I am not endorsed by special interest groups and am committed to keeping the school board position non-partisan as it is intended. As you know, school funding is tied to enrollment, so P-CCS must offer excellent academics and innovative programs to attract and retain families. She is the mother of three children, including a daughter who graduated from the district in 2020 and a son who currently attends P-CCS schools. October 21 – Sumedha Sethi speaks with Sheryl Picard. Issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion are a recurring conversation among students, staff and the community at large. School districts saw student enrollment drop dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic to private-, charter-, home- or non-school options. Sheryl Picard, a parent classroom volunteer and preschool assistant teacher, is running for a full six-year term on the board of education. Chastang is running to "continue working to advance the mission of our district, ensure strong, safe schools that are families' first choice for education and to improve relationships between families, school and the community. This policy allows students to participate in sports that corresponds to identity, not biology. McCoin has in the past served as president, vice president and secretary of the board. Nathan Morris: I fully support a parent's right to decide what school placement is best for their children and their future.
I have extensive experience in education policy, leadership, innovative programs, strategic planning, and school improvement. What's one tangible action local districts can make to address diversity, equity and inclusion? All eight candidates indicated they will attend the 2022 School Board Candidate Forum sponsored by The Perspective, where the candidates will respond to prompts about their stances on various issues including COVID-19 protocols, curriculum reform and more. With school funding tied directly to enrollment, what are your thoughts on schools of choice policies, and how would you attract new, returning students to the district?
Ostertag attended P-CCS schools from kindergarten until he graduated from Salem High School in 2019, during which he served as a member of the Sex Education Advisory Committee. Candidates were sent the questions ahead of time to allow time to prepare their responses. It saddens me to see how far behind our nation has fallen in the fundamentals of reading, writing, and arithmetic, " writes Morris in a biography written for the 'Get Kids Back to School PAC. ' What steps would you take to address that issue? Providing opportunities for not only students but also their caregivers to work together and unite as a school community builds acceptance and an authentic sense of Morris: I believe all students - regardless of background, beliefs, and ideology - have the right to a fair and quality education. Having a strong understanding of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and American History would facilitate comradery instead of the divisiveness we have now. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 16, 632 students are enrolled within the district, making it the fifth-largest within the state of Michigan. McCoin has lived within the district for over thirty years, and her children attended P-CCS schools from kindergarten until high school graduation. I am running for school board to help return our district to the academic excellence for which it was formerly known. These goals/strategies need to be embedded in the board and superintendent goals with ongoing review and accountability measures.
My children are P-CCS students, and I have been a substitute teacher in P-CCS across all grade levels for five years. Michigan law, Act 451 of 1976, states under the revised school code, "It is the natural, fundamental right of parents and legal guardians to determine the direct care, teaching and education of their children". In a second race, two candidates will face off for one two-year term on the board. As of 09/28/2022, the video footage from the P-CCS school board candidate forum video has been published by The Perspective. Teachers are being expected to become therapists, counselors and activists causing an interference and distraction to instruction. Anupam Chugh Sidhu: We have a great school district, but we need to do better in serving all students with academic success and student well-being. Our teachers and support staff are facing the challenge of making up the learning loss that has occurred, and doing so with record numbers of behavior challenges, and in some schools, increased class sizes. He has two daughters, one aged four months and the other aged three years, who will soon be eligible to attend P-CCS schools. " I see our strengths and weaknesses, and I believe my experiences and perspectives will be a great asset to our school board. What do you see as the role of a school board member? Community Focus is sponsored by the Krumm Agency of Plymouth – Meemic Insurance Agent. Sebastian Ostertag, a former P-CCS student now studying history and civics at Schoolcraft College with the goal of teaching high school, is facing off against Patti McCoin for a partial term expiring on December 31, 2024. I want to be a school board member to help foster an environment of academic excellence in our schools. Judith Westra: COVID exacerbated a trend that was predicted in the school boundary study done 8 or 9 years ago.
She has taught in charter schools, public schools and in the nation of South Africa, and she received a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in curriculum and teaching from Michigan State University. Some of the issues discussed at the forum included possible changes to the curriculum to enhance learning, the goals for the future of the district, school start times and how best to handle school safety. Our staff members will talk with each person about what lead them to run, their qualifications, and issues facing the school district. The School Board's number one priority should be fostering an environment of academic excellence. The district needs to stay in its lane and carry out its duty as declared by law. I believe in transparency and collaboration between families, educators, community members and the board. More election coverage: Candidates face off for two-year Plymouth-Canton Board of Education seat. To bring families back and make P-CCS desirable for new families we need change.
What makes you qualified to be a school board member and why do you want to hold that position? I see the role of the school board as being the students, ' parents, ' and community's voice for the school system. I am running because I know my knowledge and perspectives will be an asset to our board and ultimately support all kids in our community. Moderator RJ Doroshewitz determined the speaking order through a lottery in order to maintain complete objectivity from The Perspective. The district needs more teachers/ tutors, to help children struggling academically due to restrictive Covid mandates and curriculum. We have a district where 40% of 3rd graders are not proficient in reading and writing and nearly 40% of 8th graders are not proficient in mathematics. Audience members and candidates shared positive feedback about the forum.
I have excellent data interpretation abilities and I think outside of the box. We also need to increase community/family engagement, transparency, and accountability. She has served on the Board of Education for five and a half years, during which time she has also spent a year as president of the board and two years as vice president. Our test scores and proficiencies are down across the board in grades 3 through 8. For the 2021/22 school year 40% of 3rd graders in the district were not proficient in reading and writing.
I want to see our district improve so that every child receives the resources that he/she needs to succeed. Judith Westra is an information technology professional with a degree from the University of Maryland and experience in leading large projects and collaborating between diverse groups. Picard is running because she is concerned that " the focus of our district is social justice at the expense of academics. Our schools have so many exceptional educators, but I see their frustrations and how policy decisions make their jobs more difficult than necessary. Are you happy with the overall direction of the district? We need to make information accessible and the process easier for parents. Nidhi Kundargi is currently a senior at Plymouth High School who joined The Perspective in fall 2022. He recently joined both Plymouth tennis and The Perspective. Ensure all students that need additional support have the resources they need to be successful. Picard first ran for the board in 2020 in an eleven-way race but did not win any of the three open seats.