The primary strengths of D-11 are strong leaders who represent the values of our community, compassionate teachers who care for students, and families that want what is best for their kids. The weaknesses are poor academic achievement and declining enrollment. My main focus is raising academic achievement and growth. We cannot let another school year go by where we graduate students who cannot read or write at grade level. When academic proficiency improves, this will help drive enrollment up.

Over my 21 years in the military, I managed millions of taxpayer dollars. Being a good steward of our resources requires making difficult decisions. Every dollar must go toward the mission of providing high-quality academic instruction by keeping dollars close to the classroom.

Cell phone use is a distraction and D-11 made the appropriate choice to eliminate cell phones during the school day. However, the future (business, education, defense, etc.) is being driven by AI, so we should intentionally teach students how to integrate it into their education in ways that improve student learning and set them up for success. They need to understand algorithms, inputs, and ethics and that should start as early as kindergarten. I am a Girl Scout Troop leader, and we just did a lesson on coding for children ages 5 through 12. Even our youngest girls understood the idea of an algorithm. If we teach it to them early, they will learn how to use it properly.

No. Parents entrust D-11 with the protection of their children every day, and it is vital that we be good stewards of that trust. D-11 should be completely transparent with parents with everything from curriculum to contentious social questions that are often better learned in the privacy of their own home. Parents have the right to know what their kids may be exposed to, so they can make informed decisions about their children’s maturity level and readiness to engage with certain material.

I’m a big believer in the family. The parents should have the paramount role in decisions about their child’s upbringing and education. That said, healthy families only work in healthy communities with healthy economies. Accepting permanent poverty as ‘inevitable’ in the America of 2025 only destroys healthy families and promotes the worst kinds of moral/spiritual promiscuity as well as social division. I support any and all families that do their best to love and raise the children of our community but I have a special place in my heart for all the strong fathers who teach their children to respect and strive. America is a special place and it’s worth fighting for.

One of D11’s greatest strengths is recent recommitment to academic excellence. However, the district still has a long way to go; more than half of D11 students cannot read or do math at grade level. One reason for this problem is the sheer volume of policy, (over 400 in total), that limits District Eleven’s ability to be agile and responsive in addressing challenges. Too often, bureaucracy stands in the way of meaningful progress. As a board member, one of my top priorities will be leading a comprehensive review of these policies. Streamlining and modernizing them will reduce unnecessary red tape and better equip our leadership to focus on what matters most: student success and achievement.

I believe funding should be student-centered, following the student to the school their family chooses. This approach not only empowers parents but also rewards success by highlighting our highest-performing teachers and school leaders. By expanding and replicating their proven practices across the district, we can raise academic outcomes for all of District Eleven.

At the same time, fiscal responsibility must remain a top priority. Through prudent budgeting and careful stewardship of taxpayer dollars, we can invest in modern, safe, and effective learning environments. My goal is to ensure that every dollar spent directly supports student achievement.

I believe cell phones should not be used during instructional time, as they are often a distraction from learning. If stored in lockers and accessed only during breaks or lunch, their presence in schools is acceptable. Regarding artificial intelligence, it has great potential as an educational tool, but its use must be balanced. Our first priority should always be ensuring students master the fundamentals of reading, writing, and mathematics which can and should be taught with minimal reliance on technology. Once students have a strong foundation in these core skills, technology, including AI, can be thoughtfully integrated to enhance learning rather than replace essential instruction.

Parents are the cornerstone of a child’s development and must be fully informed and actively involved in their education. Nothing should ever be kept from the parent by the school or district. Transparency builds trust and ensures accountability. Parents are the ultimate decision makers when it comes to their child’s learning, well-being, and future.

I know firsthand that D-11 is filled with incredible teachers, students, and parents. I am running for School Board to be a voice for them, because we have a long way to go in improving our district. We must continue to evaluate our curriculum to ensure that our students are learning to read. We need to tackle deferred maintenance on our current facilities, while facing the budget issues created by our declining enrollment and reduced state funding.

As a former non-profit executive and business owner, I understand how crucial it is that D11’s half-a- billion dollar, taxpayer funded budget is allocated with wisdom and integrity. Every dollar we spend should be able to answer the question, “how does this improve student success?”

I was in the classroom when D-11 led the way with a “no cell phone” policy, and watched its initial success become less effective with inconsistent enforcement. I support a “No Cell from Bell to Bell” policy, but it must be properly enforced and built upon to be effective.

Parents are the ultimate authority in guiding their child’s education. They should have the power to choose educational environments that align with their families’ beliefs and goals. Parents, not schools, have a natural and moral responsibility to shape their child’s worldview.
Parents have a fundamental right to know about their child’s academic performance, behavior, health, and any issues arising at school, including mental health, ideological influences, and disciplinary actions. Parents should be able to trust that nothing is being hidden from them concerning their child.

I want to maintain School District 11’s historically high standards of teacher education.