Statement as submitted by candidate

It has been a privilege to serve on CEC2 for the past two years, the last of which I served as President. I’m running for re-election to continue building on the progress we’ve made for our children, our schools, and our community. Over the past two years, I’ve been proud to lead efforts that directly impact the success of our students. I led the fight to restore honors programs at Baruch, Wagner, Morton, and Sun Yat Sen Middle Schools—programs in high demand and are now thriving. I also authored a resolution to restore geographic priority for our students for local high schools, tackling the problem of 1 in 8 D2 students not securing placement in any of their HS choices or facing 75+ minute commutes. These victories came after working closely with families and DOE officials and reflect my commitment to advocating for our children through collaboration AND action. I’ve written or co-sponsored numerous resolutions aimed at improving the quality of life for our students, including: advocating for moving early voting from our schools so students don’t lose gym or auditorium space for months; supporting all students in the wake of the October 7 tragedy; opposing the Mayor’s harmful 60-day shelter rule; ensuring adequate safety agent presence in schools; improving air quality; pushing for Narcan availability in schools to prevent overdoses; extending eligibility for student OMNY cards for more equitable transportation; pushing for a “Math Path” program for accelerated math students; and demanding the SHSAT’s continued use. While some of these issues are ongoing, our efforts have led to real changes. Another key area of focus has been transparency in the implementation of our literacy curriculum, Wit & Wisdom. I worked to ensure that families had a clear understanding of how the program would impact their children, resulting in three family engagement sessions hosted by CEC2 and District Leadership. As a single parent of a 3rd grader in Chelsea, and someone who has attended NYC public schools from elementary through college (CUNY), I’m deeply invested in the future of our education system. I’ve served as PTA Co-President, SLT member, and Vice-Chair of Community Board 5. I know the challenges our families face. Looking ahead, we face many challenges: implementing the Class Size Law, which presents both opportunities and challenges, improving literacy outcomes, fixing the broken school bus system, and securing fair funding for our schools while spending our tax dollars wisely. We must ensure that students with IEPs and disabilities continue to get the support they need, especially as federal funding for these programs is at risk. I believe we need stronger financial literacy programs in middle schools to prepare our kids for the future. Our CEC needs to get back to focusing on how best to educate our students. I’ve proven that I can lead, collaborate, and get results for our schools. I would be honored to have your vote to continue this important work. Together, we can build a stronger, more equitable education system for all our children.