Re-Elect Tom Bennett for Bloomington School Board on or before November 2nd
As a special education teacher and School Board member, I have spent my adult life advocating for children, families, strong schools and great teachers. With your help, I would like to continue that advocacy on the Bloomington School Board. It is imperative that parents with school-aged children have a voice in the future and direction of our schools. With my children currently in the school system, I have a personal investment in the continued success of Bloomington Public Schools for years to come. With your vote, I can continue to be that experienced parent voice.
As a School Board Member I...
- Am the current Treasurer of Intermediate School District #917 School Board
- Advocated for the creation of and currently serving as Chair of School Board Policy Committee
- Am the Former School Board Vice Chair
- Am the Former Clerk of School Board
- Am the Former Treasurer of School Board
- Am the Former Chair of School Board Student Advisory Committee
- Succeeded in adding student school board representatives to the School Board
- Strived to increase School Board visibility at school events and within the community
- Worked to increase parent, student and community involvement in board committees and decision making
- Endeavored to build consensus and respect between board members
- Worked to increase transparency and accessibility
- Pushed for the passage of the district's Safe and Supportive Schools plan to address racial inequities and foster school environments that promote respect for and curiosity about all cultures
- Supported board professional development in educational equity
- Worked to strengthen current bullying and harassment policies to protect all students regardless of their immigration status or gender identity
- Updated School Board policies to remove gender specific pronouns
- Worked with School Board and City Council on a joint statement on immigration to show the community that we are One Bloomington and welcome all
- Supported the district to apply for and receive Voluntary Preschool Grant which helped reduce costs and provide free preschool
- Worked to value and pay preschool and ECFE teachers the same as K-12 teachers
- Supported the districts Computer Science Immersion Program and the fully online New Code Academy
- Was Elected to Minnesota School Board Association's Delegate Assembly
- Engaged in well over 300 hours of school board professional development
- Was the Recipient of Minnesota School Board Association's Directors' Award
- Advocated minimizing cuts from the classroom as the district went through several years of budget reduction
- Relied on science and advice from medical experts to inform decisions regarding schooling during a pandemic
- Conducted 2 successful superintendent searches with both Bloomington and ISD #917 School Districts
If Re-Elected I will continue to...
- Try and minimize cuts from the classroom
- Work to build consensus between board members
- Advocate lowering costs to parents and expanding preschool and ECFE classes
- Oversee equitable use of district resources
- Support maintaining small class sizes and small neighborhood schools
- Advocate for including Student Voices in Decision Making
- Engage with the community by attending school and city events and hearing from stakeholders
- Support offering fair and competitive salaries and benefits for teachers and employees
- Build a more inclusive and equitable district
- Fight for our most vulnerable students
- Advocate for adequate, predictable and sustainable school funding from the state that keeps pace with inflation
- Support research based innovative curriculum and programming that will increase academic achievement and close the opportunity gap
- Stand up for public education against forces that want to privatize and profitize our most cherished institution
- Rely on facts and science to help inform decision making
- And continue to advocate for children, families, strong schools and great teachers
