I am starting to get endorsements...

The one and only promise I will make on the campaign trail is this...I will always be accessible and I will always listen.

That being said, my message of our school district focusing not only on the college bound or special needs students, but also on the workforce bound students is being well received.

I have just recently been endorsed by the Plumbers and Pipefitters union and the Sheet Metal Workers union.

Campaign launch shows grassroots support

Our campaign kickoff party was on Wednesday, April 26th at the Seminole Heights Garden Center and the room was just barely big enough. Over 100 people came from all over the county to hear me talk and wound up staying to talk to each other about what we can do for our students, teachers, parents, and taxpayers instead of me just talking to them. Judging by the applause, the questions, and the conversations these are the things on most voters' minds:

FCAT and accountability:

The FCAT should not be the sole measure of success of a school or a student. It is not a true diagnostic test and should not be punitive. In my opinion the only things the FCAT in it's current form measures is the affluencey of a school or how well a student tests.

Money for teachers:

We need to pay our teachers what they deserve to be paid. Teachers do need to be accountable, but we need to base that accountability on true metrics. What growth and benchmarks has the student made within the time the teacher has that student in his/her class? Student's progress is not a black and white issue based on the performance of 1 punitive test...there are grey areas.

Parents need to have a voice:

I understand the need for the boundary changes. However, the district's handling of the recent boundary changes was inexcusable. The district should have had a meaningful dialogue with the community members who were going to be affected by this monumental decision. Parents are not a necessary evil to be endured or worked around. They are our most important allies in the education of our children. Moving students should always be a last resort.

Education for jobs as well as college:

We should do more to prepare our students to be successful in their lives. For some, this means preparing them for college. For others it means giving them the skills and experience to go after and get high-paying jobs right out of school. For business this means a reliable pool of skilled workers. For our families it means that our children won't have move somewhere else to get a job; they can stay here, put down roots, and strengthen our community.

Education is not a business, it is a social responsibility:

An educated citizenry is absolutely vital to maintaining our democracy. We do need to be more efficient and business like in certain areas of our administration, but performance based funding does not work with schools.

Comments? Feed back? I want to hear from you.

A personal note from April

I am running for office because I believe that every child deserves a quality education. Public schools are one of the most enduring and vital institutions our government has ever established. They give every child, no matter what circumstances they were born into, a chance to create and live the American dream. We owe it to ourselves, our children, and our fellow citizens to make Hillsborough County public schools the envy of the state, the country, and the world. Every child deserves a high-quality education.

We need to graduate students who are ready for higher education on day one without needing remedial courses to catch up. We must be mindful that not every child is college bound. We must give them every opportunity to develop the skills they will need for a well-paying trade. Only then can Hillsborough County attract and keep businesses that pay high wages.

I believe we could begin to solve our teacher shortage by paying educators higher wages and giving them the tools they need to succeed. I believe that ALL teachers deserve the right to compete for bonuses based on an overall evaluation, not just students’ test scores. Only then can we keep quality teachers here to teach our next generation of students.

I believe that parents are absolutely vital to their childrens' education. Parents are their childrens first teachers, and when teachers and parents work together as a team there is no limit to what students can achieve. To make this possible I believe in removing barriers to parent participation and informing them of their childrens' progress. I also believe in alerting parents to issues before they turn into problems. Only then, through mutual trust, can we ensure that more parents are involved in their children’s education.

I believe in fiscal responsibility. With Hillsborough County’s rapid growth and mandate for classroom size reduction, we are facing a funding crisis. We need more money, but first we have to show that we are not wasting the money we have now. I believe we need to cut waste and duplication and look for ways to spend smarter instead of just spending more. Only when this community's taxpayers believe that their money will not be wasted will they agree to increase funding for their schools.

My decision to run for school board was not made without great consideration and input from my husband Brian and our sons Randy and Chase. My family and friends are behind me 100%. They are excited that the community will soon know what they already know…that I care and will make a difference.

I hope to be a refreshing alternative for students, teachers, parents, and taxpayers, and a catalyst for our schools; to help students be what we all know they can be. But I can’t do it alone. . .I need your support, and I am looking forward to meeting you on the campaign trail and hearing what you think is most important.

Sincerely,
April Griffin
Candidate for School Board – District 6 (At-large)