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ABOUT ME

Hi, I'm James

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ABOUT ME

  • I’m a father of two young boys (my oldest currently in AASD 4k)

  • I’m a former middle school math teacher (where I met my wife, Brianne, who was teaching art down the hall)

  • I’m a former teacher coach, supporting teachers across all subjects and grades from kindergarten to 12th grade

  • I’m a former district administrator for Boston Public Schools, overseeing hiring for a district of 12,000+ employees and 54,000+ students

  • I’m the head of outreach & operations for an education technology company that helps schools creatively schedule students to get more time with teachers when they need it

  • I’m a co-founder of the Buy Nothing Appleton North group, connecting community members with others through a gifting economy

  • I’m the treasurer for the Appleton Historic Central Neighborhood and co-founder of its first-ever Porchfest

  • I’m a graduate of Wake Forest University with a BS in Business and the University of Pennsylvania with an MSEd in Education Entrepreneurship

  • I’m an appointed member of the AASD Board of Education seeking to continue working on behalf of our 15,000+ students

WHY VOTE FOR ME?

  • My background in education gives me unique insight into understanding the work and decisions of the board and district

  • My decisions on the board directly affect me, like other AASD parents, and I do not take that responsibility lightly

  • I believe our teachers and school-based staff are vital to ensuring excellence in our schools and their voices matter

  • I believe in ensuring all students have the opportunity to achieve an excellent education no matter their background or circumstance

  • I believe in playing an active role in making my community a place to be proud of and that schools are a vital to achieving this

What I Value

PROGRESS

PEOPLE

PURPOSE

I believe in always pushing to be better. This means consistently raising the bar for what we expect out of our students to help them realize their full, limitless potential. It means not resting on our laurels and past successes at the expense of stagnating. It means consistently learning more about what works and how the world is changing to ensure we’re not just keeping up with the times, but preparing our students for the constantly changing future.

I believe people are central to the work of our schools and district. This means putting students first, deeply valuing and supporting our teachers and staff, and connecting with the community to hear a diverse set of perspectives and viewpoints that inform our decisions as a board. I care deeply about our students, staff, and community and will always consider the impact of my actions and decisions.

I believe we must ground our actions as a board and district in our purpose each and every day, which is providing the best possible education for all of our students. This means always asking how our decisions impact our students and those that most directly carry out that work, our staff (and especially those in the classroom). It means constantly asking ourselves how we are doing by our own standards and those of our stakeholders.

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