My Plan

My 5 Points

School Safety
This is a priority and the first point because a safe environment is the most basic requirement for learning. Issues, like bullying, affect many students and better solutions need to be found. School violence on a larger scale is also a concern. SRO’s, double entry doors and video feed are all great starts, but we need to remain vigilant. CBMS, to this day, has an open layout and the new closed floor plan will not be completed for some time yet. This should have been addressed years ago!

Mental Health
Effective Mental Health support is crucial. The 3rd leading cause of death for children 10-14 years old is suicide. This number is unacceptable and, as a community, we have a responsibility to work towards prevention. In January 2020, the AACO Council unanimously voted to declare suicide a mental health crisis. We need to continue to identify and support our children who suffer from mental illness and ensure that battling this crisis remains a priority.

Healthy Play & Nutrition
When my son was in Kindergarten, I was shocked to see a Facebook post that showed a bottle of dirty, debris laden water that came from CBMS. The entire CHS complex had filthy water for decades. Clean water became my first mission within AACPS and I joined with other parents within the CHS Cluster to resolve this issue.

Young children also need playtime, the recommendation is 1 hour every day. Our children get 25 minutes, if they’re good. AACPS policy still allows recess to be taken as punishment; this is an easy fix and free! Children should have 1 hour of playtime, especially in schools where children can not get home before the sun starts to set.
In older grades, many students only have 25 minutes to eat their food. If they are in the back of the lunch line, they may only have a few minutes to finish their meal. Some students may not eat again for the rest of the day.

Focus on the Family
The authority of the school system does not supersede that of the parent. Ever. Parents are responsible for their children and AACPS is responsible for offering an education. These boundaries should be reaffirmed and respected. Family should be the most important aspect of childhood.

Fiscal Responsibility
None of the other points are possible without proper fiscal management. Baltimore City Schools receive far more per student than AACO, yet have no heat. Managing priorities and finding low cost solutions are the only ways an entity as large as the BOE can operate effectively.