PLATFORM
"Murray is a small school district that is uniquely situated to actively engage the Murray community and families. I'd like to ensure that students and families have the support that they need from the district to feel welcomed and informed so that they can support their students along their educational pathway. I acknowledge that everyone that touches a students life, the families, friends, educators, custodial staff, and coaches, is a value-add, each with a rich and diverse experience. We can do more to recognize that value and to utilize a student’s network to provide the greatest amount of support.."
I will focus on four things:
Give Students What They Need to Thrive
Thriving means that we support students holistically as well as academically. Connecting students and families to resources like health and wellness professionals, addressing basic needs like food security and housing to minimize disruption in their students’ education—these are all things that can build a strong foundation for student and family success.
Provide Educators with the Resources They Need to Foster Success
When it comes to resources, I will work closely with educators to determine what they need, and then I will work hard to advocate for that. Teachers, counselors, administrators, and paraeducators all care deeply for our students and for the work that they do. They are highly qualified professionals with lived experience who have specialized training in understanding what our kids need when it comes to academic, social, and emotional support.
Engage Families and Student Support Communities
Students thrive when they feel supported and heard; their families do too. There is a tremendous amount of value added to a school community when a student's support community, which can include parents, grandparents, siblings, other adults students interact with on a daily basis, becomes an active participant in their student's education. We can do more to support families such as hosting literacy nights or working with community volunteers to create take-home kits to help parents engage with learning material in ways that make learning fun for the whole family.
Build Stronger Pathways to Careers
There are pathways to college and careers that save students and families time to degree and money. However, accessing and navigating that experience remains inaccessible to many. We need to make these paths clear, and we need to support students by partnering with industry and corporate leaders and collaborating with local postsecondary institutions to support students along these pathways.