The April 2 School Board election is only four weeks away, and every day more information is circulating about your choices in this important race. I’ve been asked to answer a lot of questions lately, and many are about my background. Where did I grow up? Where did my kids attend school? What have I done to contribute to the community?
While any adult in our community is technically eligible to run for school board, there are some key considerations for you, the voter, to consider before casting your vote. An important consideration is the expertise each candidate brings to the job.
I have spent more than 50 years of my life in the Elmbrook community. But the years alone do not tell the tale of my qualifications, because it is what I have done with my years in the community, both personally and professionally, that distinguish me as the best choice for the At-Large seat on the Elmbrook School Board.
I was educated in the Elmbrook Schools and chose the Elmbrook Schools for the education of my children. During the years my kids were in school I found abundant opportunities to volunteer, as a room mother, Brownie leader, playground committee design team, fundraising coordinator, field trip chaperone (locally as well as on two out of town choir trips), and Treasurer of the BEHS Friends of Fine Arts. My readiness to serve the Elmbrook School Board is enhanced by my experience and my understanding of the way we educate, the things we do well, and the places I know we can improve. You learn a lot by being a participant in the organizations you choose to serve.
I am a teacher by training and have pursued continuing education over the years in a variety of education-related professional roles. Currently, I hold secondary teaching licenses in English, Theatre, and Communication, and have had the opportunity over a long and varied career to teach students of every age, from preschool to adults.
When given the opportunity to recruit undergraduate students for Marquette University, I traveled across the United States visiting high schools and staffing college nights, giving presentations on admissions and financial aid to parents and high school students, and then returning to campus to serve on the admissions decision team, weighing the complex decisions of accepting students for admission. Later in my career I would have the same opportunity to recruit students to master’s and Ph.D. programs.
While living in St. Louis (1982-1986), I had the opportunity to teach preschool, as well as to be part of the pilot of the Missouri Parents as First Teachers program. When I returned to Wisconsin, I went back to the classroom to earn early childhood certification and was given the opportunity to teach and direct the Brookfield Co-op Nursery School. In this unique, collaborative environment, teachers and parents worked hand in hand to deliver a positive, developmentally appropriate program of early learning to three- and four-year-olds.
When given the opportunity to work as librarian at Holy Apostles Elementary School in New Berlin, I worked collaboratively with classroom teachers to advance literacy instruction and provide research instruction. I ran Scholastic Book Fairs, built a professional library for staff, and trained a team of enthusiastic parent volunteers who helped process and shelve our collection and assist students in the library.
In 1991 I was asked to join the coaching staff of Brookfield East’s forensics (competitive speech) and debate teams. At the time the forensics team consisted of sixteen eager, talented youth, and in that first season we qualified students all the way to the National Forensics League (now NSDA) and NCFL national tournaments. Those students, who displayed excellence in debate, public speaking, and dramatic and humorous interpretation have gone on to be incredible parents, engaged citizens, artists, writers, videographers, scientists, physicians, attorneys, teachers, and even Lieutenant Governor. We worked collaboratively, developing a peer coaching model that allowed us to grow organically without growing our staff, and over the next 22 years there were many state and conference champions and national finalists as the team blossomed from that initial sixteen to 120 students when I left coaching in 2012.
After leaving coaching I returned to my own graduate studies, earning a master’s degree in communication studies with a certificate in digital storytelling. I focused my research on nonfiction writing about the lives of women, work I continue to enjoy. I also had the opportunity to teach at Marquette University, to present at professional conferences, and to mentor graduate students and colleagues.
During my years in Elmbrook, as a parent, a coach, and an advocate for kids, I experienced many changes of principals, assistant principals, and superintendents. The demographics of our community changed, allowing me to practice new ways to teach public speaking to students of all ability levels, from a multitude of cultures, and always with individualized goals. Leadership changed, processes changed, and budgets were always tight. I honed my ability to advocate for students, collaborate with parents, and provide leadership in my professional community, always with the primary goal to safeguard the opportunity for every student, regardless of their level of success or ability to pay ever-increasing activity fees.
The work of the school board is to do all things reasonable to promote the cause of public education, which must always remain open to all. I have been given a lifetime of opportunities to learn how we do that in the Elmbrook Schools and beyond.
So, as you weigh your choices in the upcoming election, remember that experience does matter. One’s impact in their community is not merely measured in years of residence, but in the opportunities taken to make a difference. I have practiced leadership, budget management, data-driven decision making, encouragement, support and collaboration – all expectations of a school board member. I have the track record to undertake these tasks and the passion to fight for what is best for kids.
With your support on April 2, I will use these skills to serve the Elmbrook Schools as we navigate the future together.
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