I am a candidate for the upcoming Saratoga Springs School Board election on May 17th. My husband and I have twin sons, age 11, who attend the Saratoga Springs School District. My children are my inspiration and will serve as the primary motivation in my long-term commitment to the school system of Saratoga Springs. I grew up in Salem, NY, and settled in the area following graduation from Utica College of Syracuse University in 1999. I have been a resident of the city since 2017.
I am motivated to run for school board and to serve our school district and community to the best of my ability. I believe school boards should be a non-political body dedicated to improving educational outcomes for all students, while supporting the mission of our school, providing oversight of budget, curriculum & policies, being a communication link between the community and school district, as well as for evaluating/supporting the superintendent.
As a parent, I am concerned about the perceived divisiveness on the school board, the tense community relations and how national political and social agendas may be impacting the quality of our children’s education. I believe such divisiveness may be distracting from supporting students who are performing below state learning standards, for improving educational outcomes, as well as for providing appropriate resources to students with mental health and social emotional needs. I believe in equitable education for all students regardless of gender, age, race or income. I fully support curriculum and policies that promote civics, core educational competencies, life skills, critical thinking, as well as those that protect the health and safety of all students and school personnel.
My professional career as a pediatric occupational therapist for over 20 years, as well as my experience as a business owner/certified life coach for the last 4 years have instilled in me a skill set for understanding and advocating for children and parents, for being an effective communicator and an independent thinker while working collaboratively. Collaboration and bipartisanship over political agenda is the best strategy to improve educational outcomes and stakeholder relationships across the district.
If I am fortunate enough to serve as a board trustee, I will work hard to ensure equitable and quality education for all students. I will be a liaison for communication between stakeholders and the school district. I will strive to balance what the school district needs, with what the community wants and bring informed, data driven information to fellow board members so that the best decisions for all can be made. I will advocate for parental rights, curriculum transparency and policies that support the success, health and safety of our students and school personnel. Please take the time to learn more about me via Facebook at www.facebook.com/billiemccann2 for School Board and cast your vote for Billie McCann on May 17th.
- Billie McCann
