Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
How long have you lived in the district?
30+ years.
Do you have children in the district? How do you feel this will help you in serving on the school board if elected?
Yes. We all want what's in the best interest for all students in our community and having children in the district gives you different insights into how the district is operating from both a parent and a student's perspective. It also allows you to be more engaged and have greater interaction with faculty, as you are potentially in the buildings more frequently for their various events.
Why are you running for the Worland School Board?
I am running for WCSD #1 School Board because I have a vested interest in our children and our community, and I have really enjoyed my first term on the board. I have a strong sense of pride in our district and our community and seeing the successes of our district firsthand is truly incredible. I also have immense respect for our district employees, as they really do so much for our children. Serving on the board is one small way I can show my appreciation to our district for what they do for our community. Also, I found in my first term that it takes years to really understand the various rules and procedures that a school district must adhere to, so having experience on the board is really valuable to our district.
Do you feel you have the time it takes to serve?
I understand the time commitment and know that I have the time it takes to serve.
What would you do to help the district bring back students who have dropped out? Do you feel it is important to try and bring back students who are attending online schooling or home schooling? Why or why not?
It is most definitely important to get students back in the classroom. This has been a focal point of our board, and this is the first year in many years that our enrollment has increased! This is something that we all are incredibly proud of, and we keep working hard so that trend continues. One thing we have done recently is create the White Hawk Academy, our alternative high school. It is aimed at helping students, who may not thrive in a traditional classroom, graduate and become valuable members of our community. This may be one of the more rewarding pieces to being on the board, as we have received so many "thank you" remarks both from parents and the students at White Hawk Academy, because they really appreciate this new opportunity and have a new desire to learn and become successful. It's a win-win for our community. Another new piece is our pathways program at the High School. There are various pathways, one might take to get college ready and college credits, others may be to get a CDL or other certifications so you can get a job right out of high school. Either way, our students have more opportunities than ever before and it's exciting to be a part of.
Do you feel enough is being done regarding the mental health of our students? Why or why not? Do you have ideas on how to address this?
Mental health is an issue that we are all well aware of and are working hard to improve upon for both our students and faculty. We will never fully conquer this issue, but we do strive to make our district a more welcoming and understanding place that looks out for one another. Student engagement through the various activities offered by our district is a good start.
Do you feel enough is being done regarding bullying – (online and in person) – in the school system? Why or why not? Do you have ideas on how to address this?
Bullying is another issue that will never go away but that we constantly work to improve upon. It becomes more difficult these days because you can bully anonymously through various social media channels. Our district really works to curb this through educating, monitoring and limiting access when necessary, but also creating relationships with students so if they see an issue, they speak to somebody about it.
What is the most important issue the school district is facing and how would you help address it?
Engagement and enrollment are two of our most important issues facing the district. Continuing to expand our pathways programs and to recognize and acknowledge successes in the various activities our students partake in is a good start. To take a quote from a district employee, "we want to offer classes that students want to take, not that they have to take." This essentially means, if there are 50 students wanting to take a particular course, we need to make sure that course is available for those 50 students, not just push them to other courses because there's no room. There are core classes and requirements all students must take, but we can provide more tailored and interesting options for our students when it comes to pathways and elective courses.
