Monticello School Board Candidate - Aquino

Michael Aquino
Age: 49
Occupation: State Employee
Years lived in district: 12 years
Incumbent? No
Have you been on the school board or held any other public office before? If so please describe: No.
Why are you running for school board? I would like to contribute to the school board to ensure the future success of the students of Monticello, whether the students are in 4K or they are graduating seniors. A great school with opportunities and a great education are fundamental building blocks of a community. I would like to make sure that those building blocks are as solid as we can make them.
What issues do you find most important to the school board? How would you handle these issues? I see potential challenges in changing demands for our students' education over time. Over the past year, there were many differences and challenges in the way that our school had to operate. I feel that we can learn from that experience and may find some opportunities to grow because of it.
We need to ensure that we have good staff members that are responsive to student needs and are good relationship builders. We want our school to meet or exceed state expectations. The school board should always be working with the staff to make sure that they can achieve those goals. Any opportunities for our students to be in advanced or specialty classes, if desired, should be addressed also.
The school board should be in touch with any potential funding issues that may stand in the way of success and have a solid plan for dealing with those issues. In the end, we need to ensure that we use available resources to make sure students of all ages at Monticello have a chance to excel.
Any additional comments? A good school is one of the most important factors to attract people to our community. I would like to look at additional non-traditional opportunities for student extracurriculars that other larger school districts have available to their students, possibly leveling the playing field. Monticello Schools have the benefit of small class sizes, great attendance, wonderful graduation rates, dedicated staff, and a supportive community. I want to ensure that all our students have top-notch opportunities to be successful and competitive in today's changing educational world.