Challengers for 2 seats: Elena Brenner, Sean Brian Connally, Nichelle DeWitt, Richard Forsten, Mark Heck
Why do you want to serve on the school board, and what qualifications do you bring to the role?
I want to serve on the Appoquinimink School Board to help ensure strong student outcomes while being a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars. Our district is strong, but we cannot be complacent. I want to help keep the focus on improving math and literacy, supporting teachers and families, and making sure decisions are grounded in results.
As Executive Director of Delaware Kids CAN and a member of the Public Education Funding Commission, I bring experience improving education policy, advancing funding equity, and using data to drive decisions. I’ve worked closely with educators, families, and policymakers across the state, and I will bring that experience to ensure thoughtful, transparent, and accountable leadership for our community.
What specific changes would you want to bring to how the school board currently operates?
I would want to strengthen transparency, accountability, and a clear focus on outcomes in how the board operates. That means setting measurable goals for student achievement, regularly reviewing data in public meetings, and being clear with the community about progress and challenges. I also believe the board can improve how it communicates and engages with families by providing more accessible information and opportunities for input. Strong governance requires clear expectations, consistent oversight, and a commitment to making decisions that are both transparent and focused on results.
What specific action is required to address student achievement gaps and support underserved populations (students with disabilities, English language learners, and those from low-income families)?
Addressing achievement gaps requires targeted action, not broad approaches. With weighted student funding, low-income students, English learners, and students with disabilities will generate additional flexible dollars, and the board must ensure those funds are directed to evidence-based supports like high-dosage tutoring, early literacy interventions, and strong special education and language services.
Equally important is setting clear goals, tracking outcomes for each student group, and adjusting strategies when results are not improving. Closing gaps requires disciplined use of resources, strong instruction, and ongoing accountability for results.
What specific changes should be made at schools to make the classroom a safer and more effective environment for maximizing learning and instruction (teaching)?
Creating a safe and effective learning environment starts with clear, consistent expectations and strong support for teachers to manage behavior. That includes investing in evidence-based practices and ongoing professional development.
We also need a practical balance between accountability and restorative approaches. Students must understand consequences, while also addressing root causes through mental health supports and trauma-informed practices. When classrooms are structured, supportive, and focused, teachers can spend more time on instruction and students are better positioned to succeed.
Many educators say that not all parents are engaged enough with their children's education. How can the school board create policies that help forge a closer relationship and involvement among parents, their children and educators?
School boards can strengthen family engagement by making communication clear, consistent, and accessible for all families. That means using multiple channels, offering information in families’ home languages, and creating more opportunities for two-way communication so parents feel informed and heard.
We should also support schools in building strong relationships with families through flexible meeting times, family engagement events, and resources that help parents support learning at home. When families are treated as true partners and barriers to engagement are reduced, students benefit both academically and socially.
How do you plan to address chronic absenteeism and student retention, especially in early grades and high school?
Addressing chronic absenteeism requires early identification, targeted intervention, and strong family engagement. I would prioritize using real-time attendance data to identify students at risk and respond early with tiered supports, including mentoring, tutoring, and individualized plans to address barriers. Research shows that approaches like regular parent communication, including simple text updates, can significantly reduce absenteeism by keeping families engaged.
We also need to address root causes such as transportation and mental health while making school a place students want to be. Proven strategies like home visits and school-family partnerships have been shown to improve attendance and keep students on track.
School districts oversee multi-million dollar budgets, supported by taxpayers. What steps will you propose to ensure that the money is being spent wisely and efficiently on student instruction?
Ensuring funds are spent wisely starts with clear priorities and accountability for results. I would focus on aligning the budget to what works—investing in evidence-based instruction, especially in math and literacy, and regularly reviewing whether those investments are improving student outcomes.
That also means increasing transparency through clear, public reporting on spending and results, and conducting regular program reviews to identify what should be scaled, adjusted, or discontinued. As weighted student funding brings more flexible dollars into the district, the board has a responsibility to ensure those funds are used strategically and efficiently to support students who need it most.
What is your stance on standardized testing, and how would you ensure that assessments support student learning rather than drive instruction (“teach to the test”)?
I believe assessment is important because we cannot improve if we do not know where we are. Standardized tests, particularly proficiency assessments, help identify system-level strengths and gaps, especially in areas like math and literacy. At the same time, growth assessments are critical for guiding day-to-day instruction and meeting individual student needs.
Both types of assessment serve different purposes, and we should not confuse them. To avoid “teaching to the test,” the focus should remain on strong, evidence-based instruction aligned to standards, with assessments used as tools to inform decisions, not drive them.