Alaska Public Media

Why are you running?

Because I know our students can do better, a lot better. We must do better. Our community, state, county and most importantly our children’s future is at stake. It’s very apparent there’s a severe lack of leadership and management of our city’s schools. Over the last 20 years I’ve been involved in a number of volunteer ASD committee’s such as the Multicultural Education Concerns Advisory Committee (MECAC), the Operating Budget Committee, Special Education Advisory Committee and I’ve seen the district from the inside, and I know we can do a lot better. In fact it is my belief that the Anchorage School District could be one of, if not the best Urban School Districts in America. According to the State Department Of Education, currently my neighborhood elementary school has a proficiency rating of zero in math AND zero in English Language Arts. How is that even possible in Anchorage? We have a great city with a public education system. That is way below acceptable. That’s why I am running.

What is the role of the school board as it relates to the school superintendent and the operation of the district?

Both the Alaska State and National School Board Association believe the role of local school boards is to create policy and hire and supervise the superintendent. I wholeheartedly agree. The current school board incorrectly operates as if the superintendent’s role is to manage, plan and supervise the daily affairs of the district, as well as to supervise herself.

Do you support public money funding education in public schools? (Yes-No) Why?

Do you have children in Anchorage public schools now? How did they handle pandemic virtual learning? If they attended in the past, how was that experience?

No

Can the ASD continue to afford so many different schools of choice? Could these many options be a distraction from the mission of excellence for all students?

What ideas do you have to incentivize the best and brightest teachers to come to this district and do great work? What ideas do you have to encourage teacher longevity?

I believe the recommendations contained in the last District Curriculum Management Audit and in the district’s outside consultant’s ‘Improving K-8 Mathematics Achievement Report.’

National studies indicate closed schools and/or prolonged online learning has not been successful for all. What ideas do you have to recover this learning loss?

How will you reach out to the different community constituencies to hear concerns about their students’ education?

Given the rich diversity of our school district and community, what is the best approach to equitably meet the needs of all students, regardless of socio-economic differences?

1) Raise social emotional and academic expectations.
2) Stop putting first year principals in our most challenging schools.
3) Do not permit under-performing principals to stay in underperforming schools for 10-20-30 years as the district does now
4) Audit programs curriculum instruction management and our school board
5) Transparency
6) Accountability

What ideas do you have to ensure that English Language Learners and students with disabilities have equal learning opportunities in the Anchorage School District?

Audits