List your top three priorities if elected?

1. Student safety 2. Partnering with state and local elected officials to find better alternatives to funding our schools without raising property taxes. 3. To bridge the gap between the constituency and school administration by being a voice and resource for the community.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

There is a large staffing shortage in our school system that impacts the quality of education for our students. While a referendum is not the answer, the school system is at a breaking point for being able to afford the influx of new students from the dense population in the township. Partnering with state and city officials to allocate more funding to our school district must be a priority.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

I think it’s important to focus on practical “life skills” to prepare our children for the professional world. I think providing a wide array of options for areas of study, but we need to teach skills that are useful for life after high school.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

I plan to be a conduit between the community and state and city government to find ways to allocate more of their budgets to the local school systems.

Franklin Township received a $29.5 million grant from the Lilly Endowment to construct a Health Sciences Academy. While the grant covers the initial implementation and construction, how will you approach the long-term operational budgeting to ensure the academy remains fully funded without diverting resources from existing programs?

I think it’s important to maintain a long term relationship with Eli Lilly by creating internship programs beyond high school to the mutual benefit of both Franklin Township and Eli Lilly. Just because Lilly makes an initial investment doesn’t mean they will discontinue investing if it’s beneficial to them.