01 — Most responsive and engaged BOE member

For four years I have received accolades from the community, parents, and teachers about my responsiveness to community issues and my willingness to discuss transparently during board meetings. I pride myself on being not only engaged but informed on any issue that is brought to my attention.

02 — More kids in school buildings during Covid than any other county in Maryland

During the difficult pandemic time I was a thought leader and voice for the community - insisting on a transparent and logical approach to an unprecedented situation. TCPS’s approach brought students safely into the buildings to provide face-to-face education more than any other county in the state.

03 — Successful budget process

A focus on teacher pay, and increased and differentiated opportunities for student success have been at the top of my priority list for the past few years. I will continue to push for increased funding used in smart and prudent ways to allow our great school system to become even greater.

04 — Expanded SRO presence at elementary schools

I am proud of our commitment to student safety and our partnership with local law enforcement agencies to bring more SROs into our schools. I believe deeply in community policing, and think that a strong partnership with law enforcement and the school system enhances the community as a whole.

05 — Highest ever graduation rate

Highest ever! This is such a point of pride, as so many individuals within TCPS have worked tirelessly to get to this point. Our graduates hit the ground running, career and college ready.

06 — Exceptional accomplishments by grads

Our graduates leave us and go on to successful careers, higher education, and in 2022 a record high went into the military to serve our country. The class of 2022 alone earned the extraordinary amount of $18,862,603 in scholarship money. Of that same graduating class 54% completed an Advanced Placement course, 23% completed a dual enrollment class at a community college, and 39% completed a CTE program. Our graduates excel on the athletic fields and courts, in all areas of academia, hold down jobs, and complete countless hours of community service.

07 — Universal all day Pre-K

A priority of mine when I ran in 2018 was the expansion of our world-class Pre-K program, and I am so proud that we have done just that. We now offer full day Pre-K at all of our elementary schools, meeting a huge need in the community and giving our earliest learners even more opportunities for success.

08 — 1:1 device for all grades, hotspots as needed

Through the challenges of the pandemic TCPS stretched to ensure all students technology needs were met, through the expansion of our 1:1 device program to all grades, and working with Easton Utilities and the Education Foundation to ensure connectivity through hotspot distribution and internet access programs. Our students continue to benefit from the 1:1 device program, and gain the technology and computer skills necessary for this generation.

09 — Expanded CTE opportunities

Students at our high school are excited to take part in our expanded Career and Technology Education opportunities, particularly our highly successful CNA program (which is so successful we need more teachers to meet demand for the program!). Our innovative and expanding approach to educating students for the realities of today’s workforce helps graduates leave high school career ready, and benefits our community immensely.

10 — Successful superintendent search

In early 2022 the Board of Education took part in an intense, highly competitive, and incredibly fruitful search for our new Superintendent of schools. The applicants and finalists for the position were of such high quality and so highly qualified, and each shared the same message with us - Talbot County Public Schools is a shining star, we should all be so very proud of our accomplishments as a school system. Our high level of success drew the best of the best to want to lead us as we grow and strive to be even better, and it is a true testament to the accomplishments and abilities our students, teachers, and staff.

01 — Recruit and retain quality teachers

Despite there being a nationwide teacher shortage and record vacancies in districts around the country, Talbot County Public Schools has been doing great with our numbers and I am determined to keep it that way. Not only that, but I am wholly committed to retaining the outstanding teachers we do have, and focusing on recruiting additional talent for our team. Our students deserve nothing less than excellence in the classroom, and it is of highest priority to me to retain our excellent teachers and recruit more to their ranks. I believe we need to focus on teacher pay (at all levels of the scale), quality of life opportunities, and be thinking outside of the box to bring innovative recruitment ideas to life.

02 — Provide excellent support for excellent teachers

This priority goes hand in hand with my first priority. I believe we need to listen to our current excellent staff and be receptive and responsive to their requests. The field of education is changing, and in order to retain our amazing educators we need to be nimble and forward thinking. I always say that we are a proactive board and county, as opposed to a reactive one, and this is one area where that proactivity can really help us.

03 — Advocate for appropriate budgetary needs

While the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future makes clear the state’s budget priorities, I don’t believe it takes into account all of what is needed and important at the local/county level. I will continue to advocate for the financial needs of our schools, based on their actual and changing populations, and be local-minded with all of our budget related discussions.

04 — Differentiated learning for all students - more GT programming

With each and every day the needs of our student population is changing, and we need to be ready to meet those challenges to provide more opportunities for greatness. Currently there is a need for increased GT programming and higher level academic classes, which I have strongly advocated for in the past and will continue to do.

05 — Continue to expand CTE opportunities

The wildly popular CNA program is a great example of how CTE programs benefit both our students and the community at large. TCPS has been lauded for its CTE opportunities, and held up as an example of best practices. We need to continue down this path and look at expanding our CTE offerings to give our students more opportunities for success outside of the classroom, in real world applications, and in advancing their education after high school.

06 — New look at Special Education

With larger and constantly expanding numbers of students receiving special education services, it is time to take a hard look at how we deliver those services. There are many innovative approaches to special education that we could implement, with the goal of increasing student and classroom educator support.

07 — Turf fields for our athletes

As counties and schools around us put in turf fields for their athletes, we need to be doing the same. Turf fields allow our student athletes to practice at a higher level, through varying weather conditions, and decrease the likelihood of injury due to unkempt fields. In addition they have the potential to have a major financial upside - in rental revenue for the school system (to local rec teams and visiting tournaments), and increases the level of play and scholarship opportunities for our student athletes.

08 — Safe and secure schools

I am very proud of our continuing commitment to safe schools, as demonstrated through our seeking and receiving of grant funding and using those funds to increase SRO presence, enhance safety protocols, and physically secure our buildings. We need to continue this level of commitment to keeping our children safe at school, and constantly be thinking of ways to create a safer school community - whether that is physical barriers, increasing services for mental health, creating tighter community bonds, helping students to feel more ownership of and connection to their spaces within the school community, or new programs we haven’t yet discussed. Every decision made needs to be made with student success and safety at the forefront.

09 — Transparency

As a BOE member I lead with honesty and transparency, and I expect my fellow board members, administrative team, and school community to do the same. There needs to be a continual push toward full transparency, so everyone in the community - from students, to parents, to staff, to community members - feels a level of comfort and trust with the school system. Trust is earned, and I will continue to do the work to keep the community’s trust.

10 — A productive school-community relationship

This goes hand in hand with transparency! I can only do my job as a BOE member with honest and open communication with the community at large, parents, and staff. In order for our school system to be the most successful, and our students to have the highest level of opportunity, we need to make sure we have a fantastic school-community relationship, and I fully believe my role as a board member sets that tone. I am open, honest, approachable, logical, and consistent - and always willing to dig in and do the work.

11 — Raise math scores

Our most recent data in the district does not indicate that we are achieving success in our math programs. We need to be sure that we are investing in targeted, proven intervention programs to course correct.