Mary Frances Clardy
Why do you want to be a member of the ISD 199 School Board?
I entered the field of education so that I could transform young lives. Education has always been important, but it is exceptionally critical today because we must prepare our youth to compete in a world that is rapidly changing so they will have the tools to remain competitive as they face rapid technological changes.
Becoming a member of the ISD 199 School Board would afford me the opportunity to leverage my broad-based educational experience (See question 2 below) and passion to ensure that our school deploys its assets in a manner that will permit it to remain nimble, so that it can always provide an educational context that meets the demands of the future. This will afford our children the opportunity to receive a world class education, so they can compete globally. As a teacher, I have a history and recorded passion of being a dedicated, focused team member in education, serving with others in collaboration. I want to focus on how to increase Inver Grove Heights educational systems, making them more accessible to all children. What that means to me is School District 199 will provide a broader base of opportunities and possibilities throughout the whole K-12 system to meet all learners' needs. Also, that the district continues to use the model of identifying big ideas that are generated by families, students, and staff.
We must lead with integrity, transparency, and accountability while displaying great character. I want to continue to be a strong advocate of public schools. Having strong schools extends outside the school’s walls. It affects all of our children and us as adults by creating a globally competitive future workforce. Strong schools are the key to retaining and attracting high quality staff, students, and families to our community. As a teacher that’s dedicated her professional career to education, I am choosing to make a difference in my own community by serving on the board.
What experience do you bring to this position? How have your experiences prepared you to fulfill the responsibilities of a school board member?
I have extensive experience in the field of education, including a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, 23 years of public-school teaching, appointments by two governors to two state education boards (i.e. State Board of School Administrators and State Board of Teaching), 9 years as an Instructional Coach that collaborated with teachers, 9 years assisting a principal in analyzing and evaluating achievement data and identifying opportunities for instructional reform, and experience as a member of the Minnesota Department of Education’s Teacher Equity Stakeholder Advisory Group.
My wide array of experience in education has uniquely prepared me to serve as a member of the ISD 199 School Board. While working in the classroom, I have taught general education, Gifted and Talented students, and those in need of intervention. I have also participated in academic coaching. My graduate education in curriculum and instruction prepared me to take on assignments to dissect state and national academic standards and then explain them to administrators and staff. I also have had the opportunity to be involved in grant writing and management, which required me to develop and oversee a budget. My service on two state educational boards has given me experience, including but not limited to: policy development; revising licensing requirements for teachers, principals, and superintendents; approving college or university preparation programs; and enforcing codes of ethics covering standards of professional practice, including ethical conduct and professional performance. These experiences have prepared me to serve to bring classroom experience and an understanding of policy, budget development, and administrative issues to the table.
What are the most important issues concerning the Inver Grove Heights School District and how would you address them?
The most important issues are:
- Fiscal responsibility, including transparency through dialogue and community engagement
- Expansion of the College and Career Readiness opportunities
- Ensuring a safe learning environment, including securing buildings and grounds, respecting each other’s differences, providing social-emotional learning, and addressing mental health issues
- A focus on optimizing middle school experiences by increasing academic and extra-curricular opportunities and, therefore, focusing on student retention
- Monitoring effective facilitation of technology access that focuses on achievement and engagement
To address these issues, I would deploy the skills I have honed, work to develop a constructive working relationship with the superintendent and other board members, and continually seek input from all of the stakeholders.
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