Why am I running now?
I get this question a lot.
For many years, I wished I had more time to give to our local schools and organizations. While running my marketing business, I still found ways to stay involved - serving on the board at Grand Kids Childcare, leading the Fraser Elementary PAC, and volunteering regularly with the Grand Foundation. But once my kids reached middle and high school, that “extra time” I thought I’d eventually have seemed to disappear overnight.
I remember an older parent once telling me, back when my kids were busy toddlers, “Just wait - it gets even busier.” I laughed then, thinking, How could it possibly get busier than this? I can’t even go to the bathroom alone. But they were right.
The busyness changes as our kids grow. By the time they reach middle and high school, it’s less about physical exhaustion and more about the mental and emotional load - college planning, grades that really count, friendship struggles, social pressures, sports, and the bigger decisions that shape who they’re becoming. I stopped socializing much my son’s senior year because I wanted to be home - just in case he walked through the door and wanted to talk, or was simply hungry and needed his mom. I knew that soon he’d be off on his own, coming home only for holidays.
Recently, a dear friend - a former superintendent of a large school district - texted me to say she was glad I waited until now to serve. She said the best board members often have children who have already graduated because it’s easier to see the bigger picture, free from personal agendas tied to their own kids’ experiences.
So, to answer the question….Why am I running now?
Because the passion to serve is still there — and it’s stronger than ever. I’m committed to making sure all East Grand students feel safe, valued, nurtured, and challenged in our schools. That, I believe, should be the guiding priority for every school board member.
While my own kids are grown and navigating the next chapters of their lives (and I now send food deliveries instead of home-cooked meals), I’m ready to dedicate this next chapter of my time and energy to the children and teens of East Grand School District.
