What I Believe
Making a Difference
Sound Decision-Making
As an entrepreneur, lawyer and owner of a growing business, I understand the importance of planning for anticipated growth. Altoona is one of the fastest-growing cities in Wisconsin and, from what I have seen, I question whether long-term strategic planning for our schools is happening. When I am elected, I will ask lots of questions and put my strategic planning skills to work for our kids and community, and will make sure our tax dollars are being spent wisely.
Education for Our Extraordinary Kids
I do not believe our kids at both ends of the academic spectrum are being well-served. There are a number of students with at Altoona Elementary School in need of behavioral support whose needs are not being met due to lack of paraprofessionals to help them. Not only does this affect the students in need of the paraprofessional, it also affects the rest of the students who have to clear the classroom when intervention is necessary.
Altoona Elementary School is also not serving the needs of our gifted and talented students, as I have been advised that the school does not have an active gifted and talented program.
Our schools are required by law to meet the needs of all of these students, which means that our schools are out of compliance with Wisconsin law. This is disturbing to me and I look forward to getting in there to find out why, and make sure the problem is fixed.
No Politics in Our Schools
I am disturbed by the increasing intrusion of politics into our schools, especially from the right. Proposals to ban books and tell teachers what they can and cannot teach our kids are scary and inappropriate. I trust our teachers, who have education and training in child development, to teach subjects and topics in an age-appropriate manner. Many politicians are not teachers, and have no business telling our teachers what they can and cannot teach. When I get on the board, I will do everything in my power to make sure this doesn't happen in Altoona.