Brandy Whittaker

Brandy Whittaker

• Biography

  I am an ABSS parent of 2 Elementary aged children. I grew up in northern Alamance and attended 3 ABSS schools. I graduated from Western Alamance and went on to complete my BA at Elon University. Throughout my career, I have volunteered and held various offices for an International Non-profit, worked with a wide range of age ranges in healthcare, and now currently own a small business. I have also been an advocate for the children and staff of ABSS on various issues including Moldgate, health, safety, mental health, and funding.

  More information can be found on my Facebook page or by contacting me at friendsofbrandywhittaker@gmail.com

• What motivated you to run for ABSS Board of Education?

  The short answer: my children and their wellbeing. I have 2 children who utilize health 504s in our school system. Throughout the years, issues like Moldgate have been at the forefront of concern when it comes to my children being able to attend public brick and mortar schools. I want them to be able to experience the full spectrum of social and educational experiences that comes along with a public education. As a parent involved in the IEP and 504 qualifying communities, I have also seen a profound need for a voice on our School Board. It is not enough to just learn about those needs, We need someone on our Board that has a direct impact in daily life when it comes to policies affecting those communities.

• What are your three highest priorities for the county school system?

  1) Funding to provide the best education possible with support services for our EC, 504, and AIG populations. EC classrooms need trained and certified teachers and support staff to ensure a safe and well rounded educational experience. Funding for those programs can look like ongoing education for teachers and assistants, educational tools like alternative seating and weighted vests, additional digital programs, and so much more. That funding should also be able to cover the accessibility to IEP/504 parent advocates. By working towards the best accommodations for each student, our system could actually reduce the amount of time spent in the trial and error phase of ensuring each student is most actively engaged in their educational journey.

  2) Hire a grant writer who can look for and apply for other avenues of funding to offset the shortfalls we see each year with what the state funds and the county commissioners approve. These grants could be for supply closets, educational tools, facilities upgrades, new software, etc. One of our elementary schools has been the recipient of a grant in past years that funded school supplies for families so they would be able to give back to the school in other ways.

  3) Ensure that we are able to provide a medically safe school that has a medically complex child attending them. At our Elementary school, our school nurse has to split time with another local school. We have multiple medically complex children who at any time could need immediate intervention. While teachers have knowledge of their basic needs, if a serious medical emergency should occur a nurse may not be on campus to assist. No parent in our system should have to worry about what day of the week it is because the nurse will be off campus.

• What strategies would you implement to ensure that all Alamance County students have access to a high-quality education that prepares them for their future?

  One of the largest focus points for a high-quality education with our system should be recruitment and retention of teachers. This is a complex issue that begins with funding but also encompasses culture, best fit practices, career development opportunities, as well as ongoing education. When our system hires teachers, there should be a process that includes school tours for open positions and open administration philosophies. Not everyone is going to be the perfect fit in every school or position however, we should place emphasis on building strong teams that can work best together to reach the best outcomes for both students and staff. When teachers feel heard and valued, their passion for education shows through in their teaching. By contributing to a system where teachers show their care and passion each day, students in turn are invested in the process of education.

• How would you approach issues of budget, prioritization, and resource allocation?

  I have a history in resource management that focuses on financial budgeting and end goal resulting. As a Board member, I would want to look at where we spend our funds and if there are ways to offset some of those expenditures with alternative funding sources or programs. Examples could be sourcing materials, tools, or products from new companies. Even though it may be "easy" to order every product through one supplier, it may be better for the budget to order through 2 suppliers. I understand that most systems have a list of approved vendors for various supply and maintenance needs. I would like to look at those lists and see if expanding them to approve a few additional vendors could save our system money that can be reallocated into other projects.

  I also believe in listening to those who work on the "front lines". If a staff member is giving feedback that a system, material, or toll isn't efficient or viable then it needs to be evaluated. That process could ultimately result in the cutting or replacement of certain items or programs with a positive financial result. I do understand that time is also a factor in accomplishing those tasks and/or changes but the outcome in time or money savings may ultimately make the systems more efficient.

• What is required for an effective relationship between the ABSS Board of Education and Alamance County Commissioners, and how will you work toward that as an elected official?

  The largest requirement for an effective relationship is the willingness for both Boards to put aside politics and power to ensure our children and schools are made a priority. Elected officials who continue to demonize public programs, public schools, or community groups are contributing to the continued deterioration of trust within Alamance. Elected officials should serve the people and community, not themselves or their business interests. I personally believe in listening to the community and having constructive conversations surrounding their needs before voting on budgets or policy. If both Boards adopted that philosophy, we would see a shift in where funds are distributed to and quantifiable outcomes related to those shifts.

• How will you ensure that the voice of students, families, and the broader community are heard in the decision-making related to the county school system?

  As a parent, I have conversations regularly with other parents and ABSS staff members about what is occurring in our schools. I am civically engaged with multiple groups that encompass a wide range of communities and have built trust for open communication in those groups. Over the years, I have advocated for multiple issues to the School Board brought to me by community members and teachers. By continuing to build trust, I hope to be a Board member that parents and staff feel comfortable expressing their ideas and concerns to. I have always been very open and honest in my public communications with a focus on educating Alamance on what is occurring in meetings.

• How do you plan to address the long-term needs of the district, such as facilities maintenance, growth management, and future planning?

  As mentioned above, I would like to explore alternative options for funding or system spending. Many of the issues that ABSS faces are directly impacted by chronic underfunding by our state and County Commissioners. If ABSS continues to be funded at the bare minimum and likely continued shortfall, there will be no room for the management of overcrowding, facilities maintenance and repair, or even the potential for expansion. As a system and community, we need to break the cycle of checking the boxes each year but not exploring every avenue possible to get ahead of shortfalls.

• Please share a specific leadership experience that illustrates how you will be effective as a leader for Alamance County.

  Over the last 21 years, I have been a member of an international non-profit organization. I have served in various Board positions at the local, state, regional, and international levels. Those positions have included State President, State Treasurer, regional committee chair positions, international committee chair positions, and everything in between. In those elected positions, I have worked to fundraise, write budgets, oversee specialized education programming, and write communications and grant proposals. Being one of the youngest members elected to a State President position allowed me to bridge the gap between multiple generations and varied communities. I believe that the trust and repour I earned throughout my time in that organization will help to build similar relationships in Alamance. My philosophy of leadership is to listen, collaborate, and best represent the community first above my own personal interests.