On the Issues

Erin knows a great school is built by the people:     

• A strong leader who is focused on supporting the success of teachers in the classroom;   
• Teachers that have the support and autonomy they need to both engage and challenge their students;   
• School counselors with the time and resources to support students’ emotional and mental health; and  
• Support staff who are well trained and properly compensated. 

As a MNPS school board member, Erin will ensure the district provides the resources and structures to recruit, develop, support, compensate, and retain high-quality teachers, leaders, counselors, and support staff for every school in Nashville. 

A determined problem solver, who deeply understands state and local education systems, Erin will use this expertise to work with her fellow board members to:

• Set clear goals for district improvement, 
• Determine key strategies for achieving those goals, and
• Establish metrics for measuring success. 

This means focusing on the individual needs of individual schools in Nashville and may mean doing less in order to do more well. Strategic focus on the district’s most pressing problems - early literacy, middle grades math, and preparation for college and career - will lead to progress. 

As a parent of MNPS middle schoolers and with her experience in education research, Erin knows that students struggle to learn and teachers struggle to teach when trauma, grief, and other mental health needs go unaddressed. 

As a board member, Erin will rally school leaders, school district officials, community members, and city leadership to ensure Nashville creates integrated systems to support the mental health of students and educators both inside and outside of school. 

Erin will also push to start high schools later - a key mental health and academic recovery issue for our high schools.