Jenna LaVoie, write-in candidate for Springfield School Board

Dear Editor,

My name is Jenna LaVoie. I was born and raised in Springfield, graduating from Springfield School District in 2002. I am the mom of a third grader, currently attending Union Street School. I work for Dartmouth-Hitchcock as a senior learning systems analyst supporting graduate medical education. I served on the Building Accountability Committee at Union Street School, alongside several other parents, teachers, and members of administration. Over the course of the past couple of years, I have regularly engaged in meetings with members of administration, as well as members of our board around various areas for improvement.

I am passionate about improving our children’s education, school experience, and school district ranking. We are investing so much of our time, money, and energy into revitalization of our community, yet we do not seem to have invested that same energy into the foundation of our community, which is our children and the education they are receiving.

With our district being one of the highest tax districts in the state and lowest ranking, this must change if we want to retain and attract families. We are currently significantly below the state average in all grades, and as a district by over 20%. Based on SBAC and ranking data from SchoolDigger, over the past several years we have stayed rather “status quo,” as a district overall, which is concerning. Our 2019 SBAC scores were actually 4.77% worse than they were in 2015, when combining both ELA and Math proficiencies across the district, leaving us at a mere 20%. While SBAC is only one of many ways to measure our children’s education and school climate, it is a standard that the majority of schools are measured against, which means we have to place an appropriate level of importance on it.

Jenna LaVoie
Jenna LaVoie. Photo provided

I believe that we need to take more holistic versus reactionary approach to drive improvements within our schools and overall district. I think we need to shift from a fixed mindset into a growth mindset that focuses on creating a better future for our children. We need to better understand the needs and concerns of our families, so we can begin to break down barriers, and provide the supports our children need. We need to stop pointing fingers and take ownership of why we are where we are, so we can focus on how we can do better. We need to learn from other successful districts in our state. We need to be creative and innovative with our methods; and bottom-line we have to hold ourselves accountable. Relationships with families support our children’s healthy development, and by working together, we can better prepare our children for success. This is why I am asking for you to write-in a vote for me. I commit to doing my best to serve as a catalyst for change, for our children, and our community, and am grateful for your consideration in supporting me in this endeavor.

Sincerely,

Jenna LaVoie

Springfield, Vt.

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