As a school leader I will have three non-negotiables.  Primarily, do not lie.  In education telling a lie is not only speaking something that is not true, but it can also be posting an inflated grade for a student because you happen to like them.  This does not accomplish anything except give the student an unrealistic measure of their content mastery.  Grades help tell the student's story, and provide direction to teachers as how best to assist the child access the content.  Secondly, work toward a safe and inclusive environment.  I want my school to be a place where students feel physically and psychologically safe.  I envision a school where everyone can be themselves, and other students don't demean others for being who they are.  My third and final non-negotiable is, do not steal.  Do not steal anything physically from the school, obviously, but also do not steal the students time.  Be your best each and every day.  You demand your students give 100% to their school work, and so should you.  No student should have their time stolen because a teacher is either unprepared, or focused on something other than the children in his room at that moment.  If the teachers adhere to these non-negotiables, then I belive we can work together to create a unique school with a motivated student body.

I have been placed in positions of school leadership in the past, and my style is best described as a Democratic leader.  I believe that schools function most effeciently when all stakeholders are involved in the decision making process.  As both a leader and an employee, I appreciate the camaraderie shared responsibility for decisions creates.  Teachers will be my equals, giving their opinions in a free and valued format.  As a Democratic leader I believe a hybrid of Servant and Distributive management style will build upon the trust and community created by the Democratic decision making process.  I want the staff to truly feel their value, and that they have control over the school climate and working environment.  I believe that anyone who enters the education profession wants to have a positive impact on children.  I want my teachers to know that I trust their professionalism, will support them, and give them the tools they need to achieve student success.

I started my teaching career in 2007.  I taught 7th and 8th grade Social Studies at Sun Valley Middle School in Indian Trail, NC.  I became a member of the school's "Team 21" which was a group of teachers dedicated to self administered professional development to make our classrooms more global and technologically inclined.  I was selected to serve as my schools Instructional Technology Model Teacher, where I would attend additional professional development, and in turn, provide professional development to teachers at my school.  I was honored to be selected at my schools Teacher of the Year in 2011, and was a top five finalist for the district Teacher of the Year.

In 2012 I moved into an Instructional Technology Specialist position within my school district.  I was assigned to one middle and high school to support the districts 1:1 chromebook program.  I provided professional development and support to 160 teachers and staff.  I also provided co-teaching opportunities to my teachers, and drop in tech help for 3000 students.

I was offered a job teaching High School history for LAUSD in 2014, so we moved from North Carolina to California.  I taught in LAUSD for one year before coming to Oak Park USD this past August.

Education prepares children to be successful in achieving their goals.  A students educational experience should engage them in relevant real world activities that are rigorous and focus on collaboration, communication, and critical thinking.  This engagement should be built into the culture of the school and evident in the curriculum and instruction.  School leaders should endeavor to create an environment where knowledge is created and experienced by the students; not merely absorbed from the teacher.