ABOUT ME
Hi, I'm Christina
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are you running for office?
I am running for re-election because I believe education is about student preparedness and readiness. I want to ensure that the Appleton Area School District, parents of the students, and our community, are successful in building desirable attributes and skills in each student that enables them to be life-long learners and contributors. With five grandchildren attending school in the District, I am personally invested in this labor of love.
What makes you the better candidate in this race?
I have proudly served on the AASD Board for the past four years. I have worked for accountability, meaningful communication, and transparency through community involvement and developing reportable goals. I plan to continue the work of the Community Linkage Plan to ensure all stakeholders have a voice in their school district.
What are residents telling you are their most important issues, and how would you address them?
Important issues include a staffing shortage, a lack of transparency and parent/community involvement, helping students who are struggling emotionally and academically, and a shortage of funding from the State. Our quality staff is vital to the District’s success. We need to compensate and support those who support our children and get their input on educational initiatives. Secondly, as a member of a Board committee charged with development of Community connections, I believe we have a means of providing families, community members, and Board members with more opportunities to share their ideas. These connections will provide insight into what families and students need to overcome the losses of the past several years.
What is your role as a AASD Board Member
Establish strategic goals and objectives: The Board must establish a clear vision and set high expectations for teaching and learning to support strong student outcomes.
Set policies to support strategic goals and objectives: The Board, working closely with the superintendent, establishes policies that translate the goals and objectives into action plans. AASD’s budget should also be considered as one of the key policy decisions for the Board.
Governance: Governance starts with clear and specific strategic objectives and well-formulated policies that assign responsibility, authority, critical performance indicators, and timeframe for achievement.
Relationship with superintendent: A strong relationship between the Board and the superintendent is a key factor for success. The Board acts as representatives of the community and leads in setting goals and objectives for the District.
Relationship with the Community: Community leadership is best demonstrated by acting as trustees and advocates for the best interest of the students, teachers, and the District.
What are your thoughts on a culturally responsive curriculum?
I believe that a culturally responsive curriculum is necessary in order to inspire students to be lifelong learners in a vastly changing world. We need to create an environment where students are active and interactive learners who develop critical thinking, creative thinking, and problem-solving skills. This means presenting various “sides” of a situation and/ or event in an unbiased manner and having students share their ideas without criticism. We must convey to each student, “You are important, you can succeed, and we will not give up on you”. It is necessary to expect all students to develop a strong work ethic. A safe, caring environment in all schools is needed for this learning to happen.