Campaign email: jlichter.lichter@gmail.com
Website: https://janelichter.com/
Age: 60
Employment: Adjunct staff, New Leaders
Education: Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction, Loyola University of Maryland
Why are you running for the school board?
My commitment to BCPS is deep-rooted. I’ve lived in District 2 my entire life and worked my entire career in BCPS. I am running for the board to be part of the solution, give back to my community, ‘roll up my sleeves,’ and restore BCPS to a status of high academic excellence. In addition, my 37 years in education will allow me to bring the educators’ lens to the board, to make certain that the work teachers and principals do every day is included in decision-making.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
My commitment to the county as a lifelong resident and my varied experiences as a special educator, curriculum coordinator, school principal and executive director provide me a strong understanding of teaching and learning and the work that educators are doing daily. Using this knowledge and insight, as a board member, I will ask the relevant and difficult questions, study information and data, listen to stakeholder feedback, and ensure that the focus of the board remains on improving student achievement.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
I admire Liz Cheney for putting her country first, following her oath of office, and doing what she knows is right for America.
What is the most important issue facing your school board, and what would you do about it if elected?
BCPS must improve the academic achievement of all students. Too many students are not achieving at grade-level standards. BCPS must commit to a vision of high expectations, where curriculum and instruction are yielding positive outcomes for all students. Classrooms must be free of distractions, allowing teachers to teach and students to learn. BCPS must attract the best teaching candidates and ensure their longevity with the system. Identified benchmarks of success must be identified and actionable improvement plans created. Board members must advocate for the resources needed, monitor the data that tracks progress, and hold the system accountable for doing the work and gaining the results.
How concerned are you about school safety, and what if anything should be done to improve it?
Classrooms must be safe environments where teachers are able to teach and students are able to learn. We must identify root causes of discipline issues and ensure that solutions align with the cause of the behaviors. Discipline policies need to ensure teacher voice in decision making, as well as appropriate autonomy for principals when determining next steps for student discipline. With increased autonomy is the need for principal support. Designated school-based staff should be allocated to schools to assist principals with the day-to-day support of students experiencing a range of social emotional needs resulting in disruptions to teaching and learning.
Do you have any concerns about the way history is taught in your district’s schools, and if so, what are they?
Information is needed to ensure that the history being taught is inclusive and accurate.
Do you think there are circumstances when books should be removed from school libraries, and if so, what kind of books should be removed?
School systems should have a process to review materials that the public feels should be removed from libraries and/or classrooms. Criteria needs to be established as part of the process. It is critical that books are available for students to read about the world in which they live, as well as books that help students understand lives that are different than their own.
