Students need spaces and people who make them feel safe, seen and heard.

Children deserve to learn in buildings that are physically and emotionally safe

Ensure all students, no matter their experiences, have the tools and support they need to live happy, healthy and safe lives.

"Trauma is defined as an event or circumstance resulting in physical, emotional and/or life- threatening harm. 46% of youth under the age of 17 have experienced at least one trauma.

Currently there are around 27,000 students in RPS 205 schools, meaning almost half of them could have direct or indirect experience with a trauma experience.

Trauma sensitive learning environments reduce the stress and complicated situations that have become the normal in our classrooms. Currently there is an extreme teacher shortage and many leaving the profession have cited student behavior as their number one concern.

When trauma is unresolved, outward behavior symptoms are most often displayed.

Incorporate student voice in decision making, so that students build a sense of belonging in their educational journey and feel better prepared for life after school. Every part of life involves decision making and teaching this skill can help build future leaders in our community. I also believe involving students in decisions that govern their lives truly helps with their buy in as well as their want to improve their schools.

Early Warning Response System research out of John's Hopkins University shows us that you can look at a classroom of 6th grade students on their first day of middle school and if they are off track in either their attendance, behavior, or their course performance, without interventions, their probability of graduating on-time or within one year of their peers, is 10-20%. On-track in middle school means more students entering high school prepared to successfully graduate.

I want to increase community partnerships inside and outside of RPS, in order to support our students.