The last two years have been incredibly difficult for students and parents. At times, families felt left out of the decision making process. I want to give a voice to parents, voters, and taxpayers - so they never feel left out of the process again. I want to empower parents and community members to be able to effectively hold the board accountable when adopting curricula, budgets, and policies.

I have been involved in accounting and finance for over 15 years. I will bring this background and skill set to the district to ensure that it’s operating efficiently, effectively, and ethically. I want to make sure the budget reflects the values of the community. There is nothing that affects our kids’ education more than how our district chooses to spend its money. Financial responsibility is the single most important thing we can do in our district to make sure the education of our kids is the best it can possibly be.

School board members have the critical responsibility of ensuring our Nation’s youth are provided the best education possible. Schools and school boards are accountable to taxpayers and their communities. Instead of focusing on the teachings of divisive ideas, more attention should be paid to the low scores that K-12 students are obtaining in core competency areas like reading, math, and civics education.

Kids can’t learn if they don’t feel safe. Student achievement can be aided by making sure our campuses are a safe environment for all students. It is important for VUSD to have a solid working relationship with the local law enforcement agencies. This partnership is important to the safety of our students.

We need to work to address the learning loss and mental health issues that our students have suffered. Providing sufficient training and resources for our teachers and staff to help them meet these challenges is critical.

The district receives most of its funding based on enrollment and attendance, but enrollment has steadily declined in VUSD over the last few years. Covid made the problem worse and since March 2020, hundreds of families have left the state or sent their children to private or home school. The desire for in-person experiences and less rigid restrictions on children drove many families away. The district needs to make a concerted effort to reach these families and identify ways to bring them back to our schools.