Delmar School Board election: Meet the candidates

The Delmar School Board election this year is for one at-large seat currently held by Vice President Thomas Elliott, who is not seeking reelection.

Election information

When: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday, May 10  

Where: Delmar Middle and Senior High School, 200 N. 8th St., Delmar

We sent each candidate a few questions about why they want to be on the school board and what they feel are the important issues in the district.

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Why do you want to be on the school board?

Education is and has always been my passion. I knew from a very early age that I wanted to be a teacher, and I’m thankful I am able to live that out. School boards are given the amazing opportunity to set policy for the district and enable the connection between the school and community to be as strong and healthy as possible to give all students the opportunity to achieve and live out their dreams like I have been able to. I find that opportunity to be exciting and something I very much want to serve our community by doing.

What experience do you have that you think would help you on the board?

I am a 15 year public educator that works for Wicomico County Public Schools. Most of my career has been spent teaching pre-K through second at Delmar Elementary School. Many of the students of the Delmar School District have been in my class or a part of the same school community as me. I bring the unique experience of knowing these students, and loving them, with the understanding of what it means to be a teacher in today’s world. I have a personal knowledge of the challenges of being a teacher with the love of the very students that walk our hallways and fill our classrooms.

What do you think are the most important issues in the district?

Delmar is a special place. The most important issue is to preserve and build the wonderful relationship between the district and the community. School board members are a big part of continuing that success. We are the representatives of the community, and must advocate for our students and families while encouraging and supporting our teachers and staff with the resources and tools they need to allow everyone to thrive. Another important element of serving on the Delmar School Board is the preservation and strengthening of the Bi-state Agreement. This agreement is central to continuation of this amazing community, because it is the school that makes us Delmar. The school is the uniting agent in “the town too big for one state.” As enrollment on both sides of the state line continues to increase, we need to partner with Wicomico County to strengthen our agreement so that our grandchildren and their grandchildren can continue to grow up and thrive in the wonderful and special community we love, Delmar.

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Why do you want to be on the school board?

My journey to this decision started almost a year ago. I had grown deeply concerned in the direction public schools were headed. Last summer, I felt led to start attending the board meetings for no other reason than to be more informed. I attended my first meeting in July and have continued going every month. At one of the meetings, I even spoke out against force masking our kids! When I learned of the seat opening, I felt it was the next step to take! My hope is to make a difference!

What experience do you have that you think would help you on the board?

Being an informed citizen is extremely important in this role. Knowing what’s going on is extremely important in the decision making on behalf of the students, teachers and administration.

I believe my work experience in human resources will help me as well. On many occasions, I have dealt with all sorts of personnel issues with many types of people and backgrounds. I have always listened to all sides before assessing any situation. I feel this experience is extremely valuable when addressing any situation at any level.

What do you think are the most important issues in the school district?

There are many issues facing public schools. To me the most pressing issues to address in the district are classroom sizes and teacher turnover. In order to fix that issue, we need to find out the root cause in order to correct it.

As a parent, an extremely important issue is the safety of the students. The fighting and bullying are a major concern. There should be zero tolerance when students’ safety, whether it be physically or mentally, is at risk.