My Story
My wife Lori and I have been blessed with three amazing kids. All three have attended the Appoquinimink school district, from first grade to twelfth grade. In those years, we’ve had our fair share of ups and downs. From being inducted into the Honor Society and having honors classes to going to I.E.P. meetings to discuss unmet accommodations. As parents, I can honestly say we have been on both ends of the spectrum.
During these years, I’ve been running a successful business. I’ve learned that a happy and productive work environment is key to success. I’ve worked hard to create policies and procedures that help our team work together towards our goals. To build and maintain an amazing team, I’ve always made sure to prioritize our staff while staying within our budget. As a budget is the roadmap that guides our business decisions and helps us stay on track.
Owning my own business for over 30 years has afforded me the time to volunteer on multiple levels throughout our kids’ time in school. In addition to volunteering at our kids’ schools, I’ve been involved in various organizations. I served on the finance committee and headed the Ministers of Hospitality at Saint Margaret’s. I was President of Canal Little League and served on its Board for five years. I also participated in campaigns for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Working with and leading various non-compensated boards taught me how to strike a balance between working with volunteers and recognizing their invaluable contributions while doing a crucial job such as running a school board.
As a candidate, it is important to share your qualifications so the community can make an informed choice. But it’s even more important to understand why you’re interested in being on the board in the first place. For me, the answer lies between my own personal history and my children’s journey in the Appo school district.
I was raised the youngest of six to a freshly widowed mom. Just as devastating to our family, my twelve-year-old brother passed away when I was nine. So having four older siblings justifiably looking inward and a mom who was juggling bills and feeding five kids, I found my strength in our community. I can say with certainty I would not be where I am today without the guidance and confidence I received from several teachers, all of whom took the time to create a personal connection that provided me with the tools I needed to believe in myself.
Fast-forward to when our oldest child, Shane, was eagerly anticipating graduation from eighth grade at AGW. He hadn’t felt himself for a stretch and wanted to get checked out. It was then our family faced our toughest challenge as he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This is when I saw the already amazing Appo community really step up, just like I had seen as a kid. His diagnosis and recovery are a different story, but his former and current teachers’ support solidified my love for Appo. From hospital visits to coordinating classmates to keep in touch with Shane, from in-home schooling to extra support for our younger two so we could focus on our son, all reminded me how special a school district can be.
With my experience as a parent to three unique Appo students, my background as a business owner, and my experience on prior boards, I’m confident that I’d be an excellent addition to the school district and would be honored to do so.
Our school district has hit some rough patches and seems unfamiliar compared to what our children were so blessed to have had in the past. Emerging from the pandemic along with growing pains have been causes for some of our setbacks. However, based on testing scores and other indicators, our kids remain stagnant and in some cases still slipping. I think our classroom environment is a big reason for this. Consequently, our teachers’ morale is at an all-time low, as it appears that they have less and less control over their classrooms. I believe that by listening to the teachers’ concerns and collaborating, we can collectively create a more conducive learning environment for our students.