I am running to represent District 5 on the Park City School Board (Pinebook, Timberline, Summit Park). I’m running because I believe in the School District, and in the importance of quality public education. Like many Parkites, I have been alarmed and frustrated by the district’s well-documented failures and controversies, the lack of transparency, and school performance that trends the wrong way. I’ve been vocal about those issues. Indeed, you may have read my somewhat frequent missives in this paper discussing exactly that! I would like to tell you a little bit more about myself, and my vision for the change I believe we need.
I am a father to one son, a third-grader at Parley’s Park. I am an avid golfer and snowboarder, currently managing through that awkward (and hopefully brief) season when we can do neither, though I have been a little preoccupied with a campaign recently anyway! Many of you have no doubt met me on The Muni, or at PCMR. Those are the places I find peace and relaxation, and among the great privileges of this special town. I grew up in southeast England, immigrated to the U.S. in 2008, adopted Park City as my home about eight years ago, and became a U.S. citizen in January 2019.
Professionally, I am a project manager with over 20 years experience working with diverse groups of stakeholders at all levels of organizations in various industries. Relationship and stakeholder management, communication, and leadership skills are critical in my professional life and equally valuable to achieve positive outcomes for the School District. Through my professional experience, supplemented with a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from CU Boulder, I have learned how to work collaboratively to drive success in complex organizations. I understand the strength that comes from authentic, inclusive, ethical leadership. I also know how difficult it is to build success when leaders are disconnected from those they lead.
That is why I have placed transparency and communication at the center of my campaign. I believe we need to use a combination of technology tools and in-person channels to meet stakeholders where they are for improved communication and engagement. I believe we need to elevate teachers’ voices and embrace their knowledge and experience to guide a plan to move the district forward. I believe we need to reform board meetings to show productive discussion and bring decision-making into the open. I believe these things must be at the core of a new way of working that draws strength from community and stakeholder engagement.
We are lucky to have extraordinary educators, passionate stakeholders, talented students, and the financial resources to be near the top statewide in spending per student. Yet our school performance lags the resources at our disposal. The best of our elementary schools currently ranks 38th in the state, while the worst is 177th (schooldigger.com, based on State Board of Education reported test scores). The high school ranks 21st in the state at the time of writing (US News & World Report). We can and should do better.
I believe we can be honest about the challenges the District faces and rebuild the trust between the District and its stakeholders with transparent dialogue. I believe we can focus budgets on getting resources where they are most needed — into classrooms, rather than attorneys’ and administrators’ pockets. I believe we can hold people accountable when essential procedures are ignored that put children at risk and waste money. I believe we can put our educators front and center and support them in these volatile times. I believe this is the change we need; the change that will give our world-class ski town the world-class school system it deserves.
I wasn’t fortunate enough to grow up here, but I’m lucky to call this place my home now, and it would be an honor to serve it on the School Board.