I am currently serving in my second term on the Mamaroneck School Board, serving as President for the past two years. In addition to my six years on the board, I am a licensed clinical Social Worker, working with both children and parents in a private practice, and have more than 20 years of experience working in educational institutions, most recently serving as Associate Head of School for a grammar school in the city.
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve my community for the past two terms on the Board, and hope to build upon the work started in a third term. Some of the gratifying work achieved in the past few years include: conducting the search and hiring of our new Superintendent; enhancing our focus on curriculum, advocating for an increased focus on data-driven learning; forging a partnership with Fields for Kids for more play space at our schools; establishing a much-needed STEM program at our elementary schools; and ensuring our district was one of the first to return in person from Covid.
I received my Masters in Social Work from Fordham University, and my BA in Psychology from Lehigh University. I live in Mamaroneck with my husband and three children, all of whom are enrolled in the Mamaroneck schools.
Why are you running for the Mamaroneck School Board?
I’m seeking to serve a third term on the Mamaroneck Board of Education, having served as Trustee, Vice President, and most recently President for the past two years. My motivation in running for the board six years ago was to increase educational opportunities for students through a strong focus on curriculum. While I had an understanding of curriculum from my years as a school administrator, I wanted to better understand the choices made by the district, including those impacting consistency and transitions between grades, and across different levels of our system. I wanted to play a role in advocating for progress, and that same motivation holds true today.
I am so proud to have been part of so many positive changes and initiatives over the past six years. Through meaningful collaboration and compromise, we have been able to execute growth steps for the district that I never could have imagined possible in such a short amount of time.
I celebrate our school system’s many strengths, while diligently working to improve upon our work. Our new Superintendent and new Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum will lead this next chapter, and I hope to continue working collaboratively with them in order to advance their vision and increase opportunities and pathways for students.
What is the biggest issue facing our schools and how can you help address it?
The most important issue facing our district is the lack of curricular consistency in the elementary school years, followed by clarity and opportunity around pathways and areas of learning in the middle and high school years, which allow for on-ramps at any point for any child. For half of last year, much of my time was spent on the search for a new Superintendent. I am proud of that work, as it led to the hiring of our new Superintendent, Dr. Sampson. With a new Superintendent and a new Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, we have the opportunity and obligation to deeply focus on our curriculum. We are a district that values innovation, and benefits from dedicated teachers and staff, so we must continue to encourage and support continued growth. Our success as a district will only continue if we are graduating students with the knowledge and skills to find pathways through education or careers that build on what they learn here in Mamaroneck. Lastly, we need to take a closer look at early and more robust access to extracurricular activities that bring our kids together through common interests, such as sports, music, and other academic and non-academic clubs. If re-elected, I will look forward to working from a place of clarity, with an eye toward progress that provides opportunities for all of our students to grow and flourish.