We’re Back, The Work Continues
We are back!
Then again, did we ever really leave? It feels like it was only yesterday that I was writing my thank you post to all of you for the effort, appreciation, generosity, and the hundreds of other ways you lifted up my campaign. There are still moments when this can’t possibly feel real, but it is!
And now I’m asking every one of you to help all… over… again…
Because one year in this role has not been nearly enough. It is going to take all of the help I received last year, plus a whole lot extra, if I hope to be re-elected. Tempting as it may be to dust off last year’s campaign playbook, I am certain this will be considerably different in nearly every way imaginable. The biggest change is that I won’t be pursuing office as an unknown newcomer. I am a sitting member of the PLSAS Board of Education, with a much better understanding of the district’s current state and how it operates, than I had going into this.
Not only have my circumstances changed, but so has the entire environment surrounding this election. There are four seats on this November’s ballot, along with an operating levy, a capital projects levy, and a constitutional amendment. The electorate will be different too. The number of eyeballs on this year’s general election versus last year’s special election will be significantly larger. It would be foolish to think every eligible voter will be familiar with the campaign I ran last time.
At the end of the day, whether I was a newcomer running in a special election or an incumbent running in what may be the most consequential election in our district’s 75-year history, I know there is more I can do in service of this district. Listening and learning wasn’t just a campaign slogan; aligning my decision-making with the real-world experiences of those who attend class and work within our buildings every single day has always been my number one priority. My role as a leader is to help create and sustain the conditions that make high-level learning possible.
As we continue this journey together, I’ll share my vision for how our district can best achieve that goal with the resources currently available, and how I see us expanding our capacity to meet the needs of every student, recognize the contributions of every teacher, and be a reliable, trustworthy partner to our staff.
There is still plenty of work to do if we are going to honestly assess, propose, and enact decisions that meaningfully contribute to our strategic plan. If you’ve supported me in the past, I hope you found your trust in me was well placed. If you’re new to this campaign, my hope is to earn your trust by living my values daily, conducting myself with integrity, and demonstrating why I believe I am the right leader for this community—both now and into the future.
It’s a brand new day, folks. I’m ready to get out there and work my tail off to continue serving our schools and show loud and clear that people in this district want the best for our kids and educators.
That’s what I want to do. Who else out there wants to help?