PEOPLE ASK ME WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU WANT TO BE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD
Serving on the School District of Waukesha Board is an opportunity to give back to the community and to help guide the future generations as they prepare to enter career and community. I want my sons to have a great education that prepares them to be leaders in our region. When I look back at my education, I grew up in an era of teachers stressing the importance of knowing the material because we wouldn’t always have a calculator available to us. We now have nearly unlimited resources available to us in our pockets. I want to be able to guide the next generations on how to continue to learn and adapt as technology continues to evolve.
I am bringing over 15 years of leadership experience where I have built partnerships to drive improvement throughout an organization. My approach will be to perform what is known as a Gemba walk, where I observe the process and ask questions about the activities as to whether those activities are driving the desired outcome. I plan to work with all of the stakeholders to observe not only how each school operates but also how the support network functions and where we have specific opportunities to improve the learning process for all students, families, teachers, employees, and taxpayers
WHY SHOULD YOU VOTE FOR THOMAS?
A father, business professional, fiduciary
Waukesha is facing the same declining enrollment that can be observed throughout the country. The birthrate continues to decline around the nation meaning there are going to be fewer and fewer children entering any sort of education format in the years to come. Families also now have a wide variety of options available to them. Whether it is home schooling, online, private, or even another district, the Waukesha School District must compete with these other education formats to prove that we provide better outcomes for their children.
I would really like to see the district pursue apprenticeships with local organizations. A pathway for a 4-year college degree is not always appropriate for everyone. Everywhere you look, you see a shortage of skilled-labor in the trades, and I feel the Waukesha School District has the opportunity to partner with these organizations to develop programs that meet the needs of employers and employees. I also want to see that our students and families are receiving the necessary life skills to live impactful lives in the community. Our students should graduate knowing how to make wise decision that impact their health, finances, and relationships.