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CAMPAIGN PLATFORM

As a proud, protective, and devoted mother to her 4 children, and now grandmother to 4, Jen is dedicated to doing whatever is in her power to help all Buffalo Public School students and families succeed and thrive and to empower them to make a way for themselves as well. Jen's experience as a community leader, listening and learning, has made her journey as a BOE member a responsibility she does not take lightly.


Being informed of decisions, BEFORE they are made, having input in the process, is what Jen strives to bring to the community. Jen brings a real voice to the board that demands inclusion, participation, and communication to the parents, caregivers, and community so that our children can thrive.

ARTS AND ATHLETICS

  • Put athletics, arts & music on the same level as core subjects. 

  • Introduce grading of athletics so that GPAs reflect the whole student.

  • Dedicate more resources to the arts, music, and athletics.​​

  • Accomplishments:​

    • ​​Responsible for the development of an Athletic Committee to support Athletic Director in 2017-2018.

    • Brought District and BTF together and was instrumental in making sure everyone came to the table and worked together.

COMMUNITY ADVOCACY AND INVOLVEMENT

  • Implement public forum hosted by each District Member annually

  • Bring electeds in district together to understand how to coordinate resources to benefit students/families

  • Participatory budgeting to disburse CFE $ so that it stays in the hands of the community who it was awarded to

  • Accomplishments:

    • ​One of only board members to put together regular community events, most recently an event to distribute backpacks to students

    • Listening tour annually with principals and students in West District, where Jen has gained input from high school students to identify the most important issues to the kids and potential solutions. For example, older students being late because of a need to put younger siblings on bus spurred the solution of having a First Student bus pick up those kids

    • Teacher/Student Voice Forum hosted in April 2022 to continue to involve the teachers and students in solutions for the issues that impact them the most

STRENGTHENING RESOURCES FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS

  • Transparency and communication to our BPS parents and caregivers.

  • Support the Special Education Parents Advisory Committee (SEPAC). 

  • Ensure the District is more accessible during the intake/registration process of issues, and address issues/concerns by having more systems in place that will work with our communities with sensitivity.

SAFETY IN OUR SCHOOLS

  • Address the socio-economic needs of students with more social workers and counselors and continued implementation of trauma-informed care. 

  • Facilitate the use of restorative practices and implement the Code of Conduct in our schools.

  • Recruit school security officers who are trained to work with youth over using police in our schools. 

EQUITY AND INCLUSION

  • Acts as a steward of funding and resources, helping to ensure they are distributed equitably.

  • Ensure that the community is involved in participatory budgeting to disburse CFE $ they were awarded in the lawsuit and ensure the decisions about that money stays in the hands of the community.

  • Grow the work of Culturally & Linguistically Responsive Initiatives (CLRI), such as the Emancipation Curriculum and Halal food choices.

  • Accomplishments:

    • Passed the Equity resolution to ensure all decisions are made through the Equity lens.

    • Passed the Gender Identity Policy that makes it safe for students to self-identify.

    • Sponsored the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Resolution.

COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY

  • Jen is engaged in communication with everyone in the BPS community, from teachers to students, to principals, staff, parents, caregivers and more.

  • Brings feedback from events and conversations directly back to the District.

OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Community Work:

    • Served as a softball coach in Buffalo

    • Designed Massachusetts Ave Park as a leader with PUSH

    • Led the renovation of former School 77

    • Previous Board President of PUSH

  • Additional Board of Education​ Accomplishments:

    • ​Overall graduation rates have increased from 61% in 2016 to 78.5% in 2021..

    • Increased the number and range of AP courses available to students and made them available at all high schools.

    • Enhanced the District’s relationship with the Say Yes Program, to ensure more of our students are able to continue their education after high school.

    • Created new Innovative High Schools which offer training in many trades to students.  

    • Helped develop the national recognized Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives (CLRI). 

    • Helped implement restorative practices and trauma-informed care.

    • Pushed for negotiations to level all union contracts so that 9 of 11 unions now have current contracts.

    • Pushed for immediate negotiations with BTF upon joining the board, resulting in the first new contract in about 13 years.

    • Public school focused board

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