Strong Kids. Strong Schools. Strong Communities.

I believe one of the most important things we can do as a state is give every child the chance to grow up healthy, safe, supported, and prepared for the future.

As a parent, I know how much families rely on our schools; not just for academics, but for stability, relationships, opportunity, and community.

As a psychologist, I also know that kids cannot learn well when they are overwhelmed by anxiety, fear, isolation, or stress.

Strong schools are about more than test scores. They are about helping young people become capable, confident, and productive adults.

Supporting Public Schools

Our public schools are one of the main reasons families choose to live in Carver County.

We need to make sure schools have the resources to provide a strong education, support students with different needs, retain great teachers and staff, and keep classrooms stable.

That includes special education, classroom support, mental-health services, career and technical education, and the day-to-day resources educators need to do their jobs well.

I do not believe every problem can be solved simply by spending more money. We should expect schools and state programs to use public dollars responsibly and show results.

But we also should not make local districts constantly choose between cutting staff, increasing class sizes, or asking local property taxpayers to fill funding gaps created by the state.

Mental Health and Belonging

Kids today are stressed.

They are dealing with academic pressure, social media, bullying, isolation, family financial stress, fear about violence, and uncertainty about the future.

We should not wait until a child is in crisis before we take mental health seriously.

I support improving access to school counselors, psychologists, social workers, and community mental-health providers so students can get help earlier.

Schools should also be places where students feel like they belong.

That does not mean shielding kids from every difficult experience. It means creating environments where adults notice when a student is struggling, intervene when bullying occurs, and make sure young people know there are people they can turn to.

Keeping Schools Safe

Every parent should be able to send a child to school without wondering whether that child will come home safely.

We need serious, comprehensive approaches to school safety.

That includes secure buildings, emergency planning, good communication, coordination with law enforcement, mental-health intervention, threat assessment, and responsible gun-safety policies.

There is no single law or security measure that will eliminate every risk.

But that is not an excuse for doing nothing.

We should use the evidence available to us, listen to educators, parents, mental-health professionals, and law enforcement, and keep improving how we prevent violence and respond when warning signs appear.

Preparing Kids for Different Futures

Not every student needs the same path after high school.

Some students will attend a four-year university. Others will go to community college, enter the skilled trades, pursue an apprenticeship, start working immediately, serve in the military, or build a business.

All of those paths deserve respect.

I barely graduated from high school. I was not a serious student at that age, and I was fortunate to have teachers who saw something in me, challenged me, and helped me find a direction.

Eventually, I went on to become a psychologist.

That experience has stayed with me.

Young people do not all develop at the same pace, and a student who struggles at 16 should not have their future decided for them.

We should expand career and technical education, apprenticeships, dual enrollment, workforce partnerships, and other pathways that help students discover what they are good at and turn it into a meaningful career.

Supporting Teachers and Families

Great schools depend on great people.

Teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors, bus drivers, custodians, food-service workers, administrators, coaches, and support staff all contribute to whether students feel safe and supported.

We should be able to recruit and retain talented educators without asking them to burn themselves out.

Families also need to be treated as partners.

Parents should know what is happening in their schools, have meaningful ways to raise concerns, and be able to work with educators when their child needs help.

The best outcomes happen when families, teachers, students, and communities see themselves as part of the same team.

Schools Are an Investment in Our Community

Strong schools benefit everyone, including people who do not currently have children in them.

They help protect property values. They attract families and employers. They prepare the future workforce. They make communities stronger and more stable.

Most importantly, they give young people the opportunity to build a life.

I want Carver County to remain a place where families are proud to raise their children and where those children can imagine building their own futures here.

That starts with schools that are safe, well supported, accountable, and focused on helping every student succeed.