Hi, I'm Lisa Kessler, and I'm running for the St. Lucie County School Board because our students deserve leadership that is focused, forward-thinking, and fully committed to their success. I believe in: - Strong academic standards in reading, math, science, and career readiness - Supporting and retaining excellent teachers - Respecting parents as partners - Transparent budgeting that protects taxpayers - Keeping politics out of our classrooms For twenty years, we’ve had the same voice at the table. I believe it’s time for fresh leadership that listens, collaborates, and puts students ahead of politics. I’m the daughter of two lifelong public school teachers. I grew up understanding that teachers are the backbone of strong communities. When teachers feel supported, students thrive. When classrooms are stable, families feel confident. And right now, St. Lucie County is losing far too many good teachers. We can do better. As a small business owner and published author, I've worked on national boards, and also currently serve on the Arts and Culture Board for the City of Fort Pierce, and I understand accountability. As a community member, I understand that strong schools protect property values and strengthen our local economy. And as the child of life-long public school teachers, I understand how much this work matters. Every student in St. Lucie County should have access to a safe, high-quality education that prepares them for the future. It’s time for fresh leadership.
Our school district relies on too many long term substitutes which hurts our students. If we can't substantially increase teacher pay, then we need to offer new ways to make teaching in our district more attractive. Allowing teachers to have school choice and allowing them to choose their top 3 schools and administrators to work for would help increase morale and retention.
Right now only 58% of our third graders are able to read at grade level. Reading if the foundation for all students to succeed. This doesn't need to cost the dstrict more money. We have many retired community members willing to volunteer to listen to our students practice reading, and we need to foster this community involvement to inspire lifelong learners.
We need to partner with our families and work to make the school system more accessible with simple videos to navigate the Skyward software and make it easier for parents to receive updates on events, bus transportation changes, homework assignments, etc. We all want the same thing, to see children thrive.
Our schools need to compete for enrollment now, and we have so many unique opportunities for students to earn free college, scholarships, trade certifications, special education support through IEPs and so much more! I will champion the effort to shine a light on why public school is the best place for students to grow and prepare for their futures.
We need to be accountable to the tax payers and that begins with a transparent budget that anyone can access. This budget should reflect our values so it is apparent that tax dollars are directly impacting our students and their achievement.
Although budgets are tight for public schools, there are other ways we can make teaching in St. Lucie County more attractive. We can give our teachers the option of School Choice, allowing them to name their top 3 schools where they would like to be appointed. This allows them to have more control over their career as well as allowing them to choose schools closer to their homes to save on gas and transportation. This would have a two-fold benefit of principals also providing better work conditions to attract their school to be a teacher's choice. It's a win-win that doesn't have to break the budget.
Have questions or suggestions? I would love to hear from you!
Campaign Headquarters
916 Silver Spur Rd, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274