By Jessica Sutter, Ward 6 SBOE Representative
I love school. I’ve loved school since my first day of preschool when I walked in and never looked back to say goodbye to my mom. I’ve loved every school I’ve had the privilege to teach in. I’ve loved when school filled my heart with joy, like when my eighth graders got their letters of acceptance to high schools. I loved school even when it broke my heart after losing a student to gun violence in my first year of teaching.
I have worked in education for the past 20 years and have called Ward 6 my home for more than a decade. I’ve spent time teaching in classrooms in Chicago’s West Side, in East Los Angeles, and in our nation’s capital at the Blue Castle at Eighth and M Streets SE right here in Ward 6 where I taught eighth grade social studies and literature. In my work at DC’s Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education, and as a consultant I’ve been lucky enough to visit hundreds of schools and classrooms throughout the District.
Campaign Promises
During my campaign, I assured voters that I would represent all students in Ward 6 schools, wherever they live, and all students who live in Ward 6, wherever they attend school. I promised to focus on three things:
Goals and Opportunities
The SBOE is an incredible opportunity to advocate for policy changes that affect all children in the District. As I begin my four-year term representing Ward 6 on the SBOE, I’ve got a few specific things I’d like to accomplish.
I am honored to serve the students and families of Ward 6 and I see the next four years as an opportunity for steady progress towards better schools for all District students. I look forward to the work ahead.
**This blog post was adapted from pieces that appeared in HillRag (https://hillrag.com/2018/08/17/running-for-students/, https://hillrag.com/2019/01/11/newly-elected-ward-6-sboe-rep-describes-goals/) and a biography featured in The Southwesterner (http://thesouthwester.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/January-2019.pdf)**
D.C. State Board of Education Blog 