Mesa Public Schools

Sharon Benson:

Lacy Chaffee:

• Communications Coordinator for the ASU School of Music, Dance, and Theatre

• Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Arizona State University

• Five kids in four schools in the district. They are in grades 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12

Josh Chilton:

• Community Outreach/Project Manager for the Maricopa County School Superintendent's Office

• Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Political Science, Arizona State University; Master of Business Administration, UMass Lowell

• One daughter in 6th grade at Franklin Accelerated Academy at Jordan Campus

Courtney Davis:

• Realtor

• Some college

• Three kids in district schools, 9th and 11th at Westwood High School, 5th Emerson Elementary

• 1 child is a graduate of Westwood High School
  

Ed Steele:

• Retired small business owner and engineer

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

• Children graduated from Dobson HS
  

Sharon Benson: 51; I attended Edison, Kino, and graduated from Westwood.

Lacy Chaffee: I’ve lived in Mesa most of my life. I attended Mesa Public Schools from kindergarten through graduation and then attended ASU. We lived away for six years while my husband attended graduate school, and then we moved back to Mesa because we knew we wanted to raise our family here and for our children to attend Mesa Public Schools. Our children have attended Mesa Public Schools for the past thirteen years and will remain in the district until 2034 when our youngest will graduate.

Josh Chilton: 17 years

Courtney Davis: 44

Ed Steele: 36

Sharon Benson: I've been...PTO President when my children were in school, classroom helper when my children were students, Dobson Cheer Booster President, Loving Through Literacy: taught teachers how to teach reading in Liberia Africa x 2, Sunday School teacher for various age levels: currently pre-teen, classroom volunteer in granddaughter's classroom in the coming year. I am a precinct committeeman in my legislative district. I also actively do what I see needs to be done, if I have the capability to do so.

Lacy Chaffee: I am passionate about education, caring for kids, and Mesa. For the past ten years, I have spent several hours each month volunteering as an art masterpiece guide as well as a member of PTO, SIAC, and booster clubs on various district campuses. I also serve on the board of the i.d.e.a. Museum Foundation, which supports early literacy and hands-on learning experiences for children in the valley.

Josh Chilton: Mesa Public Schools Parent Council; Phoenix Heart Walk Logistics Chair; Big Brothers Big Sisters; Emcee for Franklin at Jordan's Ice Cream Social

Courtney Davis: Served on PTO board in different positions, Athletic Booster President, Little League President, Church leader for youth, SIAC, youth sports coach, Mesa Parent Council, Westwood Parent Group

Ed Steele: I am active in several church ministries as well as a volunteer for a local non-profit where I mentor young men, provide them with instructions to help them become better men, better husbands and better fathers. I previously held a position with a local non-profit as their legislative liaison.

Sharon Benson: The variety of school choice options available to parents in the district is one strength that I see which provides learning options for those students who may learn differently.. Secondly, our incoming teacher pay being the highest in the East Valley helps to address the teacher shortage. Finally, the multi tiered approach of the the Graduation Plus model allows options for our high school students to lay a foundation for their future.

Lacy Chaffee: People who care: It really comes down to the outstanding people who work for Mesa Public Schools. At every level within the district–from operations staff who keep things running smoothly to teachers in the classrooms caring for kindergarteners starting on day one–Mesa Public Schools are filled with people who care deeply about children and their education. My five children are very different, and each experiences personalized care from adults within the district who know them and love them.

A legacy of excellence: Mesa Public Schools has a rich legacy of excellence, built by generations of dedicated students and staff, and because of this legacy, the community in Mesa cares about education. Many of us grew up here, and our experiences in school developed our passion for education. Our shared love of Mesa and Mesa Public Schools fosters a strong sense of pride and camaraderie among our staff and our community, and it’s what makes our school events so special–a chance to come together and celebrate the incredible work happening daily on our campuses.

A commitment to every student: Every student has the potential to succeed, and the district focuses on knowing each student by name and serving them by strength and need. The district strives to fulfill that promise not only through academic environment and staff support but also through sports, arts, career training, and other extracurriculars and opportunities that build strong personal connections among students. These efforts help students find belonging places in school and empower them to become confident, lifelong learners.

Josh Chilton: I believe three of MPS's greatest strengths are:

1) A variety of school choices for families, including traditional schools, accelerated academies and online learning. I am proud that my daughter attends a choice school in the public school system. The curriculum works for her, but I recognize that it is not a fit for all families. I believe the district should continue to explore programs that will appeal to a variety of student interests and abilities.

2) Teachers who are dedicated to improving their students' education, and providing the personal supports needed so that students can concentrate on their studies. The classes that my daughter has performed the best in are those where she has felt personally connected to the teachers. Those teachers share about their families and their interests, such as Disney, owls, or Harry Potter. When she is in those classrooms, she feels comfortable, safe, and ready to learn. She knows that she can go to those teachers if she has a problem on the playground or an argument with a friend. And the best thing about this is that those teachers strive to make EVERY student feel safe and accepted. This is a strength of the district, and these teachers should continue to be supported. Building personal connections and trust between teachers students will lead to improved student performance.

3) An ability to examine what works and what doesn't in schools, and the willingness to try new programs. An excellent example is the current exploration of career pathways and the teaming model in Mesa high schools. I am a believer that school is about more than just test scores - it's about preparing students for their future after high school. It's essential that they be introduced to skills and potential careers at an early age to discover what they like, and what they don't like. I've met too many seniors at career fairs in other districts who don't know what they want to do in six months. I'm glad that MPS is taking steps to prevent this, and I hope to support them in establishing other innovative programs to address student challenges.

Courtney Davis: Dedicated and Talented Staff- Mesa Public Schools is home to a highly skilled and dedicated team of educators, administrators, and support staff. Their commitment to student success and continuous professional development ensures a high-quality educational experience for all students.

Diverse Community -The district's diverse student population fosters a rich learning environment where students can learn from each other and develop a deeper understanding of different cultures and perspectives.

Comprehensive Programs and Resources-Mesa Public Schools offers a wide range of academic programs, extracurricular activities, and support services. From advanced placement courses to career and technical education, arts, and athletics, the district provides students with numerous opportunities to explore their interests and develop their talents. The collaboration with the City of Mesa and business partners provides students with valuable internships and other opportunities. These partnerships enhance students' real-world learning experiences, prepare them for future careers, and help bridge the gap between education and the workforce.

Ed Steele:

1. Teachers and staff who work tirelessly to help their students.

2. Graduation Plus is a wonderful program. The district's engagement with industry leaders in the area to work together to prepare highly qualified employees for our community as well as its relationship with East Vally Institute of Technology. Plus, the ability of students to earn college credit while still attending high school.

3. The district's bold step in re-imagining the teaching model and the implementation of the Next Education Workforce teacher teaming model. This model emulates many of the work environments of the most successful business today. As a result, I can see graduating students more easily transitioning to the workplace, being more satisfied with their jobs from the start and employers being attracted to hire these graduates.

Sharon Benson: The first, and perhaps greatest challenge facing MPS is a lack of student achievement. I believe this is a multi-tiered issue which will require the AZ DOE to look at standards, and how they are tested. At the district level, we must provide access to an academically rich environment for all students across our district. We must increase the time spent learning, limiting distractions so that educators and students stay on conceptual topics, allowing for deep, rich learning experiences. We must support parents so that they may actively engage in their child's education.

Lacy Chaffee: Addressing achievement gaps: MPS needs to do better for all of our students. Every child deserves a great education that gets them ready for college, career, and community. We need to make sure every student is learning what they need to know, no matter where they start. This means keeping great teachers, creating solid extended support systems of adults who care, and providing extra help when kids need it. We also need to focus on foundational principles, including increasing parental engagement, eliminating cell phone distractions in classrooms, and decreasing chronic absenteeism. By empowering our students with the knowledge and skills needed for success, we will create a brighter future for students and for our community.

Staff recruitment and retention: Attracting and retaining qualified staff is a challenge faced by many districts, including MPS. Workload, pay, and difficult job environments make it hard for people to stay in the field of education. We can't afford to lose good people; we need to attract and keep great teachers, bus drivers, HVAC technicians, building administrators, counselors, support specialists and more right here in Mesa. In order to do that, we must create a supportive and rewarding work environment in our schools and in our district. This means treating people with respect, making sure they feel valued, and giving them the support they need to be excellent. We need to surround our students with adults who care about them and the school environment.

Student safety and well-being: The increasing needs of our students outside school are impacting their academic success and overall development. We are seeing unprecedented apathy, lack of focus, and behavioral issues on campuses. MPS needs to work with parents, teachers, staff, and the community to keep our schools safe and to make sure every kid feels supported. We're all in this together, and we need to work as a team to help our students succeed so each child can reach their full potential.

Josh Chilton: I see two major external challenges to Mesa Public Schools, and one internal: 1) The first external challenge is the budgetary restrictions placed on public schools by the state legislature. The world of school finance is needlessly complicated and has resulted in public schools not being able to access or use the funds they are entitled to. For example, MPS received a settlement from a lawsuit involving a vaping company. However, restrictions were placed on those funds making them unusable for anything other than lawyer fees for that lawsuit. Unfortunately, there is little that board members can do to solve this problem other than working closely with the superintendency to make sure that funds are spent wisely and to positively impact the most students.

2) The second external challenge comes from community members who spread baseless rumors and accusations about public schools, its teachers and leaders. Honestly, I did not know that it was so rampant until I started attending school board meetings. In just a few months, I've seen board members personally attacked, parents of transgender students booed, and teachers accused of pushing their personal beliefs on children. I've also heard a school board candidate claim that the district should not buy new science textbooks because "science hasn't changed in the 40 years since I was a student". Anyone has the right to speak publicly, but misinformation and attacks like these only demoralize and chase away some of our most skilled educators. As a board member, I will champion the great work that our schools do and encourage programs that support teachers and support staff - both personally and professionally. To be effective, public schools need to be environments that care for both teachers and students, giving them the opportunity to do their best work. That begins with parents and a community that work collaboratively with schools and not against them.

3) The third challenge comes from a growing lack of trust between MPS and the community. Having talked to many parents, there are those that feel that the district doesn't always communicate information effectively. Whether it's the cancellation of programs or the implementation of policies, the impression is that decisions are unilaterally made without parental input. Even if the decision is proven to be correct, it often leaves parents with a negative view of the district. As a project manager specializing in community outreach, I know the difference between communicating to the letter of the law and communicating effectively. As a board member, I would encourage the district to review its communications strategy to account for open rates of emails and texts, and resending important messages to unopened recipients. Improved communication is the first step to improving trust.

Courtney Davis: Addressing Diverse Student Needs:

Challenge: Meeting the varied academic, social, and emotional needs of a diverse student body can be complex and resource-intensive.
Solution: Expand support services such as counseling, special education, and language assistance programs. Invest in professional development for staff to better address diverse learning needs and implement personalized learning approaches to cater to individual student requirements.

Teacher Recruitment and Retention:
Challenge: Recruiting and retaining qualified teachers can be difficult due to competitive salaries and challenging working conditions.
Solution: Enhance teacher support by improving working conditions, providing competitive salaries, and offering robust professional development opportunities. Create a supportive work environment that values and acknowledges teachers' contributions and provides clear career advancement paths.

Student Behavior:
Challenge: Addressing behavior issues effectively requires a comprehensive approach and collaboration among schools.
Solution: Encourage campuses to work together to develop and share effective behavior management strategies. Promote professional development for staff on behavior management techniques and foster collaboration between schools to identify successful practices and avoid pitfalls.

Ed Steele:

1. POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. 32% proficiency across the district in unacceptable. Proficiency rates haven't topped 50% in over a decade. According to an ASU study, teachers must maintain 174 competencies! That's over-burdensome and needs to be addressed. As a member of the board, I will work to create an environment where teachers can teach! Several schools across the district are performing well. I will work with the leadership at those schools to analyze what they are doing right, then work to replicate that across the district;

2. FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY. While enrollment at MPS has declined, the budget continues to grow. Money being allocated to administration has outpaced that being allocated to teachers resulting in administrative bloat. According to MPS's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the percentage of the budget being allocated to "Instruction" is at its lowest point in 20 years. I will work to ensure future budgets address this deficiency and I will not support a budget that moves in the wrong direction on this critical metric.;

3. LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY. I see too many new programs coming to the district through board approval of Memorandum of Understanding, Memorandum of Agreement, Statement of Assurances, etc. with stated goals such as, increase graduation rates, improve reading scores. Also, many of these programs have no history of success as many are newly developed programs, many times by University graduate students working under grant funding. These newly developed programs simply make MPS the guinea pigs in the proof of concept for the grantee. There are too many proven, quality programs that can be implemented in the district to be subject to this type of experimentation. Additionally, none of these "understandings, agreements, or assurances" have any metrics defined to actually demonstrate success. As an engineer, I spent many years assuring product quality through objective, quantifiable measurements. While I understand that some education metrics might not be easy to define, I will not support any of these programs coming into the district without having some measure of previous success as well as accountability to the stated goals.

Sharon Benson: I have a variety of strengths that I will bring to the governing board. As a gifted and talented educator, I bring an educator lens to the board. I am a problem solver, and critical creative thinker who is willing to look at all sides of an issue, and their implications before making decisions.

My husband and I are also successful small business owners, so I will bring an entrepreneurial spirit which allows me to be open to ideas in order to be successful. My small business experience has also developed an understanding of budgeting, and the importance of using money wisely in order to get the most impact for dollars spent.

Finally, I am passionate about education as I know a quality education is necessary for our students to be prepared for community, career, and college.

Lacy Chaffee: As the parent of five kids in the district, a proud graduate of Mesa Public Schools, and a small business owner with my husband, I am deeply invested in all facets of Mesa. I’m here for the long haul, and I don’t quit when things get tough. I am a strong communicator who is passionate about public education, and I’m not afraid to speak up and speak out in support of the needs of our schools.

It’s not enough for someone to say they will be a voice for students, parents, teachers, staff, and community. They need to show up and do the work. I’ve worked in the classrooms, cheered at the activities, and served as part of the organizations that make MPS what it is. I know the work involved. I constantly invest in the district by helping on campuses and talking with people who care about Mesa Public Schools and public education. I do this so I can better understand the community and meet the strengths and needs of all our students. As your elected school board member, I will continue to tirelessly advocate for our schools and for an atmosphere of respect and excellence.

One of my greatest strengths is a fervent yet realistic optimism. I am hopeful about the future of Mesa Public Schools and dedicated to working alongside our incredible staff to keep Mesa a wonderful place to live and learn. I am a common-sense candidate who cares about our community and wants to help every student succeed. If elected, I will continue to collaborate with teachers, staff, parents and students as we tackle head-on the tough issues our schools face today.

Josh Chilton: I have spent the past six years visiting principals, teachers and parents in all 58 local school districts for the Maricopa County School Superintendent's Office. From their input, I've created programs designed to support teachers and provide career resources to students. For example, I helped launch the STEM Resource Center which provided free makerspace donations from Amazon to 2000+ teachers, which they directly used for classroom activities. I've also worked with local companies like Intel, Boeing and APS to highlight potential careers for students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). Currently, I am leading a program to start Electric Vehicle Clubs in schools across the state. This will give students the chance to assemble electric go-karts, and hopefully inspire them towards careers in a burgeoning industry.

These are just examples of how I use creativity and project management skills to benefit students and teachers daily. It is because of these experiences that I feel I have a unique skillset to offer Mesa Public Schools. I can review proposals to ensure that spent funds provide an appropriate return on investment. I can also build relationships within the community to better the learning experience for teachers and students. In short, I promise to use both personal and analytical skills to improve Mesa Public Schools for all stakeholders.

Courtney Davis: As a parent with children currently in the district, I bring a firsthand understanding of the challenges and opportunities within Mesa Public Schools. This perspective ensures that decisions are made with a focus on student and family needs.

I value collaboration and will work with different groups to achieve common goals. This approach will help foster strong relationships between the board, district staff, parents, and the community.

I am dedicated to advocating for students, teachers, and staff while ensuring transparent and open communication. This strength will help build trust and ensure that all voices are heard and considered in decision-making processes.

I bring a forward-thinking approach to education, focusing on innovation and continuous improvement. My vision includes enhancing educational practices, integrating technology, and ensuring that our schools are well-prepared for future challenges.

Ed Steele: I will bring a strong analytical skillset as well as an in depth understanding of financial, personnel and resource management. Also, I have experience building consensus among diverse groups. Being retired will allow me to spend more time traveling the district, speaking with school personnel and community members and seeing firsthand, the needs of individual schools and the community. I will bring those needs back to the district leadership to ensure those needs are adequately addressed.

Sharon Benson:

Website: sharonbensonformesapublicschools.com

Facebook: Sharon Benson for Mesa Public Schools Board

Instagram: @benson4mpsboard

X: @benson4mpsboard

Lacy Chaffee:

Website: LacyForMesaSchools.com

Facebook: LacyforMesaSchoolBoard

Instagram: @Lacy4MesaSchools

Josh Chilton:

Website: ChiltonForMesa.com

Facebook: ChiltonForMesa

Instagram: @ChiltonForMesa

Courtney Davis:

Website: courtneyformesaschools.com

Facebook: Courtney Davis for Mesa School Board

Instagram: @courtneyformesaschools

Ed Steele:

Website: edsteeleformesa.com

Facebook: facebook.com/EdSteele4AZ

Instagram: @ed_steele_mesa/

X: @EdSteele4AZ