Candidate Comparison

I want to serve on the Cedar Rapids School Board because I believe strong schools are the foundation of a thriving community. Every student deserves to feel a sense of belonging, every teacher deserves to be supported and valued, and every family deserves to have a voice in shaping education. I am running to ensure that our district reflects these values and prepares our young people to succeed in the future.

My experience combines direct advocacy, nonprofit leadership, and community organizing. I most recently served as a Survivor Advocate at Riverview Center, where I support individuals navigating medical, legal, housing, and social systems. Previously, I was Director of Operations at Advocates for Social Justice, where I coordinated volunteers, fundraising, and campaigns like the Linn County Expungement Clinic. I am also a board member of Our Future, where I mentor fellows on community passion projects and lead fundraising efforts.

In addition, I bring hands-on experience as an educator and mentor. At ICCR Sunday School and through the ICCR Youth Committee, I’ve worked directly with young people, helping them find belonging and confidence. It was there that I witnessed how essential it is for students to have their basic needs met before they can truly be present in school. As an educator myself, I also understand how much support from an institution impacts a teacher’s capacity to commit fully to their work. At the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy, I taught and mentored students through creative expression, seeing firsthand how opportunities outside the classroom can spark growth and resilience. These experiences have shown me the importance of equity, holistic support, and strong institutional backing for both students and educators.

Cedar Rapids schools are the heart of our community. I grew up in them, my children attend them, and I know firsthand how much they shape both student futures’ and the strength of our city. I’m running to rebuild trust, ensure transparency and make smart investments in our schools so every child has access to safe, modern facilities and outstanding educational opportunities.
We're at a critical juncture, with changes to funding models, federal challenges for long-standing programs and the introduction of an ESA model in Iowa, which encourages families to shop amongst a growing list of educational options.
We can’t afford to just complain about these circumstances. We can advocate for change, but to succeed in the near future, we need to retain our students, attract more families to our district and retain our talented educators and staff. I’m interested in exploring what makes our district uniquely attractive to families and using those advantages to assure Cedar Rapids is a district of choice for parents.

I am running for the school board because the current board and superintendent have not been willing to listen to parents, the community, or staff in their attempt to make significant changes in the district.

In 2023, the district proposed a bond issue that would have created a centralized middle school at the edge of town. The bond got less than 40% of the vote. Neighborhood schools are important to the community, and the vote proved that. The very next year, the district introduced a PPEL levy. They said the levy would keep our kids 'safe, warm, and dry.' Of course, the community approved it. The district then pulled a bait and switch and spent $7.5 million of PPEL money to buy the land for the middle school that the voters had rejected the year before. Using the levy to pay for what the community overwhelmingly rejected in the previous bond shows a troubling disregard for the will of the voters.

At the beginning of this year, the district presented a plan to radically change the way high schools in the district work. We were told that the plan for Freshman Academies and Career Pathways was a 'done deal' and eighth graders had to make plans this spring. I attended a couple of the district informational meetings, and it was clear that the district had failed to get buy-in from staff or the families who would be directly affected. They were unable to answer even the most basic questions about how the new system would work. Eventually, the district realized its error and postponed implementing the plan.

The superintendent plays a critical role in leading the district. Based on publicly available information about our superintendent at her previous district, I struggle to understand how she was even considered for the job. When her contract was up, rather than recognizing the district's failures under her leadership, the board doubled down and gave her a three-year contract extension.

I am running for the school board because our community needs board members who are willing to listen to the community, who will be open to the concerns of faculty and staff, and who will hold district leadership accountable for making decisions that reflect the values and priorities of the people they serve.

My attendance at school board meetings has been occasional in the past, but it has become much more consistent as I’ve prepared to run for the board. I believe it’s important to be engaged, informed, and present in these spaces, and I’ve made a point to regularly attend and follow the discussions to better understand the issues facing our district.

I have attended a number of meetings over the years, particularly when involved in and agenda topic (such as school foundation updates, 2023 bond issue presentations, facility master plan development, school deliberations over elementary Spanish language programs, etc.). While I often have other activities occurring on Monday evenings (which will be cleared if elected), I stay current on the board meetings by watching the meeting recordings on YouTube. While I appreciate the reporting on the meetings, I like to hear the full discussion and see all the presentations and considerations in full.

I have attended a few meetings over the years. I have watched more meetings and portions of meetings online.

Student Belonging and Success – Every child deserves to feel valued, safe, and supported. I will champion expanded academic and extracurricular opportunities, social-emotional learning, and restorative practices so students can thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

Supporting and Retaining Educators – Teachers are the heart of our schools. I will advocate for competitive pay, manageable class sizes, and the resources teachers need without having to pay out-of-pocket. I also believe educators should have a meaningful voice in decision-making, and I will work to foster a culture of respect and collaboration.

Responsible Investment in Our Schools – Our district must invest wisely in facilities and programs to prepare students for the future. I support responsible bonds to modernize schools and will ensure programs like Career Pathways expand opportunities for students while protecting existing classes and staff. I will prioritize transparency and community input so families know their tax dollars are being managed responsibly.

• Student Success: Support teachers and staff so they can focus on student learning. The district needs to be focused on expanded opportunities in academics, fine arts, and career training programs that are uniquely positioned to attract more students into the district. We must make a promise to parents that the district will ensure that students graduate prepared for college or careers and ready to enter community leadership. We need to mitigate behavioral issues in the classroom, so students are free to learn and teachers can teach. We need to retain our talented educators and staff members who help our students succeed.
• Smart Investment: It’s time to upgrade facilities for safety, accessibility and modern learning while holding ourselves accountable to taxpayers for efficient investments into our infrastructure. With a niece at Roosevelt, I've attempted to take my parents, both with mobility issues, to shows in the Roosevelt auditorium. It's a beautiful space, but getting to the auditorium requires a long walk, waiting for someone to provide entrance through a locked door beneath the grand staircase and an elevator ride that requires use of a key. Our schools aren't accessible to our community and create challenges for students and staff with mobility issues as well. We must correct these accessibility issues. Further, the less we invest in our old facilities, the more they will cost taxpayers in future years.
• Transparency and Trust: We need to provide updates, clear communication, and real opportunities for parents, staff, and the community to have input in board discussion and decisions. To do this, we need to go beyond the school board meeting. The board meetings, while necessary, are a communications device of the last century. Few parents and taxpayers engage in the meetings. We should work to get more involvement in the board's meetings but also look for other ways to communicate. Town halls and open houses are often seen as an expectation but rarely reach a large audience. Online outreach and content available to families and taxpayers at any time and anywhere is much more effective for reaching constituents. We also need to build trust with our educators and staff in the district. More direct communication and working within the confines of public meetings to still communicate with staff first is important.

1) Gaining back the confidence of the community - before moving ahead with major initiatives, like doing away with neighborhood schools or the Freshmen Academies/Career Pathways, the district must get buy in from the community. The district can certainly lead the way and help the community get behind new initiatives. However, they must either wait for the community to come on board or choose an alternative path if the community won't follow.

As a member of the school board, I will ask about the district's efforts to communicate significant changes to faculty, staff, and the community every time the district proposes a change. If the response is negative, I will push back and require the district to justify proceeding without buy-in; otherwise, I will vote "no."

2) Staff morale/retention - the district's own surveys have shown staff morale to be low. Teachers are looking for opportunities to leave the district. Media outlets, as well as my own interactions with staff, have suggested that the current district leadership has created a 'culture of fear.' District leadership should hire good teachers, librarians, cafeteria workers, and others, and then be willing to hear from them about how they can be enabled to perform their jobs effectively. The quality of education in the district will suffer unless the current leadership makes significant changes to the way it treats district employees.

On day one as a school board member, I will do my best to help the board put pressure on the district to consider staff morale/retention a crucial issue. I would like to see a team of staff and administrators come up with plans to help improve district morale and retention.

3) Equal opportunity - with or without Freshman Academies/Career Pathways, we need to ensure that students have access to the same academic programs, regardless where they live in the district.

One of our district’s greatest strengths is our dedicated educators and staff, who consistently go above and beyond for students. Another is the diversity of our student population, which reflects the richness of our community and prepares students to engage in a diverse world.

At the same time, weaknesses remain. Persistent inequities limit access to opportunities for some students, facilities are in need of long-term investment rather than temporary fixes, and communication between the district and families is often inconsistent. Addressing these challenges will require transparency, equity-driven policies, and responsible planning that prioritizes both student learning and educator support.

Strengths:
• Excellent and dedicated educators and staff. These are teachers who are up for the challenge of taking students from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, teaching them learning skills and creating environments where they can succeed.
• Focused on preparing each student’s readiness for their next level, whether that’s a college education or skilled work opportunities.
• A strong history of success, and many leaders in the community want to be sure our students are supported and successful.

Weaknesses:
• Employee satisfaction and morale is challenged. Even in an environment with better pay and benefits than some other districts, our teachers report burnout and frustration in their roles at a high rate.
• A considerable number of the individuals against funding school infrastructure via a bond agree the funding may be needed, but don’t trust that the Board will use the money wisely. Building trust is necessary to remedy this situation and assure future asks of the community are supported.
• Our district’s teachers continue to work hard to build proficiency in reading, mathematics and science. While testing is suggesting improvement, the district needs to continue reducing behavioral issues in the classroom and allowing our amazing teachers to educate students in a safe and secure environment.
• Several political and demographic factors have limited growth opportunities for the district, while neighboring districts benefit from larger residential and commercial tax-base growth.
• While the district has challenges, there is an unfair perception that causes some to undervalue the education students are receiving within the Cedar Rapids district. It’s time to tell the good stories of student success and change the narrative in our community.

As a longtime district parent, I think the staff has been the greatest strength of our district. I appreciate the impact that great teachers had on my kids. But it is not just teachers over the years, cafeteria staff, counselors, attendance personnel, coaches, and others have had a positive influence on my kids.

Our district is struggling with a leadership crisis. It seems that policies and initiatives are dictated from the district office, and staff are afraid to comment or provide feedback. The resultant low morale is causing staff to leave the district. Not only staff, but with the availability of ESAs, parents are choosing schooling options outside of the district. Last year, the school board refused to sell the Garfield School building to the highest bidder, Isaac Newton Christian Academy, because they are the competition. Rather than try to sabotage Isaac Newton, the school board should focus on making the Cedar Rapids schools the first choice of families in the district!

If budget cuts became unavoidable, I would look first at administrative overhead, outside contracts, and non-essential expenditures rather than classrooms or staff. Cuts should never come at the expense of students’ learning experiences, teacher pay and benefits, or the essential support services that help students thrive. Protecting the people who directly impact student success—educators, support staff, and families—must remain the top priority.

To be clear, the best long-term solution to any budget challenge is to grow enrollment by making Cedar Rapids a “district of choice” for families. More students mean more funding and less need for cuts.
While we work toward that goal, protecting student-to-staff ratios is critical. We also need to be cautious that we’re not cutting the same programs that make us unique and could attract new families into our district.
Continuing to explore administrative efficiencies to deliver support services economically will be critical. The district needs to turn to its own employees for input and suggestions. I suspect they have ideas on how to drive cost reductions and efficiencies while protecting the jobs of those delivering services to students.

I would reduce the district's dependence on third-party consultants and have that work move in-house.

I support the vision of the College & Career Pathways plan and the Freshman Academy because they expand opportunities for students to connect their education to real-world skills and future goals. These programs can help students discover their passions, prepare for college or the workforce, and feel more engaged in their learning.

That said, I believe implementation must be handled carefully. Pathways should expand opportunities—not come at the expense of core classes, electives, or staff positions that are already vital to student success. I will advocate for strong oversight, transparency, and collaboration with educators and families to ensure these initiatives are carried out responsibly and equitably.

I absolutely do support these. Other area districts are successfully using similar models and I believe Cedar Rapids can help students be successful with these programs.
However, I'm disappointed that the roll-out of the programs was not better planned and communicated. Parent discussions needed to start much earlier. The gathering of community input was delayed until after there were complaints, rather than leading the discussion ahead of implementing the change. I also believe that many educators didn’t feel that their input was requested or utilized in developing the programs.
I do expect there will be a time of exploration and learning for each of the programs as they roll out in our schools. The district will get better at delivering the offerings as they assess outcomes from the initial rollouts. I believe these offerings can become programs that attract interest and could ultimately drive enrollment in the district.

I like the idea, but the district needs to be able to answer parent questions and bring staff on board before moving ahead.

Yes, I support the proposed bond referendum. Bonds are essential to maintaining and modernizing our schools, and I believe this one is a responsible investment. At the same time, I recognize that our district has not passed a bond in nearly two decades, largely because of a lack of community buy-in and misjudging what Cedar Rapids families actually need. Rather than focusing solely on new facilities, we must prioritize maintaining and restoring the historic schools we already have, while also maximizing walkability and accessibility for students.

My support for this bond also reflects a broader vision: creating a new culture in Cedar Rapids where bonds are passed regularly to responsibly fund long-term maintenance and improvements. Families deserve transparency and consistent planning, not decades of delay followed by urgent fixes. This bond is an important step toward that healthier, more sustainable approach.

I strongly support smart investment in school facilities, and I believe that this bond request meets that standard. This revised bond proposal focuses resources where they’re needed most.
I suspect nearly every taxpayer could argue a piece they would like to see included or changed. But, as it stands, it recognizes several adjustments based on feedback from the community. My commitment is to ensure accountability and transparency, so voters know the bond they approve is invested wisely.

I do not support the current bond referendum. The district misread voter sentiment on the 2023 bond and then misled voters about the 2024 levy. Most recently, the board voted unanimously to extend the contract of the superintendent who was at the helm during both of these failures.

In my view, a “yes” vote at this time would send the wrong message. Approving this bond would signal that the community is satisfied with the district’s leadership and the direction it has taken — and I don’t believe that is the case.

I support the intent behind the district’s facility master plan—students and educators deserve safe, modern, and accessible schools. However, I believe the plan must be more responsive to community needs and priorities. Too often, past plans have leaned toward building new facilities rather than maintaining and restoring the historic ones we already have, which are central to our neighborhoods and community identity.

I agree with investing in long-term solutions instead of temporary fixes, but I want to see a stronger emphasis on walkability, sustainability, and equity when making decisions about facilities. Families should feel confident that the district is planning responsibly, engaging the community in the process, and prioritizing what will serve students best—not just now, but decades into the future.

Yes. I think there are always specific details that supportive community members may disagree on, but the plan is critical to address the aging facility infrastructure in our district.
Historic structures are beautiful and unique but also can increase the ongoing maintenance costs for the district. The longer they go without major investment, the higher those operational and capital costs will increase.
I appreciate that the plan addresses co-curricular and extracurricular spaces that are not in line with standards of districts around the state. If we want to be a district of choice in the community, we have to offer students spaces and opportunities that are comparable to those in neighboring school districts.
The highest priority must be on ADA compliance. It's extremely unfortunate that we have students, families and teachers leaving our district because our buildings can't meet their basic needs.

A significant portion of the facilities master plan is designed around the Freshman Academies and Career Pathways program. Until the district solidifies plans for the programs, it is premature to move forward with the facilities to support them.

If additional funds became available, I would prioritize investing directly in students and educators. That means reducing class sizes so teachers can give students more individualized attention, ensuring classrooms are fully supplied without teachers paying out-of-pocket, and expanding extracurricular and academic programs that help students discover their passions.

I would also allocate funds toward equity-focused initiatives, such as mental health supports, restorative practices, and culturally responsive programming, so every child feels valued and has the resources they need to succeed. Investing in our teachers and students first builds the strongest foundation for the future of Cedar Rapids.

I appreciate the positivity of this question - the source and sustainability of the funds is a critical question here. While long-term availability of these funds would help address class size and expand offerings for students to take unique or specialized classes, if the funds are only expected to last a year or two, I'd be hesitant to add permanent staff roles or programs that would harm students significantly if they were to be lost soon after implementation.
Instead, I'd ask our teachers and staff to help identify short-term programmatic opportunities and experiences that would help students to excel in the future, even if the funds are only available for one-time or short-time use.
Ultimately, I believe our teachers and staff in the classroom would be the best source of answers to this question. The School Board would need only to facilitate the collection of ideas, support the decisions of educators on what programs to fund and approve budget adjustments as needed.

I think a good choice would be to increase the Community School Model and place community school coordinators in more schools. The demographics of our district are changing, with more English Language Learners, free and reduced lunch recipients, and transient students. The Community School Model delivers services to communities through their neighborhood schools and is a means of connecting families with the school. Ultimately, this should lead to more parent involvement and an increase in student performance.

My main concern is ensuring that our curriculum is inclusive, culturally responsive, and aligned with preparing students for the future. Every student should see themselves reflected in what they are learning, while also gaining the skills and knowledge to succeed in a diverse and changing world. I also believe we must balance innovative programs like Career Pathways with protecting core classes, electives, and teacher positions that are essential to a well-rounded education.

The school board should address these issues by making curriculum decisions transparently and with robust educator and family input. Teachers are the experts in the classroom, and their voices must guide the process, along with ongoing review to ensure equity and effectiveness.

I support a strong core curriculum that drives proficiency for students in reading, math and science. A solid offering of world languages, fine arts and interesting electives are also critical to attracting students to the district.
The successful rollout of the CTE programs is something I'll watch closely. I think we need to continue to gather input from our teachers on what is working and be open to adjusting delivery models and focus areas. We need to align with industry experts to help us stay current on emerging technologies that could disrupt or change the technical education needs of the workforce.

I am concerned that a focus on STEM and vocational education programs is reducing access to music, art, and foreign languages in our schools.

I will prioritize open, transparent, and accessible communication with parents, teachers, staff, and the broader community. That means being present in schools and community spaces, listening actively, and responding to concerns in a timely and respectful way. Families should not have to fight to be heard—their perspectives should be welcomed and valued from the start.

The public can expect me to use multiple communication methods—meetings, email, phone calls, social media, and community events—to ensure accessibility across different needs and schedules. My commitment is to meet people where they are, keep them informed, and create two-way communication that builds trust and accountability.

I think we need a significant change from the status quo in this area. In the discussions I've had with many district staff and building leaders, they don't feel like their voices are part of decision-making process. They feel like they are hearing too much from public emails and news stories and not receiving enough timely communication directly from the district. Better internal communication with district employees is critical to educator and staff satisfaction and retention. There will always be challenges as media and bloggers may attend meetings and report on topics before the district is able to communicate with staff, but all attempts should be made to prioritize internal communication.
For the parents and members of the public, we need to open the doors to multiple lines of discussion and input. While some would argue that the floor is always open for comment at school board meetings, those meetings are not a modern form of interaction.
I'd join with my fellow school board members to create other avenues of communication: Online, in person and individually, we need to be sure the community feels they can talk with us when they need to share their feelings or insights. I will never shy away from a conversation with a student, parent, educator or community member – including the media.

As a school board member, I will sit down with anyone in the district, community members, parents, teachers, staff, or administrators, who wants to talk. I will use social media to keep people informed of issues that the board is considering.

Yes. Safety must be addressed holistically—physical, emotional, and psychological. Students and teachers cannot thrive if they do not feel safe and supported in their schools. I believe the district can improve safety by expanding restorative practices that strengthen relationships, repair harm, and reduce conflicts; increasing access to mental health resources; and ensuring classrooms are adequately staffed so teachers are not overextended.

I would also prioritize clear communication systems for emergencies and ongoing collaboration with staff and families to identify safety concerns proactively. A safe school is one where students feel a sense of belonging and teachers feel supported in doing their jobs effectively.

Facility improvements are important for creating safe buildings that can quickly and efficiently lock down and protect students from threats both inside and outside the school. This is a challenge with our older building infrastructure, but it should be considered in remodels whenever possible. Additionally, the inclusion of safe spaces that promote student-driven de-escalation and allow students to calm down should be part of the remodeling plans for our school facilities.
Within the classroom, the district needs to continue working toward reducing violent behavior. Teachers and staff do everything possible to protect students when another student has a behavioral situation, but this often results in teachers themselves experiencing some kind of physical harm. I’m committed to learning more about our district’s procedures and encouraging the Superintendent to engage classroom staff and educators to determine what additional resources are needed to reduce safety risks.
Restorative practices, combined with appropriate discipline, are critical to reducing the risk of harm for students and teachers. Proper placement of higher-level mental health support staff within each of our schools is also critical to support student behavior and keep classrooms safe.