JUDY RUTKOWSKI has Passed from this life into the loving hands of god.
She appreciates the support she received during almost 8 years of service on the FHUSD Governing Board.
PARENTS' VOICES MATTER
I support parents' rights.
In many school districts, parents legitimately wanting to voice their concerns at board meetings have been shut down. In some cases, they were expelled from the meeting or arrested. In other cases, public school board meetings were no longer public. This even happened in a few districts in AZ. Parents play a critical role in the education and upbringing of their children. Their input must be encouraged and their right to share their opinions and ideas must be protected. I support parents' active participation in their children's education and I believe that Governing Board members have an obligation to LISTEN.
MORE THOUGHTS
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) may sound non-threatening. Unfortunately, it is really designed as a psychological/mental health assessment and evaluation of our children by teachers. It can be applied to map a child’s social & cultural values. It can be used to indoctrinate children in CRT and other troubling social agendas. This is a problem. It is not the school’s job. As noted above, how about just teaching the basics - reading, writing, math, science, history, civics, etc.?
ABOUT JUDY
Who am I?
I am originally from Illinois, mostly the western suburbs of Chicago. I studied to become a registered nurse and, while living in IL, worked for several years in a variety of inpatient and outpatient areas, including Pediatrics. My husband and I have been married for 35 years. We moved to Fountain Hills in 2001. We have two (now adult) children, both of whom attended and graduated from FHUSD schools. Prior to serving on the FHUSD Governing Board, I was a classroom volunteer for several years and worked in the schools' health office. Currently, I'm a substitute school nurse for the Scottsdale Unified School District. I volunteer and participate in school activities, such as Falcon Fiesta. I'm also an active volunteer in our church, including 18 years of teaching children of various ages and the church choir. Along with my physician husband, as a community service, we have presented annual tobacco-use prevention programs to fifth-grade students in Fountain Hills & Scottsdale schools since 2005.
Since my initial election to the FHUSD Governing Board, my focus has been on doing what I can to support policies & programs which advance the educational success of our students and provide them with the skills to become productive members of society. This includes supporting the availability of as many course options as possible for a relatively small district, ensuring that we attract and retain strong teachers, and efficiently and effectively applying taxpayer dollars to achieve the best results. District schools have received state recognition for academic achievement. I support efforts to further enhance the quality of our schools. I make it a point to study every page of the Board Meeting agenda to be certain that I have a full understanding of District policies, operations, & issues. If new textbooks or reading material are being considered, I take the time to review them and confirm that they are truly appropriate resources for our students.
I consider it a privilege to serve on the Governing Board and I appreciate your past support. I want to continue to share my experience and commitment to making our schools even better for your children . I humbly ask for your ongoing support and your vote in the November 8 election. Thank you!
