Board of Education | District One

Why I Ran.

Dear Neighbor,

My name is Katie Howard and I am running for the open District 1 seat on the Atlanta Board of Education. I am running because I believe every child should receive a high quality education and am passionate about doing my part to ensure that no matter their life circumstances, all our students receive the best experience so that they can grow up to have choice-filled lives.

As an Atlanta native, proud APS graduate of Grady High School in 1996, and current APS parent, I believe in our city and its school system, which is doing great things and can do even more to best serve all children.

For the last 15 years, I have served as a staff member for three city councilmembers giving me a wealth of experience in government and policy making systems, as well as providing me meaningful relationships with people and organizations throughout the city.

But, my most impactful and loved experiences have been through my work with my girls’ schools where I’ve served as PTA/PTSA president, GO Team member, frequent volunteer and strong advocate for all of our community’s schools. Throughout our time in the Maynard Jackson Cluster at Parkside Elementary and King Middle, I’ve worked with and supported amazing educators, students and families. I have always focused on bringing the entire school together and addressing the needs of all students, families and educators. This approach led me to help start initiatives like our “Commit to King” fall festival, which was created to bring together the schools that feed into King Middle when we realized stronger connections were needed and our community did not truly know our incredible middle school.

I was raised by a mother who taught me the true value of investing in your community’s public schools and that it is never just about one child, but all children. It is a lesson that is at the core of why I want to take my experience to the next level and serve our students and families on the BOE.

I commit to work hard and represent all students and families with a focus on the following issues:

Putting equity at the forefront, which includes closing the academic gap between our white and Black students and other underserved groups. Equity means we must make sure we’re giving our students the tools and support to succeed and reach their highest potential at every school.
Ensure that every child is reading at grade level by the end of Third Grade. This is still a challenge for our school system and we must utilize every resource available to make sure our children can read on grade level. Early education and Pre-K play significant parts in this effort, and APS needs to continue to expand both programs, particularly for families who cannot afford private preschool.
Support current charters and partnership schools that are meeting the academic needs of our students and families. We have a wonderful mix in our diverse system and it provides an opportunity for schools - traditional and charter - to learn from each other. Equally important to me, is wanting every zoned school to be a choice school for the community it serves.
Support social emotional learning (SEL) and similar programs that help our students and teachers feel comfortable, safe and heard so that they are ready to learn and teach.
Nurture and grow our partnerships with organizations that are providing additional connection and support in the communities our schools serve. This means bringing innovative programs into the classroom, but could also expand into farther reaching initiatives such as affordable teacher housing and other ways to strengthen the entire APS system. Atlanta’s leaders from all sectors should work together to make sure we have a strong public school system.
Be fiscally responsible. APS currently accounts for more than 50% of your property tax bill. We must continue to fully support our school system, but also be mindful of the impact to taxpayers.

I want to hear from families, students, teachers, administrators and the community about what they want to see from APS. Your voice and input are extremely important. I am always ready to learn and listen and you can always reach me at katiehowardforaps@gmail.com.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you!

Katie

Why I Ran.

Where is District One?