What makes you qualified to be a school board member?

I have dedicated 36 years of my life to the classroom. I am running because I am deeply committed to education, and know from a lifetime of experience what it takes for students to have the best possible outcomes. I am passionate about this incredible opportunity to establish a new school district; I know what it takes from the inside out.

• I have partnered with thousands of parents in educating our children, and partnered with hundreds of teachers as I raised 5 children in this district.
• I served on School Community Councils (SCC) as a parent and educator, on both the elementary and secondary levels.
• As an educator, I won an award for best use of Land Trust money in the state of Utah.
• In 2022, I was awarded Utah’s Best of State Kindergarten Teacher.
• I have served on leadership teams, participated in the hiring process, mentored new teachers, and taught educators around the state.

I understand firsthand the challenges we face, from both a parent and an educator standpoint, in this very community. I offer this depth of experience in service to the Aspen Peaks School Board.

What is your vision for education in our community, and how does it support the economy and quality of life in the area?

My vision for education in Aspen Peaks School District is to take all the good from Alpine School District and transform it into something extraordinary. With decades of experience as an educator, I bring a critical element to this vision: a deep and thorough understanding of what it actually takes to be successful in the classroom.

Let’s spend our precious dollars supporting where education actually takes place – in real classrooms with real teachers. The classroom must be the lens through which all decisions are made.

Let’s partner with parents. There’s a misconception that parents don’t care anymore, that they don’t want to be involved. As a teacher of 36 years, I can tell you that simply isn’t true. Parents care deeply. They want to be involved. Yes, they have varying amounts of time to devote to education, but it is our job as educators to help them be involved in ways that work for them.

Every day, every student has the opportunity to learn from the most influential teacher they will ever have – their parent. It doesn’t cost a thing, and yet it strengthens the very fabric of our society – our homes and families.

I have successfully involved parents in their children’s education for over three decades. Many of my campaign volunteers are parents of past students. Partnering relationships with the community will be a key part of my vision to move Aspen Peaks forward.

We must search out best practices in other districts. In my current role as education coordinator for a nonprofit in Salt Lake City, I serve as liaison with Granite School District. I’ve seen how Granite’s parent engagement program has led to impressive improvements in student test scores. I would love to see a similar approach implemented in Aspen Peaks.

In the end, my focus is on what really matters – the classroom. Let’s support our teachers, listen to our community, and make sure we’re using our resources to create the best possible learning environment for every student. And let’s involve parents every step of the way.