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Katy Frey (West Chester Area School District Region 1, Pennsylvania, candidate 2023)
Katy Frey (Democratic Party) ran for election to West Chester Area School District Region 1 in Pennsylvania on May 16, 2023.[1]
Elections
2023
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Katy Frey completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Frey's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Hi! My name is Katy Frey (she/her). I am running for school board in Region 1 of the West Chester Area School District (WCASD). I was born and raised in the West Chester area and graduated from Unionville High School in 2017. I am a parent of a toddler who will be attending Hillsdale Elementary School in a few years. My daughter, Ingrid Rae, is biracial; therefore, it is important to me to make sure she attends a school that is inclusive and supportive of students of color.
Besides being a parent, I am a student at Temple University pursuing a master's degree in social work (MSW), with a focus on public policy and advocacy. I graduated with my bachelor's in 2021 from the University of Florida with a major in environmental management, and minors in African American studies, communications, and soil and water sciences.
Before I decided to run for school board candidacy, I was a policy staff writer at Ballotpedia. In this role, I researched and reported on different policy topics -- including public education. This experience taught me a lot about the public education system and the current education policy developments happening across the country.
In my free time, I love going hiking with my family, doing crossword puzzles, watching documentaries, and taking photos of nature.
- I seek to ensure that every student in WCASD be accepted and appreciated in the classroom regardless of race, gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religion.
- I aim to strengthen public education in the West Chester area community through transparency, fiscal responsibility, and collaboration.
- I support teachers, support staff, and administrative staff for all the hard work they do every day to ensure the students of WCASD receive the best education possible.
I am personally passionate about promoting academic excellence in the district by fostering inclusive and supportive learning environments for all students. The West Chester Area School District is known for its educational opportunities, academic excellence, and diversity. I would hope that as a school board member, I could contribute to the efforts to celebrate students of all identities.
West Chester Democratic Committee West Goshen Democrats
My first job was a babysitting position at the age of 14. I would watch my neighbor's three kids for a couple of hours per week while I was a freshman in high school. I continued to babysit for multiple families throughout my time in high school.
I am only 24 years old, so my memories span from the early 2000s. Many historical events have happened over the last two decades, but the first historical event I can remember is the economic recession of 2008. I was nine then and recall many family members and community members coming together to help those who had lost their jobs and were struggling to make ends meet.
Some people I look up to include my mother and my grandmother. They are both independent, strong women who made me feel empowered from a very early age. I would not be the person I am today if it wasn't for their guidance and love.
The primary job of a school board member is to ensure students receive the best education possible, and to support the teachers and support staff in accomplishing this task.
My constituents are all folks in the West Chester Area School District -- including but not limited to parents with students currently in WCASD, parents who will have students in WCASD in the future, former WCASD students, and teachers and staff.
I would support WCASD's diverse needs by collaborating with multiple stakeholders and experts. These stakeholders include parents, teachers, support staff, education experts, and students (including LGBTQ+ students, BIPOC students, and students with disabilities).
I intend to build relationships with the broader community by engaging with groups representing the many different populations within WCASD. I am particularly interested in working with groups that have historically been underrepresented in public education.
I want to build relationships with parents in the district by forming clear lines of communication. Whether meeting with parents in person or corresponding via email, I aim to collaborate with them to help create educational opportunities that fit their students' needs.
My preferred strategy to recruit faculty, support staff, and administration staff is to find candidates that live locally, are enthusiastic about public education, and are familiar with the West Chester community. I understand, though, that it is not always realistic and feasible to recruit local candidates.
My ideal learning environment is one where every student's background and culture are accepted and appreciated. I believe this is imperative to foster an educational environment where students feel engaged and excited to learn.
Good teaching occurs when teachers work with every student to ensure they feel welcomed in the classroom and are excited to learn. This can be measured through student surveys, classroom observations, and academic performance. While academic performance is important, I do not believe it is the only method for gauging student success.
I would hope to expand upon the school courses and programs for students that provide alternatives to attending a typical 4-year college (i.e. promoting TCHS programs).
I believe fiscal responsibility is very important. The board must make smart financial decisions that benefit the students of the district while also maintaining that the district remains an affordable place for the diverse residents of the West Chester area to live.
I believe that every student should be able to attend school and feel safe. It is for this reason that I advocate for stricter gun laws and legislation that bans assault rifles.
As a social work student, I understand how important it is for students, faculty, and staff to have access to mental health resources. I would hope to divert portions of the budget to support more mental health professionals within the district.
I think it was wise that the school district kept the mask mandate as long as it did, as this helped to protect vulnerable students and staff from potential harm.
I would like to implement more policies to support the mental health of students, teachers, and staff. In WCASD policy 246 titled "Student Wellness", there is very little discussion about mental health. It seems as if the policy mostly supports how to promote physical health. While physical health is important, there is increasing evidence demonstrating mental health crises among students and teachers. Therefore, the district must do more to provide greater mental health resources, along with physical health resources, to students, teachers, and staff in WCASD.
An elected official must be empathetic to the different circumstances and perspectives of their constituents.
It is most important that a school board candidate be willing to listen to the needs of students and parents, and implement effective policy that promotes student success.
I frequently recommend the book "Women, Race, and Class" by Angela Y. Davis, a political activist, abolitionist, and professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her book discusses the fight for equality in America using a feminist and anti-racist perspective.
I believe that I am very personable and relatable. I would hope that my constituents feel comfortable talking to me about their thoughts on and experiences with WCASD.
I would hope that I would be remembered as someone willing to advocate alongside marginalized groups for a more inclusive learning experience.
Growing up, I struggled greatly with my mental health. I suffered from extreme social anxiety as a child to the point where I dreaded going to school every day. By the time I was in middle school, I was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, and depression. I was fortunate enough to have the resources necessary to be able to meet with a psychologist and psychiatrist, who helped me receive treatment. After years in therapy, I was able to attend school without any stress or anxiety. Now as an adult, I am so much happier and more confident in myself than ever before. I attribute this transformation to the treatment I got for my mental health. It is because of this experience that I advocate for more mental health resources, particularly for students, teachers, and staff.
My head is constantly shuffling through songs. My B-List superpower is that I'm very good at memorizing song lyrics.
I love the book "The Anybodies" by Julianna Baggott. I read the series when I was in third grade and loved it! Whenever I read the book as an adult, I feel super nostalgic.
Anything from "Arrested Development".
"Spongebob Squarepants" was one of my favorite TV shows growing up. I would love to be a character on the show, preferably working alongside Mr. Krabs, Spongebob, and Squidward in the Krusty Krab.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
External links
[1] ↑ Submitted to Ballotpedia's candidate survey in 2023.
