Principles

Fiscal Transparency and Responsibility:

I believe that we need to be careful stewards with the over half a billion dollars of taxpayer money that is used to fund Alpine School District.  I feel that we should constantly be asking, "How does this benefit the students of ASD?"  The school board is supposed to act as a checks and balances system for the district.  If school board members are not questioning or researching things, they cannot make informed decisions.  I am a bit of a nerd and vigilantly pour through the board meeting documents. I often communicate with the business administrator to ask questions about specific costs and expenses.  Too often parents feel that their voices are not heard and that they are out of the loop on things that are happening at the district level that effect their children.  I feel that there are specific ways we can cut costs so that more money flows to our students and teachers in their classrooms where it is needed most.

Parental Control:

No one knows a child better than their parents.  I believe that parents are vital and essential for successful education.  I feel that the best solutions are found to problems when parents and teachers work together to solve problems in each classroom.  I do not support Common Core and SAGE testing.  I am opposed to, what we refer to in our home, as legi-cation.  I do not believe that we can legislate quality education.  I believe the solution to our education crisis is simple.  We need to put phenomenal teachers in our classrooms.  I also believe that parents should have the right to pursue the best educational opportunities for their children whether that be ALL, dual immersion, AP, or concurrent enrollment.  Currently, we have 1 child who is homeschooled, one who attends a STEM charter high school where she is pursuing her associate's degree while she earns her high school diploma, and 2 children who are in public schools.  We have worked hard to find the best educational fit for each child and I feel that every parent should be able to choose what is best for their own child.

Communication with Constituents:

I believe that school board members have a responsibility to reach out to constituents and be willing to answer questions.  They are accountable to their constituents and should never shirk that duty.  I have created a Facebook page as well as a blog where people can offer their opinions and ask mine.  Some topics have included the idea of no homework, holding children back a grade, avoiding summer slide, the use of technology, and the effects of giving up handwriting.  I have also worked to bring issues that I felt were relevant to parents to light including the proposed Orem CDA, changes in medication policy for children with life-threatening conditions, and changes in the budget.

Personal Investment:

I am heavily invested in the success of ASD since I have 4 school-aged children.  I need phenomenal teachers and money flowing to classrooms where it is needed and schools being built to meet the needs of our ever-growing student population.