It’s not all sunshine and roses.

Dear Neighbors,

This morning I’m thinking of a recent conversation with a longtime Euclid resident who is known for her support of Euclid City Schools, even though her children attended parochial schools before EdChoice vouchers were even a thing. We have worked together through Faith in the City, the Euclid Chamber of Commerce, the Euclid Peace March and other community programs.

“Some people think I have on rose colored glasses,” she said, “but I also hear the gunshots at night sometimes, too.” What a powerful statement, from a grandmother nonetheless, that sums up the challenges and the urgency of working for positive change in our community.

Earlier this morning, I also had an honest conversation with a Euclid High School guidance counselor and an administrator about some issues at the school. “Are your teachers able to meet my student’s needs,” I asked, “when they seem to have a number of really disruptive problems happening at school?”

I give credit to those school employees on the call. They both acknowledged that these are challenging times in education but they also offered me simple, actionable steps I could take to support my child. They both seemed open and grateful for the chance to engage in a meaningful way, instead of the usual “blame and shame” we have seen too much of in recent years.

As a parent, my first and most important job will always be to advocate for my own children, no matter where they go to school. But I also promised that I would run a transparent and honest school board election campaign, so I am here to tell you there are very real issues in Euclid schools that are cause for concern. These include student physical and mental health concerns, learning loss from a year of virtual learning, disruptive student behaviors, vandalism, chronic tardiness and absenteeism, low parent/family engagement, teacher burnout, and student fights — the scariest issue, though, is apathy.

Thankfully, I know that we still have a lot of people in our schools who care — students, teachers, administrators, parents, coaches, and even alumni parents who believe that Euclid schools and Euclid students are worth fighting for — and make no mistake, we are in the fight of our lives, not just for Euclid Schools, but for every child who is at risk of getting lost in our struggling school system.

When I say that I am ready to be an outspoken champion of Euclid schools while also being transparent about the issues and challenges we are facing . . . Yes. I am talking about the amazing programs, dedicated teachers and countless student success stories that we don’t hear enough about. But I also know that we have many complex issues to overcome, and we need proactive policies designed to meet the needs of students, teachers and families in a community where the average family income is $38,000 per year.

We need a “race to the moon” mentality when it comes to transforming Euclid schools, and I’m ready to get to work — but first I have to get elected. We have just 34 days until Election Day, and many people have asked what they can do to help. Below are my three most important requests:

1. Here are the links to my campaign donation page and my yard sign request form.

2. Please make sure you’re registered and ready to vote. Click here to check your voter status.

3. Tell everyone you know that Nov. 2 is a very important election for our community!

Thank you, again, for all of your support and encouragement. — Pam