As I watched the deliberations and decisions at this year's School Board meetings, I saw that some members were not: looking at the data available, taking into account feedback from parents, pushing for Administration to make informed, logical decisions or implement a plan of action in the best interests of the students and families of Merrimack.

Merrimack schools have been declining and I do not see the Board has urgency or a plan to address the inadequacies. Merrimack students score low compared to their peers in reading, writing, and math. Those who are struggling are not getting support they need. Others who want to be challenged are not being provided opportunity to excel. Students are falling behind or going out of district in search of a better education.

We need leadership that will:

*work with administration to evaluate shortcomings and make targeted decisions to drive change.

*hold administration accountable for improving student outcomes.

*establish a culture and leadership framework that supports both teacher and student success.

*work to restore confidence that our School Board is working to provide educational excellence for our kids.

*Demonstrate an open mindedness to innovative changes that will help us provide the best educational experience possible at all grade levels.

*Improve communication and establish a level of trust between parents, teachers and administration so that all stakeholders feel they have a voice and can bring concerns or ideas to the school board for review.

*Use assessments and data driven decision-making to ensure all students are performing at or above the minimum standards.

*Identify gaps or shortcomings in the curriculum that need to be addressed to be able to set up our students for success and improve assessment results and graduation rates.

In my professional life, I have worked in accounting and business administration and have a lot of experience working with others toward a common goal. I've also served on boards and committees for other community organizations.

My guiding principles -What I stand for and how I will approach my role (if elected):

*Focus on a path of excellence to provide our kids the best education we can *Ensure all Merrimack students are getting the support they need for success *Help restore community confidence in the board and in our schools *Work on the issues important to Merrimack families and welcome public participation as valuable input in the consideration of all stakeholders points of view *Decision making that aligns with what the residents of Merrimack see as priorities for our schools *Compassionate and understanding *Logical and thoughtful *Be someone who steps up to make a difference and be part of the solution.

If elected, I will work to raise Merrimack to one of the top school districts in NH that prepares our children for success well beyond graduation.

The school board and administration should be using standardized testing and other benchmarks as an indicator of how well we are doing in providing the "adequate education" that the State requires. Data should be openly shared with parents and the community as an indicator that our District is meeting or exceeding that goal. Parents should receive the results for their child and the overall grade level results should be shared on the District website. Reviewing data is the best way to determine whether programs and policy changes are effective at meeting District goals. At this time, I do not see that our current School Board is reviewing that data and using it to guide policy decisions, let alone be able to see how our District compares to others in the State and work toward significant improvement.