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Issues

FISCAL GROWTH & SUSTAINABILITY

Our community is only as strong as our schools. Year after year, we watch as expenses increase while state funding decreases. Emily believes we have to take the future success of Burbank Unified into our own hands and will prioritize securing new sources of funding in order to reduce our dependence on unreliable money received from the State. Our schools must operate on a foundation of financial stability. By ensuring the sourcing of additional revenue streams, responsible budgeting and transparent allocation of resources, we can provide our students with the highest quality education without compromising our fiscal health. 

 

As a Burbank School Board Member & Current Board President, Emily:

  • Voted to place a critical Bond Measure on the November ballot in order to fund school infrastructure renovations and improvements

  • Was the only Board Member to vote against a pay increase for School Board Members during our current state budget crisis

  • Voted against against the contract renewal of the District's previous superintendent due to a lack of transparency and communication 

  • Supported a third-party audit of all district-wide fiscal policies and procedures that required regular updates regarding district implementation of the recommendations made by our auditor

 

In her second term, Emily will work to:

  • Secure additional funding sources in order to recruit and retain strong, high-quality teachers and staff, and sustain and develop innovative programming for students 

  • Fiercely advocate for Burbank schools with state and federal officials to increase financial support, including state funding formula changes

  • Review our fiscal policies and procedures, reducing inefficiency and waste

STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS

Now, more than ever, we need to invest in all aspects of student success. The impact of COVID and distance learning, social media, the pressures of a heavy academic workload, and the regular challenges of growing up have resulted in record-high numbers of adolescent depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges. We must prioritize, and invest in, student mental health and wellness in order for our students to thrive and succeed. 

As a Burbank School Board Member & Board President, Emily has:

  • Created and chaired the student mental health and wellness ad hoc committee

  • Worked with the Superintendent to identify the need for more dedicated mental health roles on campus. Developed a new Wellness and Attendance Specialist position to help address the need

  • Proposed a first-of-its-kind district-wide mobile application that would allow students to schedule appointments at our two wellness centers, helping to reduce student anxiety and ameliorate concerns regarding student abuse of the centers. 

  • Requested regular, monthly data reports from our mental health provider, Family Services Agency (FSA), to gain a deeper understanding of the number of students seeking support

  • Ensured district employees were aware of the mental health services available to them

 

In her second term, Emily is committed to:

  • Conduct a comprehensive district-wide review, and deep analysis, to identify the strengths and weaknesses of our district’s mental health services

  • Continue to implement suggestions from the student mental health and wellness ad hoc committee

  • Further expand student mental health resources, including the utilization of the mental health mobile application

EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Equity in education is not just a goal but a necessity. Our students deserve to feel represented, safe, and supported in their classrooms. It’s our responsibility to provide an equitable foundation for every student. Emily will continue to champion policies that close achievement gaps, and ensure all students have the tools they need to thrive.

 

As a Burbank School Board Member & Board President, Emily has:

  • Requested the allocation of funds to provide staff training focused on supporting our Special Education learners, Deaf and Hard of Hearing community and students with academic accommodations

  • Been a fierce advocate for making Board meetings more accessible to the public through their addition to the YouTube Burbank channel, which allows meetings to be close-captioned and translated for those in need

  • Shifted the start time of Board meetings, and adapted the meeting structure, in order to increase community participation and engagement

  • Coordinated with BUSD librarians to provide book recommendations aligned with monthly Board resolutions so families could engage in deeper learning around the groups being highlighted 

  • Ensured that district information, school board meetings, and resources are available in multiple languages including Spanish and Armenian

 

In her second term, Emily will:

  • Collaborate with District staff and teachers to ensure the inclusion of required literature by a diverse range of authors

  • Increase support for English language learners and our immigrant community 

  • Work towards the holistic implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the district, making sure that work touches our entire community of learners, including neurodiverse students, our LGBTQIA+ community, students of color and students with disabilities

PROVIDING QUALITY EDUCATION & OPPORTUNITY

Burbank Unified remains one of the best districts in the state, with families constantly moving to the city to enroll in BUSD. It’s important to maintain our high quality of education and academic standards while also providing a diverse range of educational opportunities in order for students to pursue a wide variety of life and career paths.

 

As a Burbank School Board Member & Board President, Emily has:

  • Been a vocal, consistent supporter of our NAF business, medical and and engineering academies, advocating for more district awareness and publicity around these unique educational opportunities

  • Advocated for stronger relationships with our local Unions in order to provide internship and apprenticeship opportunities

  • During budget cuts, fought to retain our library coordinators in order to maintain library hours and provide students access to a wide range of reading material

  • Supported our performing arts programming and collaborations between professionals in the field and students in theatre tech and performing arts

 

In her second term, Emily will:

  • Actively engage our local unions, and studios, to explore further internship and apprenticeship opportunities for our students

  • Work with our Community College partners to identify additional dual enrollment opportunities

  • Preserve courses from budget cuts, such as American Sign Language and our dual immersion program

  • Destigmatize and legitimize community college and trade school as viable, important post-graduation opportunities

  • Safeguard equal access to a wide range of educational opportunities, including vocational programming, college and career readiness, and extracurricular opportunities.

  • Continue the practice, introduced by Emily and Mayor Nick Schultz, of annual joint meetings between School Board and City Council to strengthen the relationship between the two governing bodies

SUPPORTING OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF

Supporting teachers and staff is crucial for the success of our schools. Providing fair compensation, professional development opportunities, and a supportive work environment, empower teachers and staff to perform at their best. Investing in teachers and staff not only enhances the quality of education but also fosters a positive and motivated school community, benefiting the entire BUSD community as a whole. Emily is committed to advocating for competitive salaries and benefits that reflect their invaluable contributions to our students’ success.

 

As a Burbank School Board Member & Board President, Emily has:

  • Advocated, and helped formalize, two floating holidays for all BUSD staff, enabling staff members to avoid using “sick days” to observe religious holidays. Previous to this decision, many staff members were unable to use personal days for maternity leave and other valid issues due to using them for religious observance

  • Held weekly “office hours” to meet with any BUSD community member with concerns, questions or ideas

  • Created a regular, post-meeting newsletter to inform people on the major outcomes of each Board meeting

  • Advocated for stronger protections for students and staff during COVID

  • In partnership with members of Burbank City Council, the Police Department and the Fire Department, conducted walk-throughs of each high school site to identify security and safety issues

  • Worked with district staff to amend a flawed job reclassification process conducted under the previous superintendent which negatively impacted members of our Classified union.

 

In her second term, Emily is committed to:

  • Supporting our union partners by advocating for fair compensation and good faith bargaining

  • Actively engaging with teachers, staff and administration to hear their concerns and take decisive action to address them

  • Continue integrating employee feedback into the budget making process

  • Sourcing additional revenue streams in order to attract, and retain, quality teachers, staff and administration 

SCHOOL SAFETY

School safety is vital to creating an environment where students, teachers and staff can focus on learning and growth. Safe schools ensure that students, teachers, and staff feel secure and supported, free from violence, bullying, and other threats. By prioritizing safety, we foster an atmosphere that encourages academic achievement, emotional well-being, and community trust. Ensuring robust safety measures and protocols is essential for protecting our most valuable assets: our students and the men and women who support them.

As a Burbank School Board Member & Board President, Emily has:

  • Put into practice regular reporting after each five-week grading period. This allowed Board members to track behavior issues, site by site, to better understand trends and how best to address them 

  • In partnership with City Council, and the Burbank police and fire departments, conducted on-site walk throughs of our high school campuses to identify safety concerns

  • Prioritized modernization and full completion of cameras on our high school campuses

  • Met with the Burbank Police department to discuss the importance and efficacy of Student Resource Officers (SRO) 

 

In her second term, Emily will:

  • Evaluate safety policies and procedures, making sure important accommodations are made for students with disabilities

  • In partnership with the Burbank Police Department, identify training focused on interactions with special needs students

  • Create and implement district-wide policies addressing rising problems created by inappropriate usage of social media 

  • Reiterate the district policy of inclusion and support for all students, making sure that students, staff, teachers and families treat every member of the BUSD community with respect 

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