Francesca Thomas
Francesca Thomas was a candidate for at-large representative on the Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board in Arizona. She was defeated in the November 4, 2014, general election.
Biography
Thomas is a first generation American. She holds a B.S. in foreign service from Georgetown University and an M.A. in justice studies from Arizona State University. She volunteered for a year in special education classes on the Navajo Reservation. She has served as the vice president of legislation for the Scottsdale Parent Council.[1]
Thomas has lived in Arcadia, Arizona, for 20 years. She is married and has three sons who all attended SUSD schools.[1]
Elections
2014
Two four-year terms were up for general election on November 4, 2014. Three newcomers, Francesca Thomas, Kim Hartmann and Laddie Guy Shane, challenged incumbent Pam Kirby in the at-large election. The other incumbent, Denny Brown, did not file to run for re-election by the general filing deadline.[2]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan |  Pam Kirby Incumbent |
32.9% | 28,096 | |
| Nonpartisan | Kim Hartmann |
29.9% | 25,546 | |
| Nonpartisan | Francesca Thomas | 22.2% | 18,987 | |
| Nonpartisan | Laddie Guy Shane | 14.9% | 12,762 | |
| Total Votes | 85,391 | |||
| Source: Maricopa County Recorder, "General Elections Election Results," accessed December 29, 2014 | ||||
Endorsements
Thomas was endorsed by the following:[3]
- Dieter Schaefer, former SUSD Governing Board member, 2007-2011
- Katy Cavanagh, retired assistant superintendent of SUSD
- John Kriekard, retired superintendent of Paradise Valley Unified School District and SUSD principal
Campaign themes
2014
Thomas provided the following statement to the Maricopa County Education Service Agency:
| “ | I am running for a seat on the Governing Board because I am committed to the promise of public education, and am passionate about supporting our local public schools. I have 15 years of experience volunteering in SUSD- in the classroom, with parent groups and on district committees, and as an advocate for educational issues at the state level.
I am the first generation in my family to be born in the USA, and am a product of public education, kindergarten through high school. I earned a B.S in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, and an M.A. in Justice Studies from Arizona State University. After volunteering for a year on the Navajo Reservation in a special education class at a residential school for Native Americans, I have devoted my career to raising my children, volunteering in the community, and being an advocate for public education and our Scottsdale Unified School District. For the 4th year in a row, SUSD has earned an “A” rating from the Arizona Department of Education, and 3 of our high schools have once again made the US News and World Report “Best High Schools” list. To move from being a great district to an even better one, we will need to focus on the following: 1) Valuing people: As a Governing Board member, I will be committed to crafting policies that recruit and retain the most highly qualified teachers and staff, and to establishing a culture of respect for all those who impact the lives of our children. 2) Creating community partnerships: As a Governing Board member, I will be devoted to helping parents and community members find ways to get involved in our schools and at the district level, and support communication among all the various constituents in our district and across our community. 3) Stabilizing funding: As a Governing Board member, I will promote our SUSD schools, and advocate for stable, consistent, adequate funding for public education at the local and state levels, always making sure that our tax dollars are well spent. By finding, keeping, and honoring the best people, re-engaging our community, and securing and monitoring funding, we can ensure that SUSD students receive the best education available. I am committed to serving the entire SUSD community by addressing with courage and integrity the challenges and opportunities that face our district and all public schools in the state of Arizona, so that we can both provide a great education for every child, and create schools that are a valuable community asset for us all.[4] |
” |
| —Francesca Thomas (2014)[5] | ||
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Francesca + Thomas + Scottsdale + Unified + School + District"
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Francesca Thomas' campaign website, "About," accessed September 29, 2014 (dead link) (dead link)
- ↑ Maricopa County Education Service Agency, "Filed Candidate Listing," August 25, 2014
- ↑ Francesca Thomas' campaign website, "What People Say...," accessed September 29, 2014 (dead link) (dead link)
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Maricopa County Education Service Agency, "Governing Board Candidates: Scottsdale Unified School District," accessed September 29, 2014
| 2014 Scottsdale Unified School District Elections | |
| Maricopa County, Arizona | |
| Election date: | November 4, 2014 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Incumbent Pam Kirby • Kim Hartmann • Laddie Guy Shane • Francesca Thomas |
| Important information: | Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
