Key Issues
Empower Parents, Kids, Teachers and Community
In the years that I have followed the TSD BOE, the one constant has been a lack of trust, appreciation, and respect from the board towards parents, community and staff that have a different perspective. The BOE can lead the way in creating a district where parents are trusted, teachers are valued, kids are listened to and the community is welcome.
As a School Board Director, I will focus on finding ways to create a healthy positive environment in which everyone has ownership in the vision to create a school district where every child is educated to the best of their abilities.
- The Board of Education (BOE) must lead the way in setting expectations and boundaries.
- The BOE will respect parents are the experts in what is best for their child.
- Make sure all voices are listened to, respected and welcomed.
- Ensure Teachers feel safe to speak up when something isn’t working.
- Ensure Parents feel safe to speak up when something isn’t working.
- With empowerment comes accountability.
Return to Basics
Over time there has been so much “mission creep” into public education that I think many in the K-12 system have forgotten that the core purpose of public education is to teach children how to read, write, perform math, understand science and critical thinking. This is an issue that will not be solved in two, four or even 8 years, but we must start “eating” this elephant one bite at a time to ensure every classroom is focused on neutral academic content taught by professional teachers.
The core purpose of public education is to teach children how to read, write, perform math, understand science and critical thinking.
- Focus on teaching kids reading, writing, arithmetic, science, and critical thinking.
- Work to make sure students and teachers have the funding and tools needed to be successful.
- Teachers create an environment where kids are treated equally and feel safe to express their ideas and perspectives.
- Curriculum, handouts and presentations are based on objective neutral academic content.
Promote asking:
What If ?
Promote asking: What If ?
Thompson School District just like so many other government entities, have become so entrenched with groupthink that if anyone outside their bubble asks a question or proposes a solution, they are seen as attacking them personally. Groupthink NEVER produces anything good and in fact often keeps bad ideas around that should have been ended years ago. The BOE is who can lead the way by rejecting groupthink and set the expectation that asking, “what if…” is the new standard.
Groupthink NEVER produces anything good and in fact often keeps bad ideas around that should have been ended years ago.
- Encourage thinking outside the box!
- Individual responsibility and creativity is embraced and encouraged.
- Imagine the doors that will open when we are receptive to the question of; “what if we did….?” Or “what if we created…?”
Think of the possibilities by simply asking WHAT IF !!!!!
Think of the possibilities by simply asking
WHAT IF !!!!!