Vote for me on November 7th!

Being a mother is one of life’s greatest blessings.  I’ve enjoyed watching our boys grow up and become responsible young men.  My husband Duane and I struggled many times with the decision to send our children to public schools.  Duane and his sister are graduates of Spotswood High School, and his parents were graduates of Elkton High School.  I, on the other hand, received my diploma in the mail on a cold March day.  I had spent most of my school years at a Christian school, and my senior year was through a home school program so that I could attend our local community college at the same time.  We have covered our children in prayer as we sent them off to public school because my experience at a private school showed me that it is what is taught at home that really makes the difference.  We wanted our children to have an opportunity to experience the world, and come home and discuss what they experienced at school with us so that we could have those formative conversations before they headed off on their own.  Have they shared everything with us? No, I’m sure they have not.  Have we monitored their schoolwork, met their friends, volunteered at school, participated in extracurricular activities? Yes, we have. In order to stay in touch, we have been involved in more than one area of the public school experience.  

I have spent a great deal of time building relationships with teachers and administrators over the past 20 years.  Many times, I have disagreed with how a situation was handled, but because of the relationships I have built, I am able to have a conversation that enables both sides to be heard and a reasonable compromise to be achieved.  Face to face conversations are my preferred way to communicate because things can be posted on socials and oftentimes inflict unnecessary harm and confusion. I encourage anyone that has questions or concerns to reach out to me directly and we will find time to have a valuable conversation. 

My decision to run for District 5 School Board comes from a place of concern for the future of our educational system and our community.  The education our children receive should be a solid foundation of English, history, math, science, and the arts. Our schools are fundamental to developing our sense of community. At school, our children develop life long friendships and valuable social skills that will enable them to be citizens that give back to their community. How we educate our children is one of the most difficult decisions that we as parents must make.  My experience and knowledge will provide the leadership that you can trust on the school board so that all parents can be confident their values are being respected. 

With my vast experience and knowledge of state government and the public school system, I am confident that I will be a productive board member that preserves and protects what has made Rockingham County Public Schools a great place to learn and grow.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there sending their kids to school, whether that is homeschooling, private school, or public school. You have my full support and respect for doing what you believe is best for your children.  God bless each and every one of you!

​