Erin answered general BOE candidate questions!
If you have more, send them in for her to add!

BACKGROUND / REASONS FOR SEEKING ELECTION

• What motivates you to want to become a board member?
  When my eldest daughter entered kindergarten in 2018, I was elected PTA President of the Lee F. Jackson unit. Through that role, I began to learn how the district functioned, what it did well and where improvements could be made. I’ve stayed involved since, and now feel there is an opportunity to use what I’ve learned to help the district reach its goals.
   

• What particular skills or experiences qualify you to serve as a school board member?
  I served as the LFJ PTA President for two years, volunteered with the Highview PTA, and now contribute to the LFJ, HV and RJB PTAs helping with fundraising efforts, literacy programming, and SEL implementation. I volunteer on the BOE’s Education and Wellness Committee and serve the parent representative on the district-wide SEL committee. This specific experience has allowed me to work with staff from all disciplines and from all the schools, and given me great insight and understanding from the staff perspective. It has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and I feel privileged to work with such dedicated, creative, and motivated staff. It’s a side I don’t think we as parents get to see enough and I want to highlight it more to the community.
  
  Through all of these I experiences I continue to enhance my skills in communication, creative-problem solving, multi-tasking, and program development. I work well with others and seek common ground in order to reach shared goals. 
   

• How long have you lived in this school district?
  My husband and I moved to Hartsdale in 2011 and have lived here ever since. We are truly fortunate to have fantastic neighbors and a loving community in which to raise our daughters.
   

• How much time will you/can you give to board service?
  If elected, the BOE position will take the place of my PTA responsibilities. I have a part time private art therapy practice which allows me flexibility in my schedule in order to fulfill my position on the Board.
   

EDUCATION ISSUES AND NEEDS

• What do you see as the current challenges facing public education in our state? In our country?

During Covid we rediscovered the value of teachers and schools nationwide, and somehow we seem to have lost all that clarity- nationally there seems to be a rise of mistrust towards teachers, a failure to provide appropriate pay for providers, and a blindness to what will truly prepare our students for the future in a global and diverse world. To prevent this at GCSD, I want to reconnect with our staff and learn about their wants, needs, and what they see every day. Making decisions without their input is what leads to banned books, discrimination, and failed disciplinary practices. The research exists and shows us what works and what doesn’t, and we need to be brave enough to do what we know is right.
 

• What are 2-3 strengths of which our district can be proud? Why do you see these as strengths?

We are incredibly diverse in every sense of the word. This prepares our students for the real world, which consists of people who look, think, talk, act, and believe differently than each other. Embracing our diversity will allow our students to develop the skills to adapt to unfamiliar situations. This flexibility will serve them throughout their lives. We also have diversity up through the leadership in the district as well, showing all our students that anything is possible.

GCSD is small but mighty. We are the birthplace of the WISE program (Woodlands Individualized Senior Experience) that school districts across the country have adapted. We are a K-12 International Baccalaureate  school district, allowing our students to compete across the world. We teach Mandarin K-12, have advanced learning programs, and encourage our students to find what speaks to them, as we recognize, and embrace, that not all students define success the same way. In order to help them achieve that success, our English language learners receive additional support, CSE (Committee on Special Education) meetings are held to provide services and interventions for those in need, and Title 1 funding goes to supporting our student body. GCSD strives for equity and to give students what they need to flourish. 

• What are your best hopes for the future of this school district? How would your aspirations help our students?

So much of the approach to education currently in America seems to be sourced in fear. I hope that GCSD doesn’t fall into that, and recognizes its ability to solve problems at their source, rather than bandaging symptoms of those problems.

Health and safety are at the core of those who thrive-- feeling connected, confident, and secure are all bedrocks for success, and come when students are in spaces that are safe. This extends not only to the physical structures of our schools, which are in desperate need of care, but also in the trusting relationships they have with adults in that space.

Research shows that mental health struggles, aggressive tendencies, and violence against oneself are significantly curbed when a young person has at least one trusted adult in their lives. We need to ensure that we are allowing our staff to be those trusted adults. We need to support these crucial staff members and help prevent burn out so they can continue to do their amazing and life-saving work. 

Creating these safety measures not only build trust, but also confidence, and connectivity. Connected kids who feel understood, cared for, and supported are less likely to bully and be bullied. They are more available to focus on learning and to give back to their community, rather than try to harm it, as we see in so many school shootings. The current and future health of our district will be a result of our ability to re-conceptualize education and the role schools play in a society. 

• If elected, what would you hope would be key accomplishments of the board during your years of service?

- In order to increase connectivity, I would first like to improve the communication within, between, and beyond each school building. How can our community have a vested interest in our schools if we don’t build those bridges? 

- I’d like to streamline processes that allow district leaders to utilize funding for programming, creative learning approaches, and structural solutions to the district’s facilities problems.

- I would champion the health and safety of our students and staff, for without this important focus, we fail to provide our students the most learning-conducive environment.
 

• How can our district best ensure students are prepared for success in school and life?

In order to increase positive outcomes, we need to invest in our strengths, particularly our diversity. The world is full of all different types of people, and GCSD provides our students with a type of microcosm. Teaching our students different ways to learn, speak, and be together will allow them to adapt to an ever-changing world. Investing in technology and out-of-the-classroom experiences will help them understand how the world operates so they have skills for every occasion. Encouraging students to find their passion, even if it doesn’t look like traditional academic success, will give them confidence and pride, allowing them to be change-makers and innovators. In order to do all of this, we need to first ensure that our students’ physical, mental, and social health are prioritized and secured.
 

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD

• Why are school boards necessary?

Communities need a vested interest in their schools and boards provide a way to infuse values and standards in our students. They are a way to maintain accountability, welcome new ideas, and provide input in the next generation.

• What are the leadership responsibilities of school board members?

Board members need to be good listeners, creative innovators, and effective communicators. They need to recognize when to follow and when to lead, as no one member can make a decision without support from others. 

• What do you believe are the most important characteristics of an effective school board? Of an effective school board member?

I think the board should reflect the values of the community. They should be connected to the needs, wants, and goals of the school district and those that support it. A working knowledge of how a district runs, and the eagerness to learn more, is incredibly important, as they hold a great deal of responsibility. Recognizing that they have the power to hire, fire, and course correct for thousands of people is imperative, and a board and its members must not take that lightly.

• What specific strengths would you bring to the board table?

Through my career as an art therapist, I have years of experience thinking creatively, responding to changes and new information, and connecting with people who may or may not think like me. I work to find common ground, explore options, and provide evidence for my positions. Through my volunteer work in the district, I have learned who the major players are, how some decisions are made, and where some changes could assist in more positive outcomes.  I recognize that there is much I have yet to learn, and I am eager to do so.

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