Tatjana Brown

for 

Westerville City Schools Board of Education

Building Community, Shaping Future Leaders

 My Priorities Are:

In Depth Questions

1. What motivated you to run for Board of Education, and how does your background prepare you for this role?

I was motivated to run for the Westerville Board of Education because I believe every child in our district deserves access to an excellent, well-resourced public education - regardless of the language they speak, where they are from and what their zip code is. As a parent of three children who currently attend Westerville schools, I’ve seen firsthand the incredible dedication of our teachers and staff, as well as the challenges they face in meeting diverse student needs in the midst of limited funding and changing enrollment. 

My background uniquely prepares me for this role. I’m a small business owner with close to 20 years of experience in budgeting, strategic planning, and community engagement. I’ve built partnerships that connect local resources to support schools, and I understand how to make fiscally responsible decisions while investing in long-term success. I’ve also been deeply involved as a volunteer in our schools, giving me insight into what works, where we can improve, and how to bring together parents, educators, and community members to create solutions. Serving on the Board is about listening, collaborating, and leading with transparency—and I’m ready to bring those skills to work for our students, staff, and community.

2. How will you ensure the Board maintains open and effective communication with parents, staff, and students?

Open, transparent, and consistent communication is essential for building trust between the Board, families, staff, and students. I would work to ensure that we are using multiple communication channels — not everyone engages the same way, so we need regular updates through email, social media, website postings, in-person meetings, and even student-led forums. Being a busy parent, I understand the challenges of all of the communication that we deal with on a regular basis, and the need for more ways than a one size fits all approach. I would engage in two way dialogue and active listening to ensure we are gaining clarity from staff, parents and community members. I would work to ensure we are looping back after a decision to ensure transparency. By making communication timely, accessible, and reciprocal, we ensure everyone feels informed, respected, and heard—strengthening trust and collaboration across the district.

3. What strategies can or should our district implement to improve early literacy rates among struggling students?

Improving early literacy is about starting early, identifying needs quickly, and providing targeted and consistent support. I would advocate for  early intervention to quickly spot reading challenges and implement small-group or one-on-one interventions without delay. I would advocate to ensure all K–3 teachers have access to high-quality, science-of-reading-aligned materials and professional development, including strategies for supporting English language learners. I also believe the more we can engage parents and help to work out obstacles that they may feel hinder their ability to support their child, the better. I would work to seek out partnerships (I hope to secure and solidify business partnerships within the community) that could help to provide parents with tools, workshops, and take-home materials so literacy practice continues beyond the classroom.

4. Would you advocate for mental health support for our students? Is this a priority and how would you address this?

Since COVID-19, we’ve seen a significant rise in mental health challenges among children and teens, with global rates of depression and anxiety nearly doubling. The increased use of technology and social media has been cited as a contributing factor, fostering loneliness and unhealthy comparisons. This starts as early as elementary school.

I fully support the current expansion of  mental health services in our schools. For many students, school can be the one place where they feel less pressure, and it’s vital that they have a safe, supportive environment there. That means ensuring adequate access to counselors and specialists in every building, as well as increasing support for peer-led groups like Hope Squad that focus on positive connection and support. As a parent, I’ve seen firsthand how many students struggle, often silently, with mental health—especially during the transition from elementary to middle school. Many of these students may have strong grades and participate in extracurriculars, but still face hidden challenges. For some, just one trusted adult at school can make all the difference. I wholeheartedly support expanding mental health resources for our schools, not just for students, but also for staff. The current addition of the 988 Suicide and Crisis hotline information on the district portal is a very positive step to providing another safeguard for parents and I hope we can make even more headway in the coming years. 

5. Do you support the earned income tax ballot issue for Westerville Schools?

YES! I am 100% in support of this ballot measure. We cannot allow our schools to suffer any more losses. The state has continued to strip away money from our public schools, and we will continue to lose their share over the next several years and prices continue to rise across so many areas, and as we are all personally affected; so are our school districts. If this levy does not pass our district will face devastating cuts to programs, curriculum, staff positions, transportation routes and there will be a drastic increase in pay to play fees. We must rally together to support our kids! Public school is for everyone. We have to remain committed to providing equitable educational experiences for all kids, and the payback will be an investment into our community overall. Please vote YES for Westerville Schools on November 4.