First Day of Kindergarten
There is so much we can do to ensure the well-being of every student in Wayzata. We can build better infrastructure that best equips our students, and we can expand school lunches to have healthier options. These are some of the priorities for which I will advocate as your next School Board member.
MY GOALS
Ensuring our Educators' needs are met in order to best serve students
Our district's reputation for excellence is unmatched; we are always looking for more ways to ensure our students reach their full potential. From proper allocation of faculty to new technology, it is necessary that we utilize our resources to best serve our students.
My work as a teacher's assistant at Wayzata's Camp Explore summer education program permitted me to work with students who were underprivileged and underserved. I saw firsthand how important staffing and class time are to students' needs. It is necessary we focus on hiring enough teachers to match Wayzata's enrollment numbers.
Access to up-to-date technology means teachers can more easily and effectively individualize each student’s learning experience. Similarly, good staffing and/or volunteer support in the classroom enables teachers to address individual students’ academic needs. Classrooms with adequate technology and support staff allow students to perform to their very best and meet their educational and social goals.
I hope you will join me in working toward these goals and continuing our district’s pursuit of excellence for each and every student.
Advocating for a better work-life balance for Students
Our students deserve the very best in academics. It is our responsibility to ensure Wayzata holds onto its reputation for excellence. However, we should not set aside the well-being of students to achieve that goal. That is why I am advocating for a better work-life balance - for all of us. The pressures of academics should not adversely impact student health. I believe in a proper work-life balance, one where we work as a community to prioritize the quality of what students compose over the quantity of what they complete. If we can make a point of allowing students room to breathe despite their busy schedules, we can help them turn small achievements into even greater milestones.
A better work-life balance means students have more time to plan their futures while committing themselves to extra-curricular educational opportunities and athletics. Students can also volunteer to give back to their community and prepare for important assessments like the ACT and SAT. I look forward to advocating for these goals should I be so fortunate to be elected to the Wayzata School Board.
Healthier options for student meals,
full lunch period
The recent legislation that made all meals in the State of Minnesota free has brought welcome change to so many families. I am grateful that our community has more breathing room and that parents can better afford necessities.
That being said, school districts may seek to expand revenue-raising options like a la carte to make up for potential financial losses. This means that the District may seek to bring a la carte to Elementary Schools. I will oppose this. Students need to be protected from unhealthy, tempting sweets, and parents need to be secure in the knowledge that their hard earned money will not be wasted on unhealthy foods.
It is also important we make sure the school's hot lunch is healthy. That is why I am advocating for more nutritious options for school meals in our Elementary and Middle Schools as well as the High School. Other school districts in Minnesota have done this - successfully. It is important we look to their example as we provide for our students. I will work to ensure students receive a full half-hour of lunch. That way, kids will be full and able to concentrate in class.
These priorities are necessary to maintain the health and well-being of our students. It is crucial that we achieve them.
Adding kitchens to Elementary Schools
There are three Wayzata elementary schools -- Birchview, Greenwood, and Sunset Hill -- that do not have kitchens. Therefore, pre-prepared food must be delivered, and these meals are less healthy and less fresh than those served at other schools. The time spent unpacking these food items could instead be spent cooking fresh meals. My goal is to build kitchens onto already-existing lunchroom infrastructure so that food can be prepared onsite and students’ nutritional needs can be better met.