ami Desai Das
avoca district 37 school board
responses to voter guide questions:
1. What do you hope to accomplish as a D37 Board member? Please explain why these goals are priorities for you.
As a D37 board member I hope to represent people in my community. I wish to bring kindness and empathy to the role of board member. I have one daughter in high school and one in 4th grade at Avoca. I have seen the amazing programs and teachers this district has to offer and I want to work to make sure all students can access the benefits of our district. I want to focus on implementing policies that will ensure success for all students. I also want to support programs from teachers and administrators that will help our students recover from the pandemic and make up lost ground. This would be for the benefit of the students and families in our district as well. Finally, I want to help build a strong and safe, yet challenging village our children can thrive in both inside the classroom and out. This would be through supporting the Parent, Teacher Council and other community building ideas from any of our constituents. We are stronger together.
2. What are your financial priorities for D37 and how will you ensure they are implemented?
My financial priority is to balance the needs of the district with the needs of our students. I imagine in the era of COVID-19 we are facing budget shortfalls. We will have to be diligent in finding smart ways to save money while avoiding cutting programs which our students need to thrive. I don’t think it will be easy and we will need to hear different perspectives and ideas from the school leaders, teachers and community members.
3. Identify successes and/or failures you have seen in D37’s COVID-19 response, as well as any changes you would like to see while the pandemic continues.
I have seen District 37 really work hard during this COVID-19 response to not only address the pandemic and keep our students and staff safe, but also tackle difficult equity topics. I favor the hybrid schedule and I know the leadership has been active in trying to engage families on their needs. I am a physician and I have seen the havoc of this pandemic up close in many people from different communities. I very much appreciate the complexity of decision making. Every organization including D37 has been “building the bus as it is being driven.” Shortcomings in the form of exposures, lagging student achievement, lack of socialization, depression, and fear to name a few are inevitable. I have appreciated the transparency and the Resilience and Effort our administrators and teachers have displayed. When school started back up, I remember the huge sign our teachers and staff made in front of Avoca welcoming back their Vikings. I was touched. Our school has plexiglass in each class, outdoor spaces and of course universal masking. Our school has also embarked on new curriculum centered around helping our students understand the complicated images they hear and see on TV and in their out of school environment. They have addressed topics around Black Lives Matter and equity. That is A LOT to do in any year let alone this tumultuous year.
4. What are your priorities for D37’s strategic planning?
The D37 strategic plan should include elements that will address student deficits when reopening begins. Our academic programs will need to be strong and challenging but will need resources to help students who need extra help if they have fallen behind during remote schooling time. I also have a particular eye towards achieving more inclusion and equity in the school and the community. This will require a continued look at teacher trainings on empathy, cultural awareness, and resiliency. Teachers will also need to have support to avoid burnout so they can work through challenging issues. I would look at hiring practices to build our next generation of teachers and think about recruiting teachers whose interest and backgrounds are varied but passionate about teaching and empowering our children.
As a D37 board member I hope to represent people in my community. I wish to bring kindness and empathy to the role of board member. I have one daughter in high school and one in 4th grade at Avoca. I have seen the amazing programs and teachers this district has to offer and I want to work to make sure all students can access the benefits of our district. I want to focus on implementing policies that will ensure success for all students. I also want to support programs from teachers and administrators that will help our students recover from the pandemic and make up lost ground. This would be for the benefit of the students and families in our district as well. Finally, I want to help build a strong and safe, yet challenging village our children can thrive in both inside the classroom and out. This would be through supporting the Parent, Teacher Council and other community building ideas from any of our constituents. We are stronger together.
2. What are your financial priorities for D37 and how will you ensure they are implemented?
My financial priority is to balance the needs of the district with the needs of our students. I imagine in the era of COVID-19 we are facing budget shortfalls. We will have to be diligent in finding smart ways to save money while avoiding cutting programs which our students need to thrive. I don’t think it will be easy and we will need to hear different perspectives and ideas from the school leaders, teachers and community members.
3. Identify successes and/or failures you have seen in D37’s COVID-19 response, as well as any changes you would like to see while the pandemic continues.
I have seen District 37 really work hard during this COVID-19 response to not only address the pandemic and keep our students and staff safe, but also tackle difficult equity topics. I favor the hybrid schedule and I know the leadership has been active in trying to engage families on their needs. I am a physician and I have seen the havoc of this pandemic up close in many people from different communities. I very much appreciate the complexity of decision making. Every organization including D37 has been “building the bus as it is being driven.” Shortcomings in the form of exposures, lagging student achievement, lack of socialization, depression, and fear to name a few are inevitable. I have appreciated the transparency and the Resilience and Effort our administrators and teachers have displayed. When school started back up, I remember the huge sign our teachers and staff made in front of Avoca welcoming back their Vikings. I was touched. Our school has plexiglass in each class, outdoor spaces and of course universal masking. Our school has also embarked on new curriculum centered around helping our students understand the complicated images they hear and see on TV and in their out of school environment. They have addressed topics around Black Lives Matter and equity. That is A LOT to do in any year let alone this tumultuous year.
4. What are your priorities for D37’s strategic planning?
The D37 strategic plan should include elements that will address student deficits when reopening begins. Our academic programs will need to be strong and challenging but will need resources to help students who need extra help if they have fallen behind during remote schooling time. I also have a particular eye towards achieving more inclusion and equity in the school and the community. This will require a continued look at teacher trainings on empathy, cultural awareness, and resiliency. Teachers will also need to have support to avoid burnout so they can work through challenging issues. I would look at hiring practices to build our next generation of teachers and think about recruiting teachers whose interest and backgrounds are varied but passionate about teaching and empowering our children.