1. Tell us about your background. What skills would you bring to the Board of Education in the way of experience, knowledge, etc.?
I bring twenty-five years of experience as an education advocate with service on PTA’s, the Community Advisory Council (CAC), hundreds of county- and state-level advisory, policy, planning, budget and curriculum committees, and two terms on the Board of Education. As an analyst and editor, I provide a big picture perspective to discussion and planning, as well as a keen appreciation that attention to detail is critical to the success of any plan. As the mother of four graduates of the Howard County School System, three of them now educators, I bring the commitment of a parent to the importance of every single child’s success.
2. Why do you want to serve on the Board of Education?
I believe that educating our children is the most important thing that we do as a community. After two terms on the Board, I love being able to pull together all of the pieces in the puzzle and help make things better for our children.
3. What do you see as the 3 biggest issues/challenges facing the school system over the next couple of years? How would you work to meet these challenges?
- Student Achievement: How do we differentiate our curriculum delivery so that it adapts to student learning styles and abilities at every point along the spectrum and effectively measure real student progress?
Target support to the development of effective materials, strategies, and classroom resources to train and support teachers in meeting students where they are and moving them forward to college and career readiness. We have to move beyond preparation for the statewide assessments and provide students with multiple options for exploring their interests and improving and demonstrating their skills, such as, projects, performances, portfolios, and real-world experiences.
- Next Generation Learning: How do we find the right tools and modify instruction to teach both content and the skills necessary to thrive in a technologically driven society.
Focus resources on a plan to improve our technology infrastructure, increase professional development and supports, and update curriculum so the use of technology in the classroom is purposeful.
- Infrastructure and Growth: How do we support our aging infrastructure while building for continued expansion in a fiscally and environmentally responsible way?
Support strategic identification and implementation of operational and energy efficiencies, leveraging of shared resources with county government, and prioritizing critical maintenance and building modernization projects.
4. How would you work cooperatively and collaboratively with other Board members and the Superintendent and staff to build a Board of Education that works together in the best interests of the students?
Recognize that the Board is an executive body charged by the legislature with setting educational priorities, goals and policy for the school system and taking action on the advice and recommendations of the Superintendent. The Superintendent is the CEO tasked with implementing those policies and conducting the day to day operations of the school system. We are a committee of the whole, and we can only move forward by working together to define our shared objectives for our children and supporting the actions that support their achievement. As a member of the Board, I will continue to reach out to all stakeholders to ensure that their voices are heard and reflected in our decision making and engage in open and productive conversations with my colleagues.
5. What is your favorite aspect of living in Howard County?
The lively and invested community that has helped me grow. I’m still connected to the mothers I stood at the elementary school bus stop with every morning for 12 years. However, we now meet at public hearings on land use issues, the food bank to help stock shelves, and the library to read to children. I’ve had the good fortune to join with other citizens in planting trees to renew public spaces, serving as a judge at Simulated Congressional Hearings while 5th graders amaze us with their civic acumen, and displaying my inexpert chopstick skills while celebrating the Lunar New Year. In partnership with local businesses and organizations, I‘ve been privileged to mentor students, present workshops for parents on advocating for their children, and participate in fundraising activities that support the homeless and victims of abuse with shelter and essential services. I’ve learned over time that our differences and shared experiences make us all better neighbors. I’m lucky to live in a county that takes genuine pride in our diversity and values what each of us brings to the total picture.
6. Finally, please state the URL of your webpage where people can find more information about you, if you have one.
www.efg4boe.com
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