The past few years have been challenging for our school community and it’s time to rebuild the relationships that allow us to work together to best serve each of our kids. I want to hear what you want to see from our schools, and to talk with you about what our School Board can do to support that.
Through all of the things I’ve been involved with, I’ve always been driven by the belief that our kids are capable of doing amazing things when they’re given the right opportunities. It’s our job as a community to help provide those opportunities, and to eliminate the barriers that are keeping each kid from developing to their full potential.
We might have met while I was coaching our kids’ YMCA T-Ball or soccer teams, trying to teach them about working together as teammates, believing they could do things they had never tried before, and that if they kept trying they could do even better the next time.
We might have met while I was volunteering in my sons’ schools, helping with a field trip, or cooking hot dogs for the back to school meet and greet. We might have met during the District Science Fair, waiting and watching as our kids shared their experiments, inventions, and creations with the judges.
We might have met at a performance of the Kalles band, hearing our kids improving from one concert to the next. We might have met at a performance of the Puyallup High School Band, or loading the moving van with each student’s instruments before chaperoning their trip to Disneyland.
The past few years have been challenging for our school community and it’s time to rebuild the relationships that allow us to work together to best serve each of our kids.
We might have met at a PTA meeting, while I was helping shape the State PTA’s policy agenda at Legislative Assembly, or while I taught classes on Advocacy during training at the State PTA Convention.
We might have met at the Academic Booster Club’s Ice Cream Social or end of the year Open House, during my time serving on the ABC board, or while I was the ABC President.
We might have met at a Northwest Gifted Child Association event, or at one of the talks I gave on advocating for kids who sometimes can fall through the cracks in our school systems.
We might have met in Olympia on a PTA Focus Day, or on Gifted Education Day. We might have met in a legislative hearing on a bill addressing school funding, or equitable access to basic education. We might have been testifying together to our State Senators or Representatives asking for their support of policies to better serve all the students in our state. We might have served together on the Washington State Advisory Committee for Gifted Education, making recommendations to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction on improving services to students and families.
We might have met during my service as President of the Washington Coalition for Gifted Education, working to expand highly capable services statewide as a part of our state’s definition of basic education and building a collection of voices who helped pass the largest increase in highly capable program funding in state history.
We might not have met yet, but I hope we will be able to meet soon. Until then, I’ll use this website, my Facebook Page, and my Twitter account to share with you what I think the School Board can do, and how I can contribute to the team of leaders who serve the students of Puyallup. Contact me through any of those resources, and look for more opportunities in the future.