Integrity
Effective leaders need to have integrity. In a school district, staff, students, families, and the community need to trust that those in charge are making the best decisions for the district. When those in charge display integrity it builds trust with stakeholders and it is with this trust that bonds and levies can be reliably passed which will improve the overall quality of education our students receive.
Many people believe integrity is something currently lacking in district leadership. It has become increasingly difficult to pass bonds and levies in our community because the stakeholders do not trust those in charge. This has been a major issue in the past five years in Kent. The community is crying out for transparency and communication. Most people want to vote yes on bonds and levies, but the community won’t vote yes when they don’t have confidence in those in charge or how that money will be spent.
When I worked in customer service, I made it a point to get back to people when I said I would. Even if I didn’t have an answer for a customer, I would call them back and let them know I was still working on it. I would bring this same commitment to the school board. If someone reaches out to me with a concern or issue, I will get back to them, even if I don’t have an answer. And then I will track down the answer or find the person who can answer it, to the best of my ability. I want our community to know they will be heard by me. I believe having leaders with integrity in the Kent School District will lead to the community having faith in the district again.