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Candidate Statement
As a parent of a toddler and SPS kindergartener, I am personally invested in sustainable programs that support all of our students. Coming from a family of educators, and with teaching experience of my own, I bring a practical foundation in education, paired with expertise in data science to drive data-informed school board decisions.
Seattle faces a real problem with equity. The closure plan and waitlist policy were attempts to address equity, but not the solutions we need. We need to invest in under-resourced neighborhood schools and increase access to option schools. Every family deserves an appealing local school, and we must preserve the unique learning settings offered across the district. To support these programs and the educators who make them happen, we must advocate for more progressive revenue.
We must invest in an ecosystem of safety for our students. Students fought for city funding for mental health, and we need to partner with the city in providing mental health counselors, safe infrastructure and transit, and affordable housing. Our schools should be anchors of community in addition to places of instruction. While technology can enhance learning, I value human connection as core to education.
Last year’s closure plan clearly demonstrated the need for transparency and accountability in our district, which I have the skillset to deliver. We must engage with and listen to Seattle’s diverse communities and the student voices clearly expressing their needs. All data carries bias; we must anchor our decisions in lived experiences and use real data to advance real equity in SPS.
Primary Candidate Statement
Over the course of my campaign, I have learned a lot about the state of our district, how the board operates, and specific actions I can take to improve our schools. My current candidate statement reflects this. In the primary statement, I focused on issues very specific to my family. I still care about and believe in these things, but recognize there are deeper issues for the district as a whole. It's a challenge squeezing as much as possible into the limited space of a candidate statement!
As a parent of two incoming SPS students and multi-generational Washingtonian, I am committed to our schools and educators. With years of classroom teaching experience, I bring a strong foundation in education, coupled with expertise in math and data science to ensure a data-driven, analytical approach to school board decisions. My current work focuses on AI and emerging technologies. I have seen compelling cases of AI used well but am also familiar with its pitfalls. If elected, I would bring valuable perspective on AI’s potential in education.
While I recognize the financial challenges facing our district, the current approach of closing schools is needlessly disruptive. Worse, closing schools has not successfully resolved funding gaps in other cities, and the lack of transparency in decision-making has eroded trust within our community. Furthermore, unclear waitlist management weakens confidence in the system and can artificially deflate the enrollment numbers used to justify school closures.
As a parent, I know that there are many reasons to sustain neighborhood schools. Walkable schools build children's independence, well-being, and sense of place, while reduced car traffic improves safety and eases congestion, benefiting families and the community. If closures are unavoidable, I hope to explore consolidating elementary and middle schools into K-8 institutions, an alternate model that could address many of SPS’s stated reasons for school closures.
As a board member, I will advocate for a more open, collaborative decision-making process and explore solutions beyond school closures. While systemic change takes time, I recognize the strengths within our schools and aim to preserve what works. I will listen to teachers, back up policy recommendations with data, and work to share the data and increase transparency.