Char Fitzwater, Ph.D.

If elected, I'll begin work immediately to transform the board governance to back our educators with healthy, shared governance and democratic processes. This will include: 1) embracing community engagement and feedback, 2) increasing transparency and fiscal oversight, and 3) eliminating hidden agendas and partisanism. Simultaneously, I will dig deeply into the district's actions to strengthen the education experiences for our students and support teachers.

As a mother of two with five grandchildren, I clearly support motherhood, and I enjoy a good slice of apple pie! Seriously, I strongly believe public education is the cornerstone of our democracy. I have a set of values that undergird my priorities – the values my father passed on to me. He was an Eagle scout who enlisted in the U.S. Navy when he was 17 to serve in World War II. It's the values articulated in our Constitution – democracy, equal protection under the law and freedom of speech. Public education prepares each new generation to think critically and engage in society as good citizens, voters and neighbors.

In the last several years, I've been an advocate for good education governance by actively monitoring and addressing our district's board. Shared governance, community engagement, transparency and financial oversight should be expected on a nonpartisan board. But as I have said publicly, I have been dismayed by actions taken by five members of our school board. There seem to be hidden agendas and partisanism influencing their actions.

From my education and leadership experience, I can tell you the real work and focus needs to be on strengthening our schools to meet valuable strategic goals and objectives. The district has many plans and actions underway toward achieving its goals. Our educators need our backing and insights. The Return On Investment analytics being built connected with Weighted Student Funding should enable principals and administrators to evaluate the best ways to strengthen results. Furthermore, Superintendent Huggins' administration is already embracing partnerships that strengthen results. Perhaps there are more opportunities to deploy effective programs and leverage partner capabilities.

I bring 40-plus years of education, business and financial leadership experience to this endeavor. As my husband remarks, “Char, you are uniquely qualified.” Thriving students and engaged educators are at the core of great results.

I've heard from parents and educators that students with special needs aren't always getting the support they need. Identifying and serving students who learn differently is both a legal obligation under IDEA and important to ensure every student has what they need to succeed.

The district has a 2026/2027 budget proposal to increase spending in support of special education. I fully support that increase and will seek transparency in how the resources would be deployed, as well as continue to listen closely to families navigating these challenges every day.