It's Official!

I am very excited to announce that I have decided to run for School Board in District 3! If you are interested in helping me in my campaign, please contact me at: jennifer@mansfieldforwakeschools.com or 696.7247. As many of you know, monetary donations are important, but volunteers have just as much, if not more, impact in an election. Any level of support is greatly appreciated. I'd also love to hear your input on the issues that face District 3 and WCPSS as a whole.

Jennifer Mansfield Will Run For Wake
County School Board District 3

Jennifer Mansfield will file with the Wake County Board of Elections to run for the District 3 Wake County School Board seat in the October 11th, 2011 election.

A founding member of the Wake Schools Community Alliance, Mansfield began her involvement in Wake County educational issues by exposing the shortcomings and limitations of previous board assignment policies, leading to the launch of her blog, www.voiceforequity.com. She is known across Wake County for her willingness to help parents understand and navigate the magnet application process, and for her depth of knowledge in matters of assignment and academic achievement. A regular contributor at school board meetings and community forums, Jennifer has earned a reputation as a pragmatic bridge-builder, willing to consider facts and opinions from all sides of an issue.

Families and schools in District 3 are each faced with unique challenges:

• The pains families feel in calendar continuity and stability of assignments
• The pressures associated with high population growth
• The frustrations and negative impacts of schools enrolled both under and over capacity

“Every day, I hear from my neighbors and fellow residents of District 3 that our voices are unheard and our concerns are not represented. I intend to change that and bring a passionate advocacy to the school board on behalf of our students, their families, and taxpayers across District 3 and the wider county”, states Mansfield.

While Wake County has made some good progress toward community schools and calendar choice over the past two years, too often our school board has let partisan politics get in the way of doing what’s best for our children. This year’s election gives the voters of District 3 a chance to tell the school board that we are tired of the politics and political maneuvering, and that we want leaders who are beholden to the students and to the voters, not to party politics. Jennifer is an Independent voter and a dedicated supporter of community-based schools and academic excellence. Mansfield notes, “Wake County voters have grown tired of school board members bickering, of issues with high school accreditation, and of the politicization of our school system. For me, politics are--and should forever be--irrelevant in school board proceedings. We need to focus on our core mission: providing excellent educational opportunities and building a track-record of increased student achievement. I’ll bring a students-first approach to the school board, and become the voice of the many Wake County parents who want education, not politics in our schools.”

Jennifer Mansfield’s priorities for Wake County schools include:

• Improving calendar choice and calendar continuity
• Establishing a strong baseline of academic opportunity and rigor in each and every school.
• Responsible stewardship of school funding, with the willingness to ask for what’s needed to fund a world-class school system.
• Finding and implementing programs that improve academic performance for our struggling students.
• Maintaining strong magnet schools with a renewed focus on ensuring all students an equal opportunity to benefit from the programs
• Ensuring that each school is led by an effective Principal.

A parent of two students in Wake County Public Schools, Jennifer has volunteered at her children’s schools in many different capacities. She considers her involvement as a coach and coordinator with the “Odyssey of the Mind” programs at Joyner and Wildwood Forest Elementary Schools as her most rewarding contributions to date. In addition, Jennifer continues to be active in Wake Schools Community Alliance, which is a grass roots, non-partisan organization of parents and stakeholders across Wake County committed to community-based schools that make academics a top priority.

Jennifer Mansfield will be reaching out to Democrats, Republicans and Independents across District 3 and the rest of Wake County, to ask for their support in the October 11th School Board election. If you have any questions or would like to get on board with Mansfield’s campaign, please contact her directly using the above email address or telephone number.