My husband Matt and I have both lived in Mesa most of our lives. We met while attending Mountain View High School.
Matt’s graduate schooling and his time in the U.S. Army took us away from Arizona for several years, but our love for Mesa brought us back to raise our family here.
First and foremost, I am a Mesa mom. My four children are in 2nd, 5th, 10th, and 11th grades. All of them are enrolled in Mesa Public Schools, so I have a vested interest in this community. I earned a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a master’s degree in Educational Curriculum and Instruction.
I am a former teacher and a current substitute teacher for Mesa Public Schools. I have served as PTO President, and I currently sit on the School Improvement Advisory Council (SIAC) at my children’s elementary school.
While there are several reasons I am running for a position on the Mesa School Board, the primary reason is to help shape policy that directly benefits the students.
I’m running for my children and for yours, the children of Mesa, Ariz. I want to see all of our children succeed and feel the power that a strong education can give them. It is the ticket to a better life, and we need to ensure they get it. Education brings opportunity. It opens doors and builds a stronger community for all of us.
Literacy is a critical factor, particularly in our schools. Mesa Public Schools currently take a whole language approach to literacy. In my educational experience, I have come to believe that children need a strong foundation in phonics as they learn to read.
As a School Board member, I would help Mesa move to a more phonics-based reading program. Literacy in education is important to me in principle and also because I have a child with a 504-plan due to her dyslexia. I have cried in Special Education (SPED) meetings advocating for her, and I can relate to parents whose children don’t fit in the box. I know there are many parents in Mesa whose children have disabilities and learning differences. It is important to me that their voices be heard.
Lastly, I am running because your tax dollars are hard at work in Mesa Public Schools. I will work to shape policy that puts money directly into the classroom and into programs that benefit our children.