SHORT ANSWER:  Treat teachers with respect, Communicate, and Collaborate.

LONG ANSWER:

The School Board does not hire teachers.  The District staff does the hiring.  The board oversees the Superintendent, who then oversees the day to day operations of the District.  The Board would set the goals for the Superintendent and hold them accountable to those goals. I believe as a board member I can offer direction through my experience in the non-educational world to ensure that the setting and the review of the adherence to the goals is impeccable. 

My vision  is that all QCUSD Students are provided the educational opportunities to succeed in their pursuits.  One very important element to support this vision is exceptional teachers.  With the recent concerns of COVID-19, I realize we have lost top talent, and the District is at risk of losing more.  However, I believe that the District can turn this around, but has to be sure to attract and retain top talent. 

Attracting and retaining top talent is a challenge for all organizations.  I personally believe there is an important quality to succeed at that.  It is to treat the teachers with respect, and not just as assets.  In lean manufacturing, there is an activity called a Gemba walk.  This is where managers and supervisors ” go to the place, look at the process, and talk with people.”  they gather information this way to improve processes.  I would like to see Staff directed to go out into the classrooms and collaborate with teachers when it comes to establishing processes.  Just because something works in one classroom, doesn’t mean it will work district-wide.  The teachers are at the place where the value is generated, and therefore their experiential knowledge is crucial when establishing processes.

In the end, the Superintendent is the one to drive these programs.  However, it is the job of the Board to measure the Superintendent to these goals.  As a Board Member, I will work to ensure adherence to these goals, and not just be a rubber stamp of approval.

I have a vision for the district, I am open to communicating with the community, and I respectfully collaborate well with others.  That is why I believe that I will be an effective member of the QCUSD Governing Board.

I have a degree in Aerospace Engineering from ASU and a Master of Science in Technical Management from Embry-Riddle. I am a parent of three students currently enrolled within QCUSD (grades 5,8, and 11), and have been residents of Queen Creek for 16 years. I have been consistently attending the board meetings for the past three years. In many cases, being the only parent present after awards are presented and the board moves on to business discussions. I have been a member of the financial advisory committee for the district CFO. I am currently the treasurer of the QCHS Band Boosters, and work with district staff to ensure equitable funding for the arts. I believe that the district can do a better job at including teachers as sources of information when making decisions. I also believe they can do a much better job at communication. If elected to the school board these are items I plan to work with the district staff to address.

I believe in self-advocation. That unionizing will create a situation where union Leaders, a small majority, will then drive decisions for the group. That most likely won’t align with the rest of the group.

The biggest obstacle to that self-advocation is that teachers face retribution for standing up for themselves. I would rather see a collaborative process where teachers are included.

 I grew up in Hawaii. I know what living in a Blue and Union state is like. I don’t like unions. I did see you speak to the board, and emphasize the ADA issues and the PPE requests. I applaud you for that communication. I also saw how they were initially going to not let you speak, even though your card was put in the “other” bin. You should have been able to speak since you had followed their process. Fortunately, they identified the error and corrected, and you spoke. Your presentation of the issues was then used to direct staff to ensure there was a process that was over bearing for the teachers to get the things they need. Not just Mr Schultz, but Ms. Narancic as well. What worries me now is that the district needs to follow through with that direction from the board. That they should be making the process easier for teachers to get what they need to provide for their students.

Maybe I am naïve, perhaps I am too idyllic, but I believe people should be able to self-advocate without fear of retribution. I also believe once the board directs the district to do something, that they follow through and do it.

 believe that QCUSD, out of all the East Valley districts, provided the best options for parents.  However, I think the district should have included teachers input in regards to those options.  I voted for Option 2 in the survey.  I wanted to see a phased approach in the return of the large population of students.  Option 2 was the closest option to that.  I would have directed staff to provide further details regarding a phased approach prior to the evening of August 11.  I support the return to campus.  I know from first hand experience that the return to campus would work.  From June to July, I assisted with the Marching Band on-campus practices, including a weeklong “camp” that was at the high school.  We took temperatures of the students using digital thermometers purchased by the Band Booster club.  We took attendance each day and checked that the kids were not sick prior to entering the program each day.  So, I know that having students on campus during this time can work.

I have discussed with several teachers at the high school, junior high, and elementary schools that the kids are being very responsible and respectful in regards to social distancing and wearing masks.  All teachers that I have spoken with are cleaning after each class and are very positive about the on-campus learning that is taking place.

As a board member, I would have requested earlier planning, the inclusion of teachers in that planning, and communication that was more frequent and transparent.  I hope this answers your question, and thank you for taking the time to read my response.

If the majority of teachers presented legitimate concerns, then I would expect the District to work with those teachers to create a plan to return to school. The district should provide a process to enable that collaboration.

However, the majority of teachers I spoke with, elementary through high school, wanted to go back to in-person teaching.