Sarah Smith (Tulsa Public Schools, Oklahoma)

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Sarah Smith

Nonpartisan

Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education District 6

Tenure

2024 - Present

Term ends

2028

Years in position

1

Predecessor

Jerry Griffin

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

April 2, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

University of Tulsa, 2000

Personal

Religion

Christian

Profession

Information technology professional

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign X

Sarah Smith is a member of the Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education in Oklahoma, representing District 6. She assumed office on April 15, 2024. Her current term ends in 2028.

Smith ran for election to the Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education to represent District 6 in Oklahoma. She won in the general election on April 2, 2024.

Smith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Sarah Smith earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Tulsa in 2000. Her career experience includes working as an information technology professional.

Smith has been affiliated with the following organizations:

• CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate)
• PARB (Post Adjunction Review Board)
• AAF (American Advertising Federation)
• Reading Partners
• Grief Center
• Tulsa County Election Poll Official

Elections

2024

See also: Tulsa Public Schools, Oklahoma, elections (2024)

General election

General election for Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education District 6

Sarah Smith defeated Maria Mercedes Seidler in the general election for Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education District 6 on April 2, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sarah Smith (Nonpartisan)	72.6	1,375
		Maria Mercedes Seidler (Nonpartisan)	27.4	519

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,894
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

The primary election was canceled. Maria Mercedes Seidler and Sarah Smith advanced from the primary for Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education District 6.

Endorsements

Smith received the following endorsements.

• Protect TPS

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Sarah Smith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Smith's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m a proud Tulsa Public Schools alum and a mom to four current TPS students. I graduated from Nathan Hale High School within District 6 of Tulsa Public Schools. I went on to The University of Tulsa, where I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication.

I have served on the board of my neighborhood association for nearly 10 years and as an officer on three different PTA boards over the past 12 years. I’m have been an active, involved parent for my four boys during elementary, middle, and now high school in Tulsa Public Schools,

For the past 20 years, I have focused on building community bonds through effective communication and hard work. I have served on more than a dozen clubs and boards of directors but is most proud of her work with the Tulsa County Post-Adjudication Review Board (PARB), as well as Count Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).

My husband, four son, and I are members of Harvard Avenue Christian Church.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Attract and keep teachers in the classroom – focus on student learning by reducing class sizes and strengthen school services
• Support families and students – focus on student learning by building a supportive community where students can succeed
• Transparency and Accountability – Ensure tax dollars are spent wisely and efficiently

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I’m an advocate for public education. I have no interest in other political positions. Effective school boards should focus on student outcomes and use data to make decisions about how to improve those outcomes.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Showing up! If your elected official isn’t available, then nothing else can happen. Once there, listen! Our elected officials must listen to all constituents, or they won’t begin to understand what needs to be done.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

As part of my current job, I find ways to use software tools to improve business processes, in an effort to create resource efficiencies. In other words, I find solutions to problems. I'm not too proud to admit that I don't know everything: none of us do. But when we are humble and willing to listen to all voices and open to new ideas from people who have different experiences then we do, then we can begin to find the answers to our problems.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

The school board should work together along with the Superintendent and district leaders to define district priorities and set goals. The board should support the Superintendent and her staff as they work to execute the tactics that aligned with those goals and priorities. Board must also approve budgetary spending, which should be tracked to ensure spending aligns with the district’s defined goals.

Who are your constituents?

Students, families, teachers in district 6 and throughout Tulsa, but also all the student, families, and Team Tulsa staff throughout the city. Each board member votes to important issues that impact every student and every school site.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

Tulsa Public Schools is the largest district in the state with nearly 34,000 students, so it stands to reason that the student body is vastly diverse.

The district needs to closely evaluate the needs of all students, families and teachers throughout TPS. Striving for equity means to making sure we provide the resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. Equality is providing the same thing for each student. When we meet families and student where they are, we can focus on providing the resources they need on an individual basis.

Continued training in diversity, equity and inclusion is needed for board members, district leaders and the whole Tulsa team. The district must increase efforts to hire teachers and staff of diverse backgrounds.

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

Designate a support facilitator and/or school counselors at each school as safe havens. A place that any student can go to seek help, advise or a break from stressors.

Look into ways to expand partnerships with organizations like Family and Children’s Services to provide additional resources.

Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

Children are ready and able to learn when their basic physical and psychological needs are meet. Those basic needs include a physically and emotional safe environment, free from harassment and bullying.

Issues of homelessness and food insecurity can also create stress and trauma that make is difficult to learn. Schools should make sure that families know about resources, and work with the city and local agencies to help every child.

What will you do to build a relationship with parents in the district?

Meet them where they are. Make sure all constituents know how to reach out to me. Respond to ideas and inquiries in a timely manner and with respect.

Join and attend parent association meetings, and then do more listening than talking.

After meeting first with the Superintendent and fellow board members, I would begin scheduling meetings with important stakeholders. Those groups would include teacher associations and support staff unions, and school administration.

I build relationships within such groups by listening to concerns and working to find solutions. I make it a point to reply to emails and phones, follow through, doing what I say I will do and showing up when I say I will show up.

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.

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