Sanborn plans to improve school safety, increase teacher pay

MILTON — Linda Sanborn of Milton is running unopposed for Santa Rosa County School Board District 1 with no party affiliation.

The retired educator has taught in Santa Rosa County for nearly 30 years and has grandchildren in county schools.

Tell us about yourself.

I graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Spanish and English. I have a master’s degree in education from the University of South Florida.

I retired from teaching in June after 35 years of teaching. I taught 28 of my 35 years of teaching in Santa Rosa County at Milton High School.

We own Adventures Unlimited canoe rentals — I’m co-owner along with my husband [Michael] and his brother Jack. I’m officially vice president… I feel that gives me a little business experience.

I have been married for 46 years, and we have three sons all of whom were educated in Santa Rosa County schools.

Why did you decide to run for school board?

My passion is education. For many years, I have wanted to serve on the school board but I loved my classroom much more, and I did not want to give up my classroom in order to be on the school board.

So, when I retired, it seemed the perfect time to run for school board.

We have eight grandchildren, six of whom live in Santa Rosa County and all go to Santa Rosa County schools. That is reason enough for me to be committed to improving the education in Santa Rosa County.

If elected, what do you hope to accomplish?

Number one, safe schools — we need to improve the security measures we take to keep our students safe.

Number two, we absolutely have to be taking better care of our teachers financially. We need to make sure — considering they are spending their days taking care of our children — that we make it so they can take care of their children.

It’s a matter of if they can afford to give their children the kind of education, the kind of future that they’re helping provide for everybody else’s children. We need to increase their pay, and we need to improve their benefits package.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Sanborn plans to improve school safety, increase teacher pay