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Meet the Candidate: Sharon, an Experienced Educator and Dedicated Community Member
Sharon has dedicated over 30 years of her career to education, serving as an educator in both Kansas and Missouri. She is proud of her educational background which includes numerous advanced degrees, certifications, and a long history of service to her community and professional organizations. Sharon is also a proud parent of three Laker graduates and a grandmother to twelve, four of whom currently attend Camdenton Schools.
Why Vote for Sharon?
Sharon believes in mutual respect and appreciation for all candidates running for the board. However, she believes that her educational background and experience would broaden the experiential balance to the board, bringing a new perspective as an experienced and passionate educator, parent, and grandmother. Sharon prays to offer her service to the Camdenton School Board by bringing her passion, commitment, and service to the community.
What Issues Need to Be Addressed in the Camdenton District?
Sharon believes that costs, provision of competitive salaries and benefit packages, and the creative identification and implementation of cost-neutral practices that enhance the positive culture for all employees are universal considerations that schools face. The challenge to ensure positive environments for all stakeholders, including students, families, employees, and community members, is an ongoing endeavor. The physical layout of Camdenton schools presents unique challenges in ensuring the provision of a welcoming environment for all students. Sharon believes that discovering the appropriate balance for technology and in-person instruction is one of the greatest challenges we face as a district. She believes that heightened human interaction and utilization of technology as a tool to enhance (not replace) instruction and assessment will benefit teachers, staff, students, and families.
Which is Better for Students: Four-Day or Five-Day School Weeks?
Sharon recognizes the pros and cons of four-day versus five-day school weeks. While reducing expenditures for services such as transportation, maintenance, and food-service is a benefit, the reduction in the hours and salaries of contracted, classified employees is a grave concern. Sharon believes that there is no compelling evidence that four-day schedules lead to heightened student learning and/or performance. Families have shared little confidence in their experiences with AMI days. She recognizes the value of sustained time for teacher collaboration and individual planning within a five-day week.
What is Sharon’s Opinion on Transfer Policy?
Sharon recognizes that school choice is an intensely debated topic. She believes that the strengths of Camdenton School District set the stage for very little impact of students electing to transfer out of the district. The district would not be mandated to accept transfer students into its district. Various considerations are involved in implementing transfer policy, including transportation obligations, exclusion of individuals with disabilities, and disproportionate impact on minority students.
Has Camdenton School District Done Enough to Protect Its Students?
Sharon believes that protecting students and staff in all schools is a universal challenge that will never have “enough” protection. However, Camdenton Schools are to be recognized for the planning and implementation of a variety of procedural and physical upgrades to ensure safety for all. Physical structure and procedural policies for entering buildings are impressive and ever-evolving in efficiency. The district has increased by two the full-time presence of School Resource Officers in their buildings. Emotional safety and mental health needs are recognized as vital to the district’s protection of students. Regarding the impact of technology, Sharon believes it prudent to keep an ever-present eye on all content accessible on district-issued devices as well as print material. She gained great confidence in the oversight, goals, and practices recently presented by the Director of Technology’s annual board report. The Digital Leadership Team and Library/Media faculty share the commitment to ensure safe and appropriate content access.
Vote for Sharon
Sharon would appreciate your vote and support of her service as she works together with other board members to make local decisions that are in the best interest of the students, district, and community. As an experienced educator and dedicated community member, Sharon believes that she can provide a fresh, valuable perspective to the Camdenton School Board. Remember, there are numerous opportunities for voters to gather information and exercise their right to participate as informed citizens, celebrating their right to vote.
