Jackie Lesh
Elections and appointments
Personal
Contact
Jackie Lesh ran for election for an at-large seat of the Academy School District 20 school board in Colorado. She lost in the general election on November 2, 2021.
Lesh completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Jackie Lesh was born in Ohio. She earned a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2001 and a graduate degree from Regis University in 2019. Lesh’s career experience includes working as an early childhood special educator at CPCD Head Start. She has also worked as licensed guest staff at Academy School District 20, as a preschool teacher, and as the owner of a small business providing parent/child classes.
As of September 2021, Lesh was the secretary of the El Paso Council PTA. She has also held the following positions:
- Academy School District 20, budget subcommittee and district accountability committee member
- Chinook Trail Middle School, school accountability committee member
- Chinook Trail Elementary School PTA, president, vice president, and secretary
- Chinook Trail Middle School PTSA, secretary[1]
Elections
2021
See also: Academy School District 20, Colorado, elections (2021)
General election
Endorsements
To view Lesh's endorsements in the 2021 election, please click here.
2021
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jackie Lesh completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Lesh's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Education & Classroom Experience:
As a licensed Colorado educator with a master’s degree in education and years of teaching experience, I have a first-hand perspective on the challenges facing D20 students, staff, and administration. My time in classrooms over the past 10 years has given me in-depth knowledge of the school district's short- and long-term educational objectives, and the insight to implement strategies to accomplish these goals.
District Knowledge & Involvement:
As a member of the District Accountability Committee (DAC), School Accountability Committee (SAC), and a D20 licensed guest staff, I have a deep understanding of D20. I have developed outstanding working relationships with administrators, teachers, and parents to maintain the very high education standards our community expects.
Leadership & Volunteering:
As a Board member of the El Paso Council PTA, Board member of school PTA Boards for the past five years, and a member of multiple District 20 committees, I have worked to create a community partnership with schools, staff, and families. As an engaged parent with three children in D20 elementary, middle and high schools, I have won Volunteer of the Year and helped raise thousands of dollars to support students, teachers, and staff in the district.
- Teacher & Staff Support: As a teacher, I understand the importance of faculty recruitment and retention, by providing competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a supportive work environment for our teachers and staff. I am committed to preserving and improving our ranking as a high-achieving school district.
- Student Social & Emotional Health: As someone who has spent many hours in our classrooms, I recognize the need to expand awareness about mental health in our schools. By fostering social and emotional competency, we can help create a positive and safe school environment and foster a culture that promotes mutual respect for our students and staff.
- Fiscal Responsibility & Accountability: As part of the District Accountability Budget Subcommittee and a former small business owner, I have the working knowledge and understanding to monitor fiscal accountability and manage district growth. Through thoughtful, site-based decision making, we will ensure accountability to local communities.
I am passionate about education. I believe in creating a safe and welcoming environment by promoting advocacy for all children and making sure they receive a quality education. We need to prepare our students for the rapidly changing world which they will enter after graduation and ensure opportunities to combine college preparatory academics with technical training and workplace experience.
In order to best prepare our students for the next level, we need to have quality, experienced teachers and staff. New teachers too often feel unprepared to teach and manage a classroom of their own when they graduate. We can do more to accelerate the learning curve by expanding teacher residency programs, clinical preparation, and induction programs to improve new teachers’ skills and by extension, their students’ learning. We need to maintain a positive relationship by investing in our teachers and staff to build loyalty across the district. Low teacher pay is also a factor in retaining quality educators. To ensure that high-quality teacher candidates enter the profession and that excellent teachers stay in the profession, all educators should be trained and compensated like the professionals they are.
My mother was a pivotal figure in my life and is the reason I became a teacher. She taught elementary school, mainly fourth grade for 27 years. She was a pioneer in her school, becoming the first teacher who returned to teaching after the birth of her first child. At the time, when teachers had their own children they stayed home with them. My mom had great care child and support from her husband (my dad) and my grandmother and returned to teaching, which caused a stir in her district. She went on to have three children all while continuing the teaching career that she loved so much. Once a year I got to visit her classroom and often helped her grade papers in the evening. She taught me how to care for others and how to best meet their needs through her innovative teaching styles.
As a candidate for the D20 School Board I appreciate the unique and shifting needs of our students, allocating resources such as time, money, and personnel to adjust to the ever changing needs of our schools. I am mindful of the accountability to the communities that entrust their children to D20 schools.
I feel that effective policy makers today make their greatest gains by asking appropriate questions, using researched data, and having a broad focus on student concerns. As an educator, I will be a champion for education initiatives and promote achievement for all students.
As a candidate for an upcoming school board election, I feel that keeping the students best interests in mind by supporting student learning is the number one responsibility for all candidates. School board elections are non-partisan and should not be political. Candidates should be viewed on their own merits rather than as a member of a political party. I am dedicated to education. My goal is to help all children receive a quality education and reach their highest potential.
The first historical event that I remember was the space shuttle Challenger explosion on January 28, 1986. I was sitting at my desk in a first grade classroom, my teacher had just pushed a large TV stand into the room so we could all watch the shuttle take off. Shortly after liftoff, the shuttle exploded. We were all shocked and unsure if what we saw was really happening. After a few minutes our teacher turned off the TV and had to explain to us there was an explosion and that the astronauts including the first teacher/civilian in space had died. It was my first experience with tragedy, it's something I will never forgot.
When I turned 16 years old, I got a job at a local McDonald's. I worked there for two years, mainly in the drive thru. I learned how to multi-task, provide quality customer service, and to think on my feet. It taught me how to interact with customers and be a team player. I moved up to trainer and even earned several awards from the company. It was a great experience. I took the lessons I learned from my first job and applied those to my future endeavors.
I am currently reading Becoming by Michelle Obama. She has such an inspiring story! She defied expectations and filled her life with meaning and accomplishments. She is truly one of the most iconic women in our era.
Academy District 20's School Board is run by policy governance. Policy Governance is an operating system for boards of directors. Board policies express the board's dedication, commitments, and values. The primary responsibility of the board is to hold accountable their one employee, the superintendent. The School Board provides administrative oversight based on the policies and procedures which have been put into place. The school board is a balance between the leadership of the district and the community which has elected them to that position.
The constituents are the staff, teachers, parents, students, and community members in District 20.
Continuing to support the District 20 Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) task force initiatives and implementing their recommendations can provide growth towards including all students. Diversity in the classroom can lead to students’ increased cultural understanding, stronger critical thinking skills and enhanced creativity. Educators can establish a tone of inclusion, emphasizing that all perspectives are valuable, ultimately fostering a wider appreciation of our human differences.
A major issue that has affected students and staff in the past year has been the educational gaps due to the pandemic. By proving multi-tiered systems of support in the classrooms to reduce student to teacher ratios, providing differentiated methods of learning, and adapting learning experiences to a student’s area of need, we can produce positive student outcomes and help close educational gaps.
The mental health needs of students and staff are more important than ever before. Due to the pandemic, the amount of anxiety, depression, and stress that people are experiencing are at an all time high. Using risk-assessment tools, creating smaller group settings for students, maintaining connection touch points through programs like RULER, and championing a culture that empowers peers to look out for each other such as the Sources of Strength model are all ways we can support students. Educators and administrators can help by making available dedicated resources for mental well-being, fostering social connections, providing meaningful interactions and encouraging community. Educators and administrators should be proactive in sharing information about mental well-being programs available on their campus and in the community as well as school policies with parents, so that adults are working together to identify and address problems before they become more serious. Schools can provide teachers and staff self-care options such as meditation before work, regular morning check ins with their teams, providing opportunities for staff collaboration and creating coping strategies. By working together we can support the social and emotional needs for our students and staff during these challenging times.
Having students and teachers in our schools learning and growing together provides academic, mental, social, emotional, and physical wellness and stability. We want and need students in school to effectively deliver instruction and support their wellness. District 20 will continue to maximize the space in schools and create social distancing as much as possible. They will also continue using various techniques and cleaning supplies to ensure schools are clean and sanitized. District 20 administrators are constantly monitoring and evaluating all options to keep their schools open and our students learning in person.
Studies of successful schools indicate that a high rate of parental involvement is a major factor in their success and can even help close the achievement gaps. I would invite parents to be partners in their child's education. Deepening relationships with families is key. I feel that the key to positive and productive parent engagement is a good flow of communication between schools and home. Keeping parents in the loop on an ongoing basis sets the tone for an open exchange with students’ parents and caregivers. Schools should develop and communicate a process for regular, ongoing communication throughout the year so parents know what to expect. Teachers should focus on building relationships with parents to establish trust and foster those relationships throughout the year. Schools should also ensure that parents have opportunities to build rapport with their child’s support network such as involving families in learning activities. A strong school culture of parental involvement leads to a thriving school community where every teacher, parent, and student has the opportunity to connect and be actively engaged.
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See also
External links
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 13, 2021
