1. Enhancing Academic Programs: Collaborating with teachers, parents, and administrators to continually improve educational outcomes. 2. Supporting Student Well-being: Implementing initiatives that ensure the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of all students. 3. Ensuring Fiscal Responsibility: Managing the district’s resources wisely to maximize benefits for our students and community. 4. Expanding Childcare Options: Advocating for more before-and-after care and summer programs accessible to all students, regardless of their socio-economic status. 5. Community Engagement: Staying responsive to the community's needs and concerns, as priorities may change based on emerging issues in the district. I value feedback from the community and aim to incorporate their insights into my decision-making.

The Constitution clearly states that there is a separation of church and state. So, it is obvious to maintain this stance. I don’t see a problem in teaching religions from a historical standpoint like I was taught as a child, but when teaching turns into preaching there is a clear violation – an unconstitutional line has been crossed. It is not the school's job to indoctrinate religion. If a student would like to learn and join a religion, I would suggest they talk with their parents/guardians, go to their local Church, Synagogue, Mosque, or Temple and leave it to the religious leaders. It is not the school's job to convert students, it’s the school's job to educate them.

I cannot comment on what the school board's official role is, as I am not a member of the school board and do not represent them at this moment. I would have to refer you to the Superintendent’s office if you would like to know the specific role. If you were wondering what my stances are I feel it’s the school's job to provide a safe harassment-free environment to learn that would include the LGBTQ+ community. I feel the school should reinforce this with a very strict zero-tolerance policy against bullying, harassment and violence. That goes for all students.

My concern of any potential banning is very low since this has not been a topic of conversation both as a past school board member, and when attending meetings as a parent. As for my belief, I happen to believe in freedom of speech. I don’t know of any instances in the district where this would be necessary. There may be a unique circumstance where I would have to give this some additional thought, but overall I don’t believe in book banning. Banning books sets a dangerous precedent that creates a slippery slope that could create additional bans down the road.

The first order of business is to see what is causing these principles to leave and start from there. A number of these principals are leaving for some reason that is not known to the general public, so let's find the issue and address it. For example, if it’s a pay issue the district should explore operations budgets to free up additional funding or create funding to make compensation more competitive. So, determine the cause and fix it.

This issue hits home to me. My husband was directly impacted by this as he grew up and teachers tried to push his parents to have him jump two grades… he would have graduated at 15 years old. There was no solution back then, but an idea that comes to mind is to look at what other districts have done, what they have had success with, and implement those programs into our district. This would at least allow us to address it fairly quickly for the time being. There also could be an advanced placement course for younger students that we could explore for kids who don’t mind moving ahead. I would like to give this more thought and to give this more research and get back to you. The key is to advocate for these students.

This is an operations concern. Every school should have a per capita placement of administrators and teachers, but I think an immediate way to fix this is to make the idea of being an aid at SCCS to be more attractive. I think it would be wise to entice potential employees to work for SC in lieu of other districts. Perhaps we could make compensation packages more competitive to help encourage prospective employees to work for SCCS instead of going to other districts in the area, if possible.

I would prioritize students’ mental health by advocating for increased access to counseling and mental health resources in schools, while promoting peer support programs where students can openly discuss their feelings, problems & concerns; which is what Swartz Creek excels in. Post-pandemic, it's important to address the isolation and fear students experienced by integrating social-emotional learning into the curriculum and ensuring teachers have the training to identify early signs of mental health struggles. I’d also work on fostering a sense of community and belonging to help students rebuild connections.

I believe students should be allowed to have their cell phones with them during class, but they should remain in a purse or pocket to avoid distractions; particularly during teaching hours outside of breaks & lunch time. While cell phones can be important for safety during precarious situations, they shouldn’t interfere with learning. I also recognize that teachers are in the classroom daily and may have their own policies, so I would defer to their feedback and experiences when determining appropriate restrictions during their instructional times.

I believe cursive handwriting is important and should be practiced. My daughter, who is in 3rd grade at Dieck Elementary, is currently learning cursive and can already write her name and sentences. She was also introduced to cursive at the end of second grade to prepare for this year. If this isn’t already mandated within the district, I certainly have no issue re-instituting it.

Absolutely. I believe parents and caregivers should always be included in all decisions related to the health of minors.