AASD Candidate Deb Truyman

APPLETON SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE

Deb Truyman (I)

Personal Statement

My name is Deb Truyman, I am running for re-election to the AASD Board of Education. My passion, as a community member, former educator, and grandmother of five children in the Appleton Area School District, is to ensure that all students have equal opportunities in attaining their educational potential. 

I have proudly served on the AASD Board of Education for three years.  I have worked for accountability, meaningful communication, and transparency within the AASD through community involvement and developing reportable goals.

With a focus on serving all constituents, I  

  1. Have worked with other Board members to navigate some of the most tumultuous waters school districts have seen while maintaining a clear focus on the best interests of students and staff.
  2. Considered and approved financial transactions that enabled the District to maintain its High bond rating
  3. Am a member of the Board committee developing a Community Connection Plan  ensuring all stakeholders have a voice in their school district.

Over the past 3 years I have learned that, while Board members may have different ideas, it is in focusing on the goal “To support success in life for Every Student, Every Day”, that we come together to make our decisions.

Do you support using COVID precautions such as wearing masks in school and requiring vaccinations of eligible students and staff? Explain

I support many of the mitigation strategies put into place in the Appleton Area School District, including the increased air filtration in the classrooms and buildings, the distancing to the extent possible, and the frequent washing of hands. I support optional masking for staff and students. At our November Board meeting we voted to begin a mask-optional policy beginning January 18 with the 2% stop-gap of covid cases in place for each building to resume mandatory masking. Reasons for this decision included 

  • All students and staff would have had an opportunity to be vaccinated by then
  • It is academically and socially/emotionally important for students and staff to see each other’s faces therefore learning will improve
  • Families had time to prepare for the mask-optional timeframe of January

Most children do not get seriously sick, especially with the Omicron variant

The data is proving to be cyclical, and the school and city case numbers are plummeting downward

We have since reversed this decision which left many families in support of the reversal and as many families against the reversal. I believe this is a decision to be made by families as they know what is best for their children. 

I do not believe in requiring vaccinations of eligible students and staff as there is still much to be learned about the effects of the vaccines on the people receiving them. Mandates do not take into consideration the right of people to make best choices for their bodies. 

Do you support teaching fact-based and accurate history of events that have and continue to shape our nation? Explain

I support teaching fact based and accurate history with the realization that facts can be found to support a variety of views of any situation. We need to be aware of the views and values held by our stakeholders- parents, community members, and students. We need to ensure that these views and values are reflected in the curriculum. We need to teach our students how to think about the various events in history as presented by varying sources but not what to think. The teaching needs to be unbiased. 

What are your thoughts about the AASD referendum that is proposed for November 2022?

I think that, once the Administrators have presented a plan to the community, listened to the feedback, and considered changes sought by the community, the referendum needs to be promoted and voted upon. The District began a Future Needs study in 2019 which was postponed in 2020 by the pandemic. The needs cited in that study have not changed. Recently the District has sponsored focus groups to provide input and will soon send out a survey to all community households. There are definite needs for our schools in order to continue to provide outstanding educational opportunities for all students. As a former educator, I believe in the value of adapting our school spaces to allow for more hands-on and project-based learning. I encourage all community members to become involved in this process through the survey and together, we will provide the learning environment our students need and deserve.