As Thompson School District hurtles toward an important school board election in November, a new candidate wants to fill outgoing conservative board member Donna Rice’s seat. Rice will be stepping down when her term expires for personal reasons.
Aimie Randall, the new conservative candidate, announced her intention to run for the district’s school board today. In her announcement (posted in its entirety below), Randall pledged to support local control of education in Thompson, address concerns about student data privacy, and expand public school choice for the district’s students and parents. She will face former school board member Jeff Swanty in the November election. The race is likely to be heated, as Thompson School District remains embroiled in a fight over the continuation of the district’s contract with the local teachers union.
Press release —
Loveland, Colorado – July 23, 2015 – Aimie Randall has announced her candidacy for the Thompson School District Board of Education in district A. Mrs. Randall and her husband Jay are sixteen year residents of Loveland and have raised two daughters in the city. “Loveland is a competitive small city,” Randall said, “Its favorable growth policies, unrivaled arts scene, and stunning natural beauty make it attractive to new business, and we need to ensure that our schools continue to flourish as Loveland grows.”
After working for years to oppose Race to the Top policies including Common Core, Randall has an intimate understanding of the challenges facing today’s public schools. As a member of the Board, Ms. Randall will fight for teachers to have the autonomy they deserve in the classroom. Randall states, “There’s too much standardized testing and administrative pressure on teachers. Teachers should be recognized as experts in their own classrooms. A teacher should be able to teach according to the needs of the student rather than to the needs of the state.”
Much of today’s standardized testing is used to collect data. Randall wants to protect student’s personal information which may be disclosed and shared. She also wants to ensure that classroom data used daily remains secure. Many grant programs depend upon sharing data in exchange for funding. Right now, Thompson has no public disclosure of grant requirements. Randall believes parents should be notified if student data is to be sold or shared, saying “Parents teach their children to stay safe on-line. It should concern them that the District has not taken the same measures to protect student privacy. I will be an ardent protector of student data.”
Finally, Randall is a strong proponent of choice in education. To her, choice means protecting special education programs, enhancing options for differently-skilled learners, or ensuring that Thompson has schools diverse enough to reflect a diverse community. The 21st Century has called educators to think creatively and look for best practices that truly meet the needs of families. Thompson teachers have proven they can rise to this challenge, but Randall would like to work to maintain local control within the Thompson district so that teachers are empowered to continue this great work.
Aimie Randall understands that public schools directly impact the culture and future of a community, and believes that by serving on the Thompson School Board she can help foster an outstanding public school system in Loveland.
For more information visit www.aimie4TSD.com
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