We need your help! Vote April 4th. Please click here to support us.

I have been a coach, league administrator, and volunteer at parent in Lindbergh Schools over a 15 year span. I had the privilege to raise my son, a 2013 graduate, thru the entire Lindbergh district for 13 years K-12. I am still an involved parent in Lindbergh Schools district. I now have an elementary daughter and 11 more years to go, so why not put my first 15 yrs, as a parent and volunteer to work now - right?

 I have a unique perspective of our schools. Comparing my 2013 Graduate Son’s generations academic experience vs. what our children and parents experience today, is a tough task, and two different worlds. But it provides me with a unique perspective during times of academic transition. Our Lindbergh Schools experienced something very, very special from an education lens, prior to 2016. Something difficult to repeat. I believe it can be done by taking some of the best from the "New School" educational ideas and innovation and balancing them with the "Old School" proven educational successes. 

 My experience with Lindbergh schools is one of multiple State Awards, a National Award, and more blue ribbons anyone could ever expect. Today we meet the standard of an average national school. The experiences of the previous generation and that our high school kids had in elementary; is something that none of our K-7 kids, nor many of their parents, have had the privilege to experience. Our students are best served with balance and genuine proficiency measures. Our schools carried us through two housing downturns. Thank You Lindbergh Blue Ribbon MAP Scores! 

I am running for board to restore academic excellence and balance between Growth and Proficiency values. 

ACADEMICS:

Today's Lindbergh academics are, comparable to average institutions nationally from a Growth MAP@ measure. MAP Growth DOES NOT measure knowledge. But we fall behind several adjacent districts, in most state academic proficiencies MAP measures. Less than 48% of our students are proficient in mathematics. This just scratches the surface. I won’t accept those odds for any of our children. Based on current scores, your student has  a better chance at winning a random coin flip than they do at being proficient in math or science. 

BALANCE IN ACADEMIC ACCOUNTABILITY: 

Finding balance and inclusiveness for all the student and parental views on educational practices can be difficult. Times and teaching methodologies are changing. Today we put nearly all emphasis on MAP Growth@ while turning a blind eye to State Mo MAP academic proficiencies. 

I want to bring balance back to our accountability standards and measures. MAP Growth@ and MAP Proficiencies are both important. Balance is the answer.

TEACHERS: 

Our teachers have substantially larger classrooms, while they make substantially less in compensation compared to our adjacent districts. While we are striving to improve the pay scale for our teachers per union contracts, over future years; I still believe the student teacher ratio is having a direct and a substantially negative impact on our teacher, students, and Missouri MAP proficiencies. Our children and teachers are not to blame for our proficiency scores. An environment filled with overworked and under paid teachers is a substantial factor. Poor student teacher ratios are never a positive. Not for the students, teachers, nor their academics. We are putting teaches and students in an unattainable position, from a proficiency perspective.

I will fight to meet or reduce the student to teacher ratio. I want to bring our ratio to levels that are, equal to or better than all adjacent districts. Additionally, teacher salaries should ALWAYS be equal or greater than all adjacent districts' average. Our current 3 yr retention rate is approximately 66%, that needs to improve. I will push for early intervention geared towards reduced teacher student ratios at the elementary levels first, to leverage the results in middle school years, with the goal to continue the ratio reduction in additional upper classes, moving forward.

CHALLENGE: 

We no longer challenge our students academically. With policies of no homework, no extra credit, no deadlines, and no tests…. We end up with no challenge. While making school fun is admirable and reducing stress is positive. We again take it to the extreme and lack balance. Complete lack of challenge is not good preparation for life and real world events.

I will push to bring challenge back to our list of stated core values.

I believe eliminating challenge classes at the middle school level is a perfect example of this. The decision to eliminate challenge classes in middle school is neither equitable nor progressive - it is in fact - regressive. It hurts those whom need it most. I will push to restore challenge courses back into our middle schools. 

I will work to put age appropriate challenge back into all classrooms.

THE DAD:

I am an involved parent in Lindbergh Schools district. I had the privilege to raise my son, a 2013 graduate, thru the entire Lindbergh district for 13 years K-12. I now have an elementary daughter and 11 years to go, so why not put my first 15 yrs. through our schools to work now - right?

Comparing my 2013 Graduate Son’s generations academic experience vs. what our children and parents experience today, is a tough task. But it provides me with a unique perspective during times of academic teaching philosophy transition. I hope to constructively help the district to move forward while addressing our future challenges, 

VOLUNTEERISM HISTORY: 

 My volunteer history stretches over a decade. I have served as Head Coach for Jr. Flyer Tackle Football for 2 yrs., Jr Flyer League Administrator for 1 year, and Flag Football coach for 5yrs. Additionally I served on the Lindbergh Football Board for 1 year. I also coached boys Baseball in Affton for 3.  I frequently volunteered for Flyer Wresting & Football fundraisers, and did a lot of videographer work. I cherish the privilege I was given to work those teams of 10 to 40 growing young boys to men, to teach values in character, challenge, sportsmanship, leadership, and teamwork.

VOLUNTEERISM CURRENT: 

I am now in it for round 2. I have a 6 year old elementary school student. My volunteer involvement now comes from an academic for all lens. I currently sit on the Teaching & Learning Advisory Committee. and have participated in joint Technology Advisory Committee meeting, when able and invited. I am, actively participating alongside administrative staff, teachers, and other community & advisory committee members; sharing a Lindbergh Schools teaching and learning book discussions, “What School Could Be” by Ted Dintersmith, as we are examining creative and innovative approaches for teaching and learning from across the country. Transitions are coming and there needs to be balance between what could be and what has been shown to work.

VOLUNTEERISM FUTURE: 

As that father who has been a parent in Lindbergh Schools for 15 years, and with another 11 to go, I believe I can be a great asset for all our Students, through the BOE, now and for years to come.

ACADEMIC CRT -vs.- CRT IN PRACTICE :

"Critical race theory (CRT) is a cross-disciplinary examination, by social and civil-rights scholars and activists, of how laws, social and political movements, and media shape, and are shaped by, social conceptions of race and ethnicity. Goals include challenging all mainstream and "alternative" views of racism and racial justice, including conservative, liberal, and progressive. The word critical in the name is an academic reference to critical thinking, critical theory, and scholarly criticism, rather than criticizing or blaming people.[1][2] " - 

Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_race_theory

Teaching the topic of CRT as a subject is a high level academic proposition. But are there classroom exercises that promote racial divisiveness or racial demonization at Lindbergh? I like to believe not. But there are no assurances without checks and balances on the BOE. Our current board exists as an echo chamber.  Diversity should include all perspective.

We owe it to our kids and history itself, to teach truth - in all history. Diverse view points at a leadership level, and checks & balances can help ensure truth is taught. This includes truth about U.S History, World History, or otherwise. We should not cherry pick truth's for the purpose of critique, and then avoid explaining the worldly context and circumstances surrounding the truths, of  those times. We should not hide the contributions to humanity that our history has given, while demonizing our history for the faults of the world's history.  'Let truth be your hammer'.