I trust Tracy Conroy for School Board Chair

Letter to the editor

School Board Chairman is not a stepping stone for Tracy Conroy.

Her sole purpose for running is to help the school system make good on the “World Class Education” that it boasts about. She is running for Prince William County Public Schools School Board Chairman as an Independent and is not beholden to any political party.

There are far too many unmet critical needs and deficits within the school district and having political agendas has only gotten us stuck repeating the same mistakes. She has already shown tireless dedication to the community for years by attending nearly all school board meetings, even staying into the late night hours, being a member on school budget committees, researching policies, budget issues, and coming up with viable options to fix what is broken.

She has been reaching out to the community for years through social media and volunteering. Tracy is a champion for our Special Education students. She goes out of her way to help parents find resources and makes compassionate and practical suggestions.

Sometimes it’s simply listening without judging, other times tracking down names and numbers for needed services or putting parents in touch with the right people. She will be proactive in supporting our students’ physical, social, and emotional needs. She will not be afraid to bring Mental Health into the light.

I trust Tracy because she is straightforward, honest, and completely open to questions, concerns, and new ideas. She wants to hear from the community and actively seeks input. She has excellent ideas for balancing school enrollments.

She will look at the budget as it stands and work with the entire school board, administration, and community to make sure that all vital goals and services are met. She doesn’t leave any group of students or teachers out. She cares deeply about Diversity, Gifted Education, Special Education, and the Arts. Prince William County Schools need a Chairman with a real heart for children and families.

Too many decisions over the years have been based on politics and not on what is best for our students’ educational and personal wellbeing. Tracy will stand up for the students, teachers, and community and she will stand up to the School Administration.

Tracy Conroy will be an asset as Chairman. She will help our most valuable resources, our children, to grow and prosper with the unyielding support of Prince William County Schools.

Amanda Bates is a parent of three children who attend Prince William County Public Schools.