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1 Why are you running for School Board?
My goal and purpose for running as a candidate for School Board is to develop today’s learners into tomorrow’s leaders through a challenging curriculum in an environment that is conducive to learning, exploration, and growth.
2 What personal connections do you have to your local school district and community?
I have been an active member of the community for over 25 years. Born and raised in New Castle County, DE I have spent many years working with children in our community. I was a Girl Scout Leader for 10 years with the Chesapeake Bay Girl Scouts, a CCD religious formation teacher for 12 years at St. John the Beloved Church, a parent volunteer (22 years) at the schools my four children attended, a lifeguard, Zumba instructor, choreographer, and a substitute teacher. I currently hold a Masters in Education from the University of Delaware and am certified to teach K-12 Special Education, K-6 Elementary Education, 5-12 Dance, and 9-12 English Language Arts by the Delaware Department of Education. I have taught Special Education to 4th and 5th grade students at Baltz Elementary and ELA in an inclusive environment for 9th and 10th graders at DAPPS (Delaware Academy of Public Safety and Security). I have also served as Dance liaison at the four dance studios and competitions my daughters attended for 18 years.
3 How should district policy balance student privacy against parental rights?
Teachers, staff, and administrators will provide a child-centered learning environment that includes full transparency, honor parental rights, and include the participation of parents/guardians in child development programs, curriculum, and extracurricular activities. So long as a student is a minor (under the legal age of 18 per state definition), the district policy will include full disclosure to families/guardians of all matters pertaining to the child.
4 What should be the district’s approach to overseeing curriculum, reading material, and lesson planning in the classrooms?
The district’s approach will:
-Provide the latest tools, materials, technologies, supplies, and supports necessary for teachers, coaches, staff, and students to effectively assist them in doing their jobs.
-Develop a comprehensive and multi-faceted curriculum and supportive programs with additional arts/sports/trade/volunteer experiences to facilitate individual growth, innovation, confidence, and independence as learners and as highly functional citizens.
-Develop a 5-sensory curriculum that teaches learning objectives across all disciplines (math, ELA, science, history, & technology) and provides numerous opportunities to practice and master skills.
-Select reading material that is age-appropriate, historically accurate, grade level appropriate (at or above grade level), incorporate the use of trade books for literature more frequently than textbooks, have a clear and purposeful learning objective(s) for the concepts being taught, incorporate research/library skills, and integrate a selection of multi-cultural authors. I would like to see summer reading programs introduced for grades 3-12 to support reading fluency and comprehension continuity over break.
5 How well do you feel that your district currently serves students who are gifted, learning disabled, or who have other special needs? What policies does your district follow that should be improved, or adopted more widely?
Currently the district is falling short of meeting the needs of ALL students, not just gifted, special needs or those with learning disabilities. According to Christina School District’s Report Card for each school, the standardized test scores for math and ELA proficiencies are both disappointing and dismal, while the high school graduation rate is below the Delaware state average. The policies that need improvement are student attendance, AP enrollment, graduation rate, staffing schools with a full-time nurse and psychologist, college readiness, access to advanced technology/tools, summer reading requirements, math/reading/science mentorship, upgrade arts/sports/clubs/technology enrichment programs, and incorporate community service programs within the curriculum. The curriculum must be reflective of all cultures and learning styles, stimulate imagination, foster independence, and challenge the student to take risks. Cookie-cutter instruction must be curtailed so that instruction is fine-tuned to the individual learner. The purpose of education is to instill confidence, develop literacy, comprehension, mathematical and analytical skills, while fostering creativity and sound communication skills.
Christine Gilbert, MEd.
Candidate for Christina School Board, District C
302-463-0264
