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Stafford MSD school board candidates press facilities, teacher pay and mental health as priorities
Summary
In the school board forum, incumbents and challengers emphasized addressing aging facilities, retaining teachers through pay and support, and prioritizing student mental health while supporting a smooth transition for the incoming superintendent.
School board candidates focused on classroom experience and practical priorities as a new superintendent arrives. Joycelyn Bennett, a classroom teacher, said she ran because "no one's an educator" on the current board and she wants practitioners' perspectives included: "We need someone who's gonna fight for those educators, someone who's gonna fight for those students." Bennett proposed frequent town halls and prioritized repairing HVAC systems to avoid lost instructional time.
Adam Sanchez, the incumbent trustee, said the district did a needs assessment for an unsuccessful facilities bond and emphasized outreach and accessibility to reach busy parents. Both candidates supported protecting classroom resources, raising teacher pay where possible and pursuing teacher-incentive allotments to help recruit and retain staff. Uncontested incumbent Jacqueline Jean Baptiste outlined progress on academic plans and said she supports higher teacher salaries and a smooth transition for the incoming superintendent.
