I strongly
believe that the quality of education our children receive is vital to their
future success.
When my
husband and I were deciding where to raise our family, the single most
important factor was the school district our children would grow up in. We have lived in Aaronsburg for 12 years and our
three children attend Penns Valley Elementary/Intermediate school. I am an advocate for early childhood reading
and I currently serve on both the Centre County Library Board of Trustees and
the Friends of the East Penns Valley Library Board. I enjoy volunteering in PVE classrooms and
working directly with the students and teachers. I am active in our community and volunteer for
The HOPE Fund, Little League, youth basketball, and the Aaronsburg Civic Club. I'm dedicated to ensuring the best educational
environment for all children and to continuing the successful progress of our
school district.
As a
current PV School Board Director, my primary concern is that our standard of
academic excellence be maintained and improved upon for all children. I believe my experience and willingness to
respectfully work with other people will be beneficial in evaluating decisions the
school board makes for the district. I
have a MS in Ecology from Penn State University and worked as an Environmental
Specialist for the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe in Nevada for over two years. I then worked as a research associate for the
School of Forest Resources at PSU for three years. I have experience writing grants, managing
budgets, and collaborating with academic and government agencies. After staying home to raise my children for
seven years, I now work as a teaching aide at Grace United Methodist Playschool
in Centre Hall.
Amy's Platform
While I believe we have the best school district in the county, there is always room for improvement. When I interviewed for my current board seat, I talked about how the district needs to focus on several things:
1. Special Education services
We do a fantastic job teaching most children, but we need to improve educational services for children with learning disabilities as well as children that are gifted. It is imperative that we meet their needs and provide the additional support and enrichment they require. All children in our district deserve to get the best education possible.
2. Communication
We need to improve the communication between teachers and parents, as well as the between the school district and the public. I would like to see weekly updates from teachers to parents- whether it's through their district websites, Facebook pages, emails, or traditional handouts sent home with the kids. I think the Annual Report released in April was a great example of our Administration reaching out to the public to better inform them or our progress, initiatives and budget challenges. There are additional ways the district is developing to reach the community. Hopefully, you will be seeing these upgrades soon.
3. Expanded Recess/DPA time
I firmly believe that our elementary students do not have enough time or opportunity during their busy days to burn off their natural energy. Twenty minutes of DPA is not adequate, particularly when there is inclement weather and the kids stay within their classrooms. Children need to be more physically active in intervals throughout the day so that they can focus better and learn better. I have been making this comment for years on the Parent Survey.
4. Fiscal Prudence
I understand first hand the difficulties families are facing in this economy. I was a stay-at-home Mom for seven years, so I know what it means to make sacrifices to stay within a tight budget. Serving on the Centre County Library Board of Trustees, I know first hand the very difficult circumstances administrators have faced due to the economic recession, and the hardship of having to cut programs and services that our community needs. I spend a lot of time volunteering my time and talent to help people in our community, whether it's through the Friends of the EPV Library (old Aaronsburg Library), youth sports & boosters, and The HOPE Fund. I have friends and neighbors that are: retired on fixed incomes, farmers that work hard to make a living, and parents that are raising children in very difficult economic times. Our district is fortunate to be in a good place financially, unlike other districts in our state.
Amy's Platform
While I believe we have the best school district in the county, there is always room for improvement. When I interviewed for my current board seat, I talked about how the district needs to focus on several things:
1. Special Education services
We do a fantastic job teaching most children, but we need to improve educational services for children with learning disabilities as well as children that are gifted. It is imperative that we meet their needs and provide the additional support and enrichment they require. All children in our district deserve to get the best education possible.
2. Communication
We need to improve the communication between teachers and parents, as well as the between the school district and the public. I would like to see weekly updates from teachers to parents- whether it's through their district websites, Facebook pages, emails, or traditional handouts sent home with the kids. I think the Annual Report released in April was a great example of our Administration reaching out to the public to better inform them or our progress, initiatives and budget challenges. There are additional ways the district is developing to reach the community. Hopefully, you will be seeing these upgrades soon.
3. Expanded Recess/DPA time
I firmly believe that our elementary students do not have enough time or opportunity during their busy days to burn off their natural energy. Twenty minutes of DPA is not adequate, particularly when there is inclement weather and the kids stay within their classrooms. Children need to be more physically active in intervals throughout the day so that they can focus better and learn better. I have been making this comment for years on the Parent Survey.
4. Fiscal Prudence
I understand first hand the difficulties families are facing in this economy. I was a stay-at-home Mom for seven years, so I know what it means to make sacrifices to stay within a tight budget. Serving on the Centre County Library Board of Trustees, I know first hand the very difficult circumstances administrators have faced due to the economic recession, and the hardship of having to cut programs and services that our community needs. I spend a lot of time volunteering my time and talent to help people in our community, whether it's through the Friends of the EPV Library (old Aaronsburg Library), youth sports & boosters, and The HOPE Fund. I have friends and neighbors that are: retired on fixed incomes, farmers that work hard to make a living, and parents that are raising children in very difficult economic times. Our district is fortunate to be in a good place financially, unlike other districts in our state.
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