*Disclaimer* "These statements are made in my capacity as a private citizen and not in my capacity as a Board member. These statements are also not representative of the Board or its individual members and solely represent my own personal opinions."

• Why are you choosing to run for this position & what do you think qualifies you to hold it?

I am choosing to run in an effort to put Sparta back on the map - not only as the best district for children to gain a supreme education, but also one where the most qualified professionals WANT to work. I am passionate about education and believe in the importance of providing students with the tools they need to succeed. Serving on the board for the past ten months has given me the opportunity to see what it takes to keep a school system functioning at a high level of efficiency. I am honest, unbiased and a true team player. I am highly communicative, organized and empathetic. These are all qualities that every great board member must possess and, if elected, I will continue to fight for Sparta to be the best school district in NJ.

• If elected, what will your major goals be & how do you plan to implement that into policy?

My top goals if elected would be to address the major teacher shortage, assure our ability to keep up with current curriculum and technology and to increase morale throughout the district.

The first issue that I see is a major teacher shortage, not only in our district but across the country as a whole. I see this as an opportunity to position our district to be the most desirable. I would like to do this by not only offering superior pay, benefits and flexibility that other districts do not, but to build a culture from the top down where employees feel heard, respected and revered. I would like to see Sparta as the "go to" school in the state, rather than just another job. This is how we will attract the best educators to our district, and retain them for the long term.

Secondly, with how quickly our world is moving and changing we need to assure our ability to keep up with relevant curriculum and technology. Our teachers need the base of a solid relevant curriculum to engage their students, as well as technology to be able to have access to current instant resources. This also will allow for content to be tailored to different learning styles.

Finally, we must improve upon the decreased morale throughout the district. Previous actions has left our staff feeling uneasy and therefore unable to perform their job at the highest level. We cannot expect our educators to work under those conditions, and must earn back their trust and respect to achieve these goals.

• If elected, how would you maintain your relationship with your constituents while balancing the demanding schedule that the position entails?

Assuring proper trust from students, teachers, taxpayers, citizens and parents is not only the most difficult job of a Board member, but it is also the most important. As the board is put together mainly through local elections, in turn, members of the community have a say in the funding of public education, through their votes for those policymakers. They trust these representatives to make the best decisions for our children. The best way to assure this trust and confidence is to show up, be present, be heard and communicate.

I have seen first hand how demanding the schedules can be, however, I do not take my role on the Board lightly. I know that I was placed here because the skill set that I possess will transfer over to making qualified and quantified decisions for the Board. I give 100% effort to my responsibility as a Board member.

• If elected, what do you foresee as being your biggest challenges within the position & how do you plan to overcome those challenges?

One of the biggest challenges that I have seen over my tenure with the Board, and I am sure I will continue to see, is the role of the School Board being properly known and defined among all constituents. It is the role of the School Board to be the bridge and voice connecting the school administration and the local parents, citizens, and taxpayers. We hire and evaluate the superintendent; develop policy, procedure and budget; and oversee facilities issues.

Unfortunately, there are times when parents, students, tax payers, etc. look to us to fix or address an issue that is simply not within our right or power to handle. My hope to overcome these challenges is continuously informing and educating constituents on the role of Board members. In fact, my ticket has already begun to do so via a public/localized podcast on this exact issue. Utilizing opportunities like this podcast and any other avenue that comes my way is sure to help close the gap on what a Board and its members can and can’t do.

• Is there anything else you would like to tell us or ensure is conveyed on the Sparta High School informational website?

Our world is changing rapidly each day. Board members, administrators and teachers must meet these changes also, to give our students what they need to enter the world after high school. We will always need to keep up to date with the latest technology, books, equipment and facilities to make sure our students have what they need to be able to enter college, the workforce or whatever they choose to do. Our school can only operate on the local tax base, state and federal monies. As a board member I will utilize my expertise in financial management, oversight and budgeting to assure our school system has what it needs to prepare our students to meet our changing world.