We have an amazing opportunity to create the Timpanogos School District. Our area includes the great cities of Pleasant Grove, Lindon, Orem, and Vineyard, Utah.

When I reflect on my 17 years as an educator, I am humbled by the thought of the hundreds of thousands of students I have had the opportunity to impact. More importantly, I think about the impact they have had on me. When I think of my kids in inner-city Phoenix, the first word that comes to my mind is resilience. My students came from resilient families who faced significant challenges, including food insecurity, housing instability, language barriers, and inconsistent school attendance. Yet, despite these obstacles, I had the privilege of working alongside incredibly caring and committed parents who deeply valued their children's education. Together, we built a strong, supportive community that fostered stability and learning. Our shared efforts led to some of the highest literacy and math scores in the district—often exceeding state averages. My experiences with my Phoenix kids taught me the power of relationships, the importance of showing up every day with purpose, and the unwavering truth that all students can achieve at high levels. Education is the great equalizer, and I am committed to ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed.

One of my favorite recent experiences was working with a kindergarten class at Central Elementary. I had the joy of working with small groups of students on blending and segmenting sounds—an essential early literacy skill. If you've ever spent time with five-year-olds, you know their energy is boundless, and their attention spans short, so we brought learning to life through movement and play. Whether stepping out sounds like dinosaurs, ninjas, or princesses, we turned phonemic awareness into an engaging adventure. In just three weeks, every student I worked with met or exceeded the goal. This experience reminded me how powerful joy and creativity are in the learning process and how meaningful progress comes from meeting students where they are. 

For any school board, forming a new district is a vast undertaking. The school board's priorities should ensure a smooth, equitable, and strategic transition. I am running for the Timpanogos School Board because I deeply care about our students, their success, and our community's future success. I bring a unique perspective that will be a strength to our school board. I have school board experience, USBE policy experience, large and small district experience, teacher experience, and parent experience of children with exceptional and special needs. I am ready to hit the ground running and work together with the other board members, parents, teachers, and community members to make the best district in Utah!
 

My Priorities to You if Elected:

Student Success – My priority is to ensure all students have access to high-quality education. I will work collaboratively with the other school board members, parents, teachers, students, and community members in creating the optimal learning environment as we thoughtfully consider:

• Class Sizes—Utah has the largest class size average in the nation, with 26 students, and these numbers are higher in secondary schools. While there are parameters to determine class size, such as physical space and budgets, I will work with our new board to create the most effective learning environment.
   
• Programs—The Timpanogos school district already has robust programs, including many forms of art, music, dance, sports, STEM, DLI, ALL, and career-ready courses. I will work to ensure all students continue to have access to these programs and listen to parents, teachers, and community members to prioritize their growth and develop new programs. 
   
• Curriculum— Utah law requires research and evidence-based literacy curriculum from an approved list that has undergone a rigorous evaluation process. I will listen and work collaboratively with teachers and staff to ensure an alignment of academic goals with Utah Core Standards while allowing room for district and school-level priorities through the best tools and instructional practices.
   
• Educator Support—As a school board member, I will support our educators by advocating for competitive pay, access to meaningful professional development, preparation and collaboration time, and the necessary tools to help every student succeed. I believe in listening to teachers, respecting their academic expertise, and involving them in the decisions that shape our schools. When we invest in and retain our educators, we invest in the future of our students and our community.

Collaboration— My priority is to be open and listen to parents, teachers, and community members and work well with the other school board members of the Timpanogos School District and the board members of Aspen Peak and Lake Mountain School Districts. I want to work together and think through all possible solutions. Working together, we will build the best school district in Utah! As a board, we need to thoughtfully consider:

• Community Engagement – Our parents, teachers, and community members are at the heart of public education. I promise to foster strong community engagement and communication by prioritizing transparency, two-way communication, accessibility, consistency, inclusion, and responsiveness. This means I will openly share information, invite and value public input, ensure all voices can be heard, maintain regular and reliable communication, and demonstrate how community feedback influences decisions.
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• Fiscal Responsibility – As careful stewards of taxpayer dollars, we must work together to maximize student learning outcomes. This includes creating transparent budgets aligned with district goals, monitoring expenditures, planning for long-term sustainability, maintaining appropriate reserves, and making data-informed decisions. The board must evaluate spending effectiveness, avoid unnecessary debt, seek additional funding when needed (through grants or partnerships), and communicate openly with the public. There are many decisions that need to be made as we balance the budget, and I will thoughtfully make these decisions collaboratively with public input. 
   
• Operations & Logistics – I will approach operations and logistics with the other board members to ensure strategic oversight, including systems such as school transportation, facilities management, food services, scheduling, and safety protocols running efficiently and supporting student learning. This also includes evaluating resource allocation, anticipating growth or changes in enrollment, ensuring opportunities across schools, and maintaining high standards for health and safety. Collaboratively, we will create clear policies, accountability measures, and data-driven decisions essential for smooth day-to-day functioning and long-term sustainability.

Integrity—I will prioritize the best interests of students and the community over personal or political gain, make decisions based on data and ethics, and follow established policies and legal guidelines. I will be accountable—listening to feedback, committing to fairness, admitting mistakes, and respectfully collaborating with all stakeholders. I will be transparent, honest, and consistent in my words and actions.

Join Me!

Let’s Work Together to Build the Best District in Utah!

Timpanogos Together!

 

 

 

Sources:
Zippia. "The Top 10 Most Crowded Schools By State (Average Class Size By State)" Zippia.com. Jan. 3, 2023, https://www.zippia.com/advice/states-most-crowded-schools-largest-classes/
https://www.aasa.org/resources/resource/small-classes-big-possibilities
https://le.utah.gov/~2022/bills/static/SB0127.html