Prairie Hill and Willowbrook have excelled academically. Reading and math scores are through the roof. That is a testament to the students, their parents, the community, and the staff. It is certainly an achievement I hope to maintain. 

While we should be proud of this, I will advocate for a comprehensive education that extends beyond the core subjects. Science, the arts, social studies, physical education, and extra-curriculars are all extremely important aspects of a student's education.  There are a myriad of soft skills that exist outside academics we hope our children develop too. This may be things like kindness, responsibility, leadership, and a drive to learn. All areas of this education are important and worth prioritizing. 

Providing the environment for critical thinking, rigor, and the ability for each teacher to share their passions with their students can leave a lasting impact on every student. We often think of great test scores as the pinnacle of success. Students in the future will be more grateful for the experiences they had that let them develop their own passions, deepen their understanding of the world, and grow into successful adults. As a board member, I can nurture this environment by supporting technology and prioritizing teacher access to supplies. Teachers have great ideas. Sometimes it is challenging to implement those ideas because of too little time or resources.

It is easy to talk about student success. It is even better to be an active part of it. I lead cub scout groups, volunteer my time for hay rides at Fall Fest, and bring my whole family to home games at Willowbrook. For the Servo Terra club, I have led maple syrup outings. I even plan to revive my visits to elementary classrooms to teach science related topics in the end of March. The first one will all be about the science of maple syrup! While clearly I have a maple syrup problem, I do care about math too by providing a subscription to a fractions educational program called Frax.