Supporting students means ensuring every child has access to the resources and opportunities they need to succeed. Programs and policies should promote equity, inclusivity, and the well-being of all learners, including those with diverse needs and backgrounds.

Supporting teachers means providing the resources, training, and working conditions they need to succeed. Strong support helps educators focus on instruction, innovation, and student success. By investing in teachers, schools strengthen learning outcomes for all students. This includes:

• Hiring additional Paraprofessionals to assist educators,

• At a minimum matching educator wages to inflation,

• Maintain and reduce class sizes. 

I support strengthening and expanding extracurricular programs that build real-world skills, academic confidence, and student voice. Proven programs like National History Day and debate help students develop research ability, critical thinking, and effective communication. I will also work to introduce new opportunities that give students opportunities to engage in collaboration, and leadership.

Not everyone has the time to attend board meetings or read through 100s of pages of reports, but everyone should know what is being discussed, voted on, and prioritized in a clear and timely fashion. The School Board should model its communication off of that of the La Crosse County Board, with agenda/action summaries on social media, improved newsletters, and utilizing the app parent square to directly communicate what is happening with the board.

For the past fifteen years public education funding has fallen behind, not even keeping pace with inflation. It is important when talking about funding challenges and the increased rate at which school districts go to referendum that we identify the root of these challenges to the state legislature. To that end I am in favor of measures like we say at the last Wisconsin Association of School Boards meeting calling on the legislature to invest more into public education. 

I support a universal free school lunch program so every student is nourished, focused, and ready to learn without stigma or barriers. Either through the district itself or through community organizations free lunches are provided over summer. Expanding these programs to be universal and year round in strengthens health, academic performance, and equity for all families in our district. If implemented year round this could save La Crosse district families up to $1848 annually per child!

What began as a small experiment has become a drain on public resources, shifting costs to parents and taxpayers. Voucher programs lack transparency, oversight, and allow discrimination against LGBTQ+ students and students with disabilities. While the School Board doesn’t oversee vouchers, members should still advocate against them to protect inclusive public schools. We should not subsidize private schools at the expense of public schools.

Supporting and building on the 2025 Climate Action Plan is not only essential for addressing the growing threat of climate change, but also for being fiscally responsible and keeping costs affordable. Solar arrays already installed are projected to offset the energy equivalent of burning more than three million pounds of coal and saves Hamilton Elementary roughly $10,000 per year.