong Background in Education

DEGREES

• M.Ed., Educational Policy & Management, Harvard
• Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (M.Ed.+) Educational Leadership, Southern NH University
• M.Ed., Health Education: Public Health Promotion, Plymouth State University
• B.S., Phys Ed Teacher Preparation, St. Joseph’s College of Maine

EXPERIENCE

• Physical Education & Health Teacher, Kearsarge (2010-2023)
• Advocated for, developed and implemented the health education program at KRMS
• Developed research-based school-wide schedules
• Fundraising and community outreach
• NEA-NH, District Association President (2019-2023)

LEADERSHIP & ACTIVITIES

• Teacher Improvement Plan Leader
• Participated on Hiring Committees
• Advisory Committee
• Wellness Committee
• Winter Activities Leader, KRMS
• District Supervision and Evaluation Committee
• Coached KRMS Field Hockey and KRHS Lacrosse