Clearing a Path

Working together to remove obstacles and barriers to be engaged and invested in our school systems.  

Supporting Students, Teachers, Staff, and Community.

Well rounded students are the foundation for a successful school district and community. All students should have access to high quality, robust instruction and curriculum. D51 is well on it's way to record growth and achievement and I hope to continue and strengthen that growth.

We can't put students first and educators last. Our students deserve high quality educators, and that means our educators have to be a priority. Our educators are experts in their field and they are the experts in their own classrooms - no one knows a classroom better than the teacher. We need to lean in to the discussions our teachers are having about their classrooms, the supports they need, and recognize that they provide valuable insight into the solutions our district seeks.

Our families and our communities are just as important. Maintaining an educational system is complex and there are many very important stakeholders who need to be heard and understood. We need to find more ways to involve our community in our district. The district and the community provide for each other, it is a reciprocal relationship. A stronger education system means a stronger economy and community. A strong community investment in the educational system creates an educated future populace.

Elevate our Standards and Investment

It's no secret that D51 is one of the lowest funded districts in the state. It's honestly remarkable what D51 has been able to accomplish with so little funding. Graduation rates are at a record high for the past two years in a row, and our growth and achievement rates for standardized testing are increasing each year. However, we know that our K-12 education budget state wide is underfunded. This underfunding effects districts like ours more than most realize. It's my hope that we can advocate for an increase in funding at the state level, but also at the local level. Our schools need our help as a community. We are in a fairly precarious position both at the State and Federal level. It will be up to our community to decide what are our priorities will be. I hope to clear a path so we can have more voice and investment in our budget for community members. We are likely going to need to be creative in the coming years, so I'd like to be able to include the vast talent pool our community offers.

I'd also like to start working with our students, schools, and community to elevate the perception of D51. I want enrolling your child into D51 to be a no-brainer for parents. I want businesses to want to bring their employees to Mesa County because we have a superb educational system. I want D51 to be a place where teachers and staff feel proud to work. Much like I have said before, I'd like to find a way to make sure parents, businesses, and staff feel valued and excited to be part of D51!

Empwering our Community as a Whole

Finally, I hope to weave together the community with D51 more tightly. Sometimes it feels as though the district and the community are two different entities. In fact, the community IS D51 and D51 IS the community. Community, to me, means all people who work, live, recreate, or create business opportunities in Mesa County. All staff in D51 fit that definition. All students fit that definition. All parents fit that definition. We are all part of the same being, we are Mesa County. Our community members have every right to be part of decision making in D51 and D51 has every right to call on their community in times of need. We all benefit from collaboration and engaging the the D51 educational system. I really hope we can create a place where community, teachers, students, parents, business owners and everyone in between feels empowered to bring their talents to D51 to make it into something special.