Rosanne Wood

Leon County School Board Chair

EXPERIENCE | LEADERSHIP | INTEGRITY

No Standing on the Sidelines

“I am running for re-election because I believe that public schools are the bedrock of our democracy that can ‘lift all boats.’ In this critical moment, it is not the time for me to stand on the sidelines and hope everything will be ‘okay.’ In good conscience, I can’t do that”

I’m working to:

  • Provide every child with a safe, nurturing, and academically challenging place to learn.

  • Treat and trust teachers as professionals, compensate them fairly and allow them to teach their craft without fear.

  • Ensure students are taught unvarnished history–the good, the bad and the ugly.

  • Stock our school libraries and classrooms with books and materials that expose children to different points of view and cultures.

  • Focus our resources on our youngest learners for their life-long success.

  • Emphasize hands-on learning approaches that teach critical thinking and problem solving.

  • Provide multiple college and career pathways for students to have a fulfilling and bright future.

  • Incorporate more sustainability practices and learning opportunities for students

“We Need to Keep Her Strong Voice and Vision for our Children on the School Board”

Rocky Hanna, Superintendent, Leon County Schools

“As a former principal and now a school board member,

I’ve learned to expect the unexpected and move forward with strength and compassion.”

Priorities

  • Emphasize, showcase, and reward schools that demonstrate high parent, teacher, and student satisfaction.

  • Fund and promote Trauma Sensitive Training and Non-Violent Communication programs in our schools K-12.

  • Encourage strong leadership training in practices that create bully-free, teacher-empowered, welcoming school environments.
  • Advocate for local and state policies that emphasize multiple, authentic assessments of student progress and less emphasis on standardized testing to judge and grade schools.

  • Provide flexibility to schools to create thematic and hands-on learning approaches that emphasize critical thinking and problem-solving.

  • Fund classroom technology that increases individualized instruction and eases testing burden for teachers and students.
  • Require a thorough review of district expenditures for increased support for teachers and students in the classroom.

  • Allow more budget flexibility and incentives for school-based decisions of spending priorities.

  • Require a thorough review of Title I spending to ensure maximum allocation of resources to the students and schools who qualify.
  • Advocate for high-quality, early education programs, especially at our Title 1 schools.

  • Partner with local agencies, hospitals, and universities for home support services.

  • Partner with local pre-schools to ensure children are ready for kindergarten.

  • Help educate new parents on birth–three best teaching/learning practices for young children.
  • Create high-interest magnet programs within our schools K-12.

  • Continue to advance Career Technical programs at all high schools with strong community partnerships.

  • Promote local Apprenticeship and Executive Internship job opportunities for our high school students.

  • Continue recruiting community mentors, especially targeting students with achievement and “opportunity” gaps.

  • Support the “Community School” concept that brings social service agencies and direct family services onto the school campus.
  • Continue to update our Strategic Plan with the superintendent, school-based leaders, and community partners to set annual district priorities and action plans with measurable outcomes.

  • Initiate programs to attract students and families back into the public school system who have chosen private and home-school options.

  • Set legislative priorities, and be actively engaged with the School Boards Association, the Florida Legislature and Governor to advocate for these priorities.

  • Recognize and showcase innovative, successful programs within the district.

  • Ensure that our policies hold all employees of Leon County Schools to the highest standards of ethical conduct and prevent employment and/or contracting conflicts of interest.

“This job is a perfect fit for my passion for kids and my 36-year leadership experience as a teacher and principal. I love interacting with students and advocating for Leon County Schools.”

“Ms. Wood is a strong advocate for ALL children and is not afraid to speak up to protect them. She defends marginalized students who tend to be targets of bullying. She led the charge to make sure Leon County Schools picked a historically accurate K-5 Social Studies curriculum. She also defended keeping the book, “I Am Billie Jean King” in elementary school libraries, which won with a 5-0 vote.”

Dr. Jennifer Koslow, PhD in History from UCLA and parent of two students who have always attended Leon County Public Schools

“When Rosanne Wood believes in something, she makes it happen! She pushed for the new IB Primary Years Program at Hartsfield Elementary Magnet School for International Studies, which is going to be a game-changer for the surrounding community. She has championed a new Sustainability Committee that promises to save the district money and educate students on ways they can help the environment.”

Dr. Joel Dawson, former principal and science coordinator for LCS