Sandra Nicely said teachers are tired of not being able to use their creativity in the classroom and she will see to it change will happen.
“It has to start with the school board,” said Nicely. She’s a candidate for SRC School Board District 1.
Nicely is currently working as a bus driver and has for 23 years, ten years in Santa Rosa County. She said she has a heart for children and knows what’s going on within the schools.
“I hear children talk about what’s happening in the classrooms. I help with homework. I have my finger on the pulse of the schools,” she said.
Nicely said when she’s elected she will be in constant contact with parents, teachers and concerned citizens.
“If you don’t have a relationship with the people you represent, you can’t do your job correctly,” she said.
Although there’s nothing she can do about previous decisions made by the school board, she said one of her main concerns is addressing bus safety issues.
“The county needs a more detailed description of what transportation rules are in the code of conduct. These are daily issues with constant change,” she said.
She said she’s very concerned about Common Core issue. “The proponents who created the system make it sound so wonderful. But teachers tell me they are restricted instead,” said Nicely. While she said the basic problems with Common Core are the tip of the iceberg, it is important to remember the school board is supposed to represent the people in the county.
Nicely said hiring local businesses for construction projects when possible is better for county wide economic growth and gives an opportunity for residents to be vested in local needs. “Sometimes the lowest bid is not the best value. Out of state contractors are not vested in our county,” she said.
“I have concerns about the school system and my goal is to address all of the issues. The citizens of Santa Rosa County will know they have someone in their corner that cares about their children. I’m persistent and will get the job done. I’m all about what we can do to get teachers back to teaching instead of teaching a test,” she said.
Nicely said she is known throughout the county as ‘Miss Cookie’ because of a need to reach her kindergarten students riding the bus for the first time.
“It was easier to say than ‘Miss Sandra’ and it stuck,” she said. “I want to help these children in anyway I can,” she said.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Nicely in the running for School Board District 1