For my first post, I want to take the opportunity to share some information about myself and why I am running for a board position with the School District of Monroe.
I moved to Monroe in 2009 to be closer to my wife’s family. She is originally from Monroe and attended school within the district. She had a great experience attending Monroe Schools and wanted the same for our children. We now have three children, all of whom attend public school within the district. While I didn’t grow up in Monroe or attend school here myself, I have been in Monroe long enough to consider it home.
In part, I am running for a school board position in order to play an active role in ensuring not only my children, but all district children have access to high quality educational programming. I want to ensure the district staff have the support and resources they need to teach our children effectively and help to ensure our school report cards trend upward.
In addition to being focused on quality educational programming, I have chosen to run during the current election cycle due to the recent approval of a referendum to construct a new high school. I believe my professional background in commercial construction and real estate will be a valuable addition to the Board of Education as the district navigates the complexities of constructing a new facility. In my position as Director of Construction for Blain’s Farm & Fleet, I am involved in commercial real estate acquisitions, permitting, and oversight for all commercial construction activities. My role also includes developing and executing capital and operational budgets for construction. I can offer insight based on my experience to help ensure the district is able to build a facility to serve the current and future needs of the students, while remaining fiscally responsible. Further, my volunteer board position in governance with the Project Management Institute and my professional experience as a former law enforcement professional give me experience in conflict resolution, accountability, and communication. I believe I can help the Monroe Board of Education establish a level of trust within the community surrounding the acquisition of real estate and construction of a new building while also maintaining the primary focus of serving the best interests of the students of the district.