Courtesy photo
- Occupation: producing artistic director for Lake Dillon Theatre Company
- Hometown: Silverthorne
- Years in Summit County: 7
- Family: husband, Josh Blanchard; son, Lincoln
- Civic involvement: Silverthorne Elementary School PTA president; Silverthorne Accountability Committee member; Arts of the Summit member; and volunteer for the following organizations: Summit High School Theatre Department, The Summit Foundation, Family and Intercultural Resource Center, Community Care Clinic, National Repertory Orchestra
As a Summit County resident for 17 years, I feel blessed to
be a part of this special community. My family — husband, Josh, and son,
Lincoln — and I love Summit County and all that it has to offer. The county
maintains a refreshingly strong value of giving, and I would find it an honor
to give back to this community beyond my current role at the Lake Dillon Theatre
Company by serving on the Summit School District board of education. Serving on
the board is a civic responsibility that I will fulfill with a perspective and
skill set uniquely mine. I have more than 30 years of experience in arts
education and have built a strong theater education program at the Lake Dillon
Theatre Company. My knowledge of arts education and the impact it has for youths,
adults and the broader community fuels my passion for education. With a first
grader currently enrolled in the dual language program at Silverthorne
Elementary School, I am interested in supporting all aspects of education, from
language arts to outdoor education to the sciences. Furthermore, I have 17
years of fundraising, budgeting, strategic planning and implementation, capital
improvement and construction oversight, and staff management experience that
allow me to look through a lens of long-term planning and strategic decision
making.
Invest in the mental health of our students
While organizations including Building Hope, the Community
Care Clinic and The Summit Foundation have made great efforts to reduce stigma
and directly address issues associated with poor mental health in our community
over the past few years, Summit County continues to have some of the largest
numbers per capita for mental health issues and suicide in the nation. This
epidemic will not go away by ignoring it or becoming complacent. Studies show
how poor mental health can affect people of all ages, including children and
teens. Investing in the mental health of our students through broadened
educational outreach and extended mental health services is a long-term
commitment that will better position our youths for brighter futures.
Prioritize arts integration learning
As a lifelong artist and arts advocate, I believe that arts
integration in our schools will improve the outcomes of our students. Many
nationwide studies by independent researchers suggest that students involved in
arts-based learning think more critically and creatively in all areas of
learning, including math and sciences, than students who are not given adequate
access to arts education through arts integration. Arts integration is not
simply providing opportunities for students to learn about the arts in schools,
but rather uses the arts as a teaching tool for subjects like science, math,
history and reading. Children who are introduced to the arts at an early age
have increased critical thinking and problem solving skills to their
counterparts. Our STEM elementary schools could incorporate arts-based learning
programs to become STEAM schools. The arts are the tools needed to shape our
youths into better students today and better citizens tomorrow.
Improve teacher retention rate
According to a number of independent studies, including one recently conducted by the Learning Policy Institute, schools that experience high teacher turnover rates see a direct correlation to a variety of negative impacts on student achievement. Students in schools with low teacher retention suffer academically because of high substitute teacher use, canceled classes, and inexperienced and underprepared teachers. If we as a community expect high quality education for our youths, then we must examine the many factors — including high costs of living, seasonality and work-related stress — contributing to challenges relating to low teacher retention and high teacher turnover numbers.
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