As a veteran teacher from Mankato Public Schools, I know the inner workings of our school district. I believe we need to have difficult conversations in order to address:

• the number of students and staff leaving our district

• the safety of our students and staff in our buildings

• how we emerge from the pandemic better than we were before.

An educator's voice is needed at the table where decisions are being made. Teachers are our greatest asset - they are the ones in the trenches, working with our students on a daily basis. That being said, teachers are seldom asked how decisions will impact their work in the classroom. We need a board member who understands the day-to-day, minute-to-minute operations of the school, not just the business end.

The teaching profession has changed significantly over the last ten years. Students now have continuous access to computers in their pockets, social media has changed how students communicate, and Google allows them to look up information quickly and accurately. The needs of our students are changing, and our district needs to change with them.

Teachers need the support of our community to teach 21st century thinkers and help them build the communication skills needed for the real-world. As we look at lower test scores, we need to address why this is happening and find new and innovative ways to engage students in the thinking process necessary for them to be successful. We are asking teachers to create lessons which can be adapted for each individual student's needs. In order to do this, teachers need time, support, and resources to be effective and efficient at their jobs to best meet these needs.