To the Editor:
We are current and retired teachers, principals and School Board members who care deeply about Alexandria’s public schools. We are proud of our schools, but they face challenges — enrollment over capacity, the increasing complexity of student needs, competition for good teachers, and more. The School Board must provide the leadership to meet those challenges. We think it especially important for the community to know why we are supporting Margaret Lorber for School Board in District B. Here is what Margaret would bring to the School Board:
A track record of innovation:
As bilingual parent liaison for ACPS from 2006-2015, Margaret introduced Language Line, a dial-an-interpreter service that has been a life saver for all of us working in a school system where students come from over 100 different countries and speak 80-plus languages.
Before going to ACPS, Margaret led the Alexandria non-profit organization Bienvenidos to create the Building Better Futures Program at T.C. Williams High School, enabling hundreds of students to gain the skills and confidence to become the first in their families to attend college.
As a child nutrition policy advocate in Washington, D.C., Margaret played a key role in the nation-wide expansion of the School Breakfast Program. Today, over 4000 students in ACPS eat breakfast at school.
Margaret understands that student achievement is not going to be increased by an exclusive focus on test scores. As an involved parent of two TCW graduates, and in her nine years as bilingual parent liaison for the school system, her compassion, willingness to listen, and indefatigable commitment to solve students’ problems has made her a source of trust and admiration for parents, students, teachers and administrators.
Margaret will successfully tackle the tough decisions the next School Board must face. If you live in District B, be sure that one of your votes goes to Margaret Lorber. Margaret will stand up for what our children need.
Dale Brown, Eugenie Ballering, Jane H. Carlson, Barbara Elbeze, Ellen Harmon, Margaret Mara, Beth Roberts, Laurent Sirois (current and retired teachers)
Kathy Keenoy, Debbie Thompson (retired administrators)
Mimi Carter, Sheryl Gorsuch, Eileen Rivera (former School Board members)