Wants to uplift and engage all voices in the community

Hopes to close the communication gap between the Board and the community and ensure the requirements of the community are being met

- Wants to uplift and engage all voices in the community
- Hopes to close the communication gap between the Board and the community and ensure the requirements of the community are being met

Administration

Must leverage technology to ensure parents and teachers are more engaged

Virtual Board meetings increase engagement because they are more convenient for parents and teachers to attend

Improve utilization of technology in the classroom as well as communication throughout the county

Ensure students are equipped with all necessary technology like laptops, wifi, etc.

- Must leverage technology to ensure parents and teachers are more engaged
- Virtual Board meetings increase engagement because they are more convenient for parents and teachers to attend
- Improve utilization of technology in the classroom as well as communication throughout the county
- Ensure students are equipped with all necessary technology like laptops, wifi, etc.

School Curriculum

Will work with the community to come up with the best plan for students

Engage community stakeholders, teachers, students, and parents in safety decisions

- Will work with the community to come up with the best plan for students
- Engage community stakeholders, teachers, students, and parents in safety decisions

School Violence

Ensure all students can get the healthy meals they need

Utilize social workers and counselors to inform the board about gaps regarding students' needs like food insecurity

- Ensure all students can get the healthy meals they need
- Utilize social workers and counselors to inform the board about gaps regarding students' needs like food insecurity

Cost of Living

Rethink the way the Board spends the money because there is a lot of money not necessarily going to the best places

Revisit why the Board is spending money on things that do not actually contribute to the classroom

Increase accountability and transparency surrounding money spent

- Rethink the way the Board spends the money because there is a lot of money not necessarily going to the best places
- Revisit why the Board is spending money on things that do not actually contribute to the classroom
- Increase accountability and transparency surrounding money spent

Budget

Invested in the system because of her two children in the schools

Motivated by colleagues in elected positions who encouraged her to pursue this

- Invested in the system because of her two children in the schools
- Civically-engaged as a person
- Motivated by colleagues in elected positions who encouraged her to pursue this

Worldview

Karen Watkins

Continue to maintain the great school system that is already in place

Current school board is stable and successful

Open to adjustments and wants continuous improvement but believes the district is currently doing very well

- Continue to maintain the great school system that is already in place
- Current school board is stable and successful
- Open to adjustments and wants continuous improvement but believes the district is currently doing very well

Maintain Current Direction

Emphasize safety in schools including COVID precautions, physical safety, and mental health of students and teachers

Supports School Resource Officers (SROs) in the schools

- Emphasize safety in schools including COVID precautions, physical safety, and mental health of students and teachers
- Supports School Resource Officers (SROs) in the schools

- Emphasize safety in schools including COVID precautions, physical safety, and mental health of students and teachers
- Supports <pv key='school-resource-officers'>School Resource Officers</pv> <pv key='school-resource-officers'>(SROs</pv>) in the schools

Before the pandemic, 54% of students were being provided free or reduced-cost lunch

Maintain the program that provides students with lunches even outside of in-person school

Prioritize the need for healthy and accessible meals in the community

- Before the pandemic, 54% of students were being provided free or reduced-cost lunch
- Maintain the program that provides students with lunches even outside of in-person school
- Prioritize the need for healthy and accessible meals in the community

Some budget cuts, but the CARES Act has provided additional funding

No current plans to implement furloughs and were able to maintain the budget as best as possible

Must look carefully at the next fiscal year to see what adjustments need to be made

- Some budget cuts, but the CARES Act has provided additional funding
- No current plans to implement furloughs and were able to maintain the budget as best as possible
- Must look carefully at the next fiscal year to see what adjustments need to be made

The E-Class program already incorporated technology into learning on a daily basis before the pandemic

Despite minor setbacks, continue the successful use of technology by students and teachers

Provide support to teachers who are now teaching both in-person and online

Purchased 48,000 additional Chromebooks and and provided Hotspots for families who need it

- The E-Class program already incorporated technology into learning on a daily basis before the pandemic
- Despite minor setbacks, continue the successful use of technology by students and teachers
- Provide support to teachers who are now teaching both in-person and online
- Purchased 48,000 additional Chromebooks and and provided Hotspots for families who need it

Has served on the school board for 15 years

Has been heavily involved in the Dacula community

Her 6 children went through the Gwinnett school system

- Has served on the school board for 15 years 
- Has been heavily involved in the Dacula community
- Former teacher
- Her 6 children went through the Gwinnett school system

Carole C. Boyce

- The Board of Education runs the public school system. The Board of Education is entirely independent from the rest of the county government.
- Board of Education members work together to make school policy, set the budget, and appoint the superintendent to run the schools day to day.
- Board of Education members are elected to four-year terms in nonpartisan elections.