I ran for the Summit School District Board of Education in 2019. I didn’t win, but I proudly support our current members. I was confident that our children and our school district were going to be in great hands. As a long-standing local and parent, I recognize it’s been a hard two years. But despite the challenges, our current board leads with integrity and discipline while making challenging decisions. I am proud of the work they’ve done.

The board brought in a state-of-the-art reading program to address areas of improvement, focuses on creating graduates who are ready for the world and works with teachers to offer more livable wages to allow us to attract the best talent. They are community rooted, open-minded and realistic about the changing needs of Summit County.

My concern is 4 For The Kids are not being transparent with their intended outcomes. They are not looking out for all students and speculating without having factual information. As of Oct. 14, the four candidates who are running as the 4 For The Kids group have collectively raised $22,871.78, according to the Colorado Secretary of State’s website. In the 2019 board of education race, ten candidates raised a combined $611. If you are truly for our students, you would gain support organically like has been done previously and give that money to what truly matters.

The ability to listen, desire to give back and proven dedication should determine who makes the hard education decisions. Vote for Chris Guarino, Johanna Kugler, Lisa Webster and Kate Hudnut. These candidates have all lived in and contributed to our community and have proven track records. They don’t need tens of thousands of dollars to prove it.