Welcome Lansing Voters!

My vision as a board member involves promoting an atmosphere that sincerely values parents’ voices, and not simply as the primary source of funding. Good educators and administrators understand that when parents are recognized as the leading authority on their children, in every way, conflicting interests become opportunities for mutual success. All district efforts should contribute to the ultimate goal of improving students' academic readiness.

Please reach out to talk with me more about the points I outline below. I am happy to engage further on these topics and your ideas for our district, too!

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Improve Academic Performance

Protect Face-to-Face Instructional Time

Every minute counts. Here's a study that found increasing instructional time increased learning. We might not be able to buy more teaching time, or even need to, but we can continue to protect the time we have. Our students deserve the highest levels of engagement with teachers who are free to teach.

Ensure the Use of High-Quality Curriculum that's Linked to State Standards

We need proven, effective curriculum which focuses almost exclusively on the critical, fundamental knowledge students need to be successful. Every course objective should speak to a Kansas State Department of Education Standard for that subject area. These standards can be found here: english language arts (ELA), math, science, and social studies.

Empower Teachers to Uphold the Highest Expectations of Our Students

Whether referring to academic rigor, behavioral expectations, a focused classroom environment, or personal responsiblity, high expectations from teachers yield students who deliver. Teachers need the support of parents and administrators to enforce those standards.

Invest in Students, Not Bureaucracy

Let's Explore Whether the Money is Where it Should Be

Over the past five years, district spending has increased around 20%, yet ACT scores are in a general state of decline. Administrative costs increased around 25% during this time frame, yet instructional spending increased only around 20%. Can we reexamine how we spend to maximize the benefit for our students?

Prioritize Safe Pedestrian Access

It is NOT a safe walk to school for many students who are not eligible for bus transportation. Our community has a responsiblity to secure safe pedestrian access for students who walk to school.

Inclusive Playground Where Students With Mobility Challenges Can Play, Too

Every child needs to play, but some of our elementary students cannot even access the playground. We’ve simply got to fix this. Click here to watch some of our district's third graders explain the problem and recommend solutions. Their presentation is from 44:05-58:08.

Less Woke, More Fundamentals

Ditch the Explicit Material and Critical Race Theory

Our State Department of Education and our district make statements that imply critical race theory is not part of our curriculum (official Aug. 2021 statement here). That's not true. Click here for a few examples of how I have already been hard at work on this issue. I'd like to continue working with the board members willing to get rid of the Cultural Marxism and keep our kids safe from explicit material and racist, misappropriated theories that peddle hate, victimhood, and hopelessness.

Focus on Reading, Writing, and Math Proficiency, NOT Social Engineering

I'd like to keep our local focus on the fundamental knowledge students need to be productive, resilient adults: how to read well, write well, problem solve and understand the United States Constitution. Let them master the fundamentals so they are prepared for anything.

Keep Politics Out of the Classroom

The concept of academic freedom was intended to protect students' intellectual expression, not educators.' Students will not be prepared to explore theoretical concepts and alternate world views in higher education and adulthood if they learn to parrot "the answer according to..." as teens. Our job is to give them the tools, not the answers.

Leave the Parenting to Parents

Social & Emotional Learning Belongs to the Family, Not Public Education

Parents have 'children,' educators have 'students.' Support for basic, universal values at school is one thing, but social and emotional learning curriculum has become a highway for social programming nationwide. Let's leave the moral upbringing of children where it belongs: with the family unit.

Strengthen Parents' Rights

In an excellent move of support for parents and students, our school board passed a Parents Bill of Rights in June of 2022. The policy protects parents' rights to act in the best interest of their children and requires curriculum transparency. But this policy needs teeth, specifically the weight of financial accountability, in order to be most effective. That requires policy change that I'd like to initiate.