I ask your support in my campaign for a one-year term on the Brattleboro School Board. With the merger remaining unconfirmed, we sit at the crossroads of an uncertain future, of which my background in teaching, district level policymaking, and grant writing can be uniquely utilized to advocate in support of our community.
Having started my career as a public school teacher of students with significant disabilities, I've had a lot of experience working with teachers, school directors, and superintendents, and in building communities that are inclusive and safe places for all students to grow and learn.
At the district level, I worked to ensure that teachers and the community have a voice in the broader decision-making process. To transition into this new role, I went to Teachers College, where I became well-versed in conducting research studies, analyzing statistical trends, and engaging in strategic planning. I then pivoted my career to focus on policymaking and research.
Since then, my education work has centered on helping school districts build collaborative cultures that effectively integrate educators and community members into the policy-making process. Having worked with more than one-third of the districts in Massachusetts, as well as three of largest cities in New England - Boston, Providence, and Springfield - to facilitate better governance, I was commissioned to write a book, Improving Education Together, illustrating how a culture of collaborative policymaking can be built and used to improve student outcomes.