I have been deeply involved in the last strategic planning process and have a good understanding of where there were wins and how we can leverage those wins to continue to grow. For example, our high school graduation rates are incredibly high, and through the strategic plan, we saw growth in students graduating with Advanced Distinction. In addition to looking at high school graduation rates, we should set goals for what we'd like to see our students achieve prior to the point where they are graduating. I want to be a part of answering questions like: How can we gauge and celebrate academic successes throughout a student's journey in our district?
In our last strategic plan, there were so many activities that were conducted to make the strategic plan a success. Building off of those activities, we can turn our attention to impact. What will we see as a result of our investment in mental health supports across the board? How will me measure that impact? We are already talking about what a portrait of an SWR graduate looks like which is a great next step. "Success" means different things to different people, so it is essential to identify what the right indicators of success are for our students, and how we will achieve those outcomes and measure progress along the way.
We have a unique opportunity in our next strategic plan to marry what it takes to graduate from high school academically with what it takes to graduate from high school as a well-rounded, capable, and prepared global citizen. In addition to the various activities in place to teach skills that are critical for life success, we should identify ways in which we can recognize students who have demonstrated these essential skills in addition to celebrating academic performance. Perhaps SWR can be a pioneer in distinguishing students who meet criteria for success not just in academics but in academics and life!
One of the many benefits of living and sending our children to school at SWRCSD is that we have class sizes that enable individualized support and the opportunity to provide specific and customized educational care for each and every student. With declining enrollment, that level of care will not be going anywhere, but there may be times where we have to prioritize and optimize the programming we have in place so that we continue to provide the best educational experience possible.
If elected, I will contribute an informed perspective to what matters most for optimizing our students' opportunities to be successful. I am confident that with the best possible decision makers at the table, there is no need to remove programming as a result of lower enrollment, but instead rethink how the programming we do offer benefits as many students as possible, while remaining fiscally responsible.
My background and experience afford me the ability to be a critical consumer of information about the education industry, and use that information to help inform our approach to maximize educational opportunities for our students. If programming prioritization becomes necessary, I will make sure that we as a district take into account what is relevant and future-facing within the national educational landscape when making decisions.
AI in education is here. Students use it to gain ideas to work from, teachers use it to help plan great lessons, and administration uses it to craft important and meaningful messages. This is just the beginning, and making sure that we are constantly updating our processes and procedures to embrace these advances only positions our SWR educational community members to capitalize on the benefits that AI provides. This work is easier said than done, and I want to be there to address these complex concepts directly.
In order to stay informed and updated, we will need to make smart investments, provide adequate training, and embrace changes in the educational landscape as a result. If we are able to harness the benefits of AI well, stay aware of and avoide the dangers, and utilize it responsibly, we unlock potential for our students to be pioneers in the most effective use of AI to help shape their futures. I am committed to ensuring that we stay abreast of key innovations and advancements in this space, and will encourage our educational community to take advantage of the power that AI will continue to unlock.