“When it’s time to vote, Chew’s (choose) the right candidate!”
– Felicia Chew http://www.feliciachew.com
Hello!
My name is Felicia Chew. I am running for Amphitheater Public Schools Governing Board — to help us be whole again.
As governing board member, I will work to ensure policies are:
- restorative, not punitive
- working for creating healthy and safe environments
- student centered
- equitable
- supporting the development of successful students and schools, who add value to community health and wellness
Felicia brings:
As governing board member, I will work to ensure that the budget:
- allocates funding without waste or duplicity
- includes sustainable returns on investment
- addresses the needs of all students and employees
As governing board member, I will work to support and improve communications and relationships between our schools and the community, and ensure policies do not unnecessarily impede relationships within the community, including:
- School-Business partnerships;
- University interns;
- Community volunteers
“Policies should add value to community health and wellness. The budget should address the needs of all students and employees.”
– Felicia Chew http://www.feliciachew.com
Please print out my petition, sign it, and ask others to sign! 🙂 The 2018 campaign collected over 400 signatures with the help of TUSD teacher and Amphi Resident Lucy LiBosha, Amphi parent Yumi Wong, and local musician Al Perry –including Wake Up Tucson’s Chris DeSimone, Marriott’s Mark Van Buren, Superintendent Todd Jaeger, Amphi Teacher Andy Morales, Amphi Principal Christine Sullivan, former Amphi EA President John Fife, and CDO parent advocate Beth Lake. Unfortunately, due to petition signature guidelines, too many signatures were invalidated.
I served on Holaway Elementary’s PTO Board from 2012-2018 (my son promoted from Grade 5, and attends AMS), and the Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Council from 2013-2014, and I served on the District Strategic Planning Committee, the Superintendent’s Community Board, and as a member of the Community Outreach to Restore Education group.
“I am running to make things better for students, employees, and our community.”
– Felicia Chew http://www.feliciachew.com
I am a teacher, certified in Elementary Education, with an English Supplemental, First Aid/CPR certification, and Advanced Crisis Training and Victimology Training through the Pima County Attorney’s Office. I volunteer on the crisis van as a victim advocate, and have worked in self-contained classrooms, English Language Learner Programs, Gifted and Talented Education (REACH), and taught in the Woodland Joint Unified School District and Davis Joint Unified School District in California, on the Zuni Indian Reservation, in the Gallup-McKinley County School District (New Mexico), and in Tucson in the Amphi School District at Holaway Elementary and La Cima Middle School, and TUSD at Utterback Magnet Middle School, Mansfeld Magnet Middle School, Sahuaro High School, and Tucson High School. I have also worked with Flowing Wells School District, Presidio Schools, the Tucson Hebrew Academy, Eastpointe High School, Bright Star Learning Center, Animas Dance Studio, ZUZI! Dance, and Felicia Chew Community Projects.
I recognize that students are not a “one-size fits all”, and will work to ensure that policies and funding support and engage our community of learners.
“It takes a village to raise a child.”
– African proverb
I believe in individual and community responsibility. I believe that the Food Services program funds could be better utilized. I believe there should be more support services.
Teachers are losing time on practices that have been deemed “best” by policymakers who are unfamiliar with the art of teaching. Educators and staff are demoralized, as more emphasis is placed on tests, rather than students.
Those who are “in the trenches” have valuable perspectives and can identify where the gaps are. As a teacher, a mother, a victim advocate, and a network weaver, I am able to share and listen for perspectives that have been overlooked or dismissed.
“We do the best that we can do with what we have; and we need legislators, governors, and governing board members to legislate and provide adequate resources, training, and policies for real solutions.”
– Felicia Chew http://www.feliciachew.com
With restructuring, para pros could be utilized more efficiently; interns could be used more efficiently; older people in the community could be brought in to the schools. Unfortunately, policy, mindset and not having enough money prevents these programs from getting off the ground. I will advocate for more funding, and a useable budget with funding options.
At a former school, I had created an action plan to help alleviate the flooding in the Courtyard (including grant funding, support services, etc). Policy kept the project from coming to fruition. I will work to support teachers in developing and implementing meaningful activities with and for students.
The KIDCO summer lunch program was cut a few years ago. It was due to a misinterpretation of policy. I worked to restore the program. And, at the recent Wellness Committee meeting, many parents spoke up about the poor food choices. Conditions surrounding use of federal monies were cited for the reasons they could not be offered. While a teacher at La Cima Middle School, I advocated for healthier food choices, and we were selected as the site for the fruit and veggie bar pilot program. I will continue to advocate for, and support staff in implementing policies for healthy nutrition for our students and staff.
Pictures of outdated, textbooks in poor condition are a distraction. The problem is in how they are being cared for. Book lovers have books older than textbooks in their homes that are in better condition. Poor condition books are a symptom of lack of respect and consideration for others.
Lack of consideration and respect, and dehumanization of others are a result of fear, implicit bias, and lack of education, and punitive consequences, rather than restorative practices. I will work to ensure policies and the budget support programs that develop mindfulness, and healthy mental development.
“We must empower (not coddle) our students, providing them with real-world experiences and opportunities.”
– Felicia Chew http://www.feliciachew.com
Unfortunately, we are taught that shiny new things are better than old things. Does education and funding need to be set on a different course? Yes. Business people know that continuous improvement is necessary when managing a successful business, because of natural and systemic change.
“Our policies and funding are not meeting the needs of our community — leading to the community crumbling — and a crumbling community affects all of us.”
– Felicia Chew http://www.feliciachew.com
As a teacher, an Asian-American Studies major, a survivor of domestic violence, a survivor of bullying, a Chinese American daughter of immigrant parents — a mother who remembers too vividly having to flee Communist China, a father who experienced racism as a young boy — a mother of children with divorced parents, I understand the power of stories, history, personal experience. I understand the power of fear. I understand the fear of being de-valued. I understand PTSD. I understand depression. I will work to help our District navigate through these challenges, and empower our students and staff to face these challenges.
I hope you choose to sign my petition, share my petition with others, and choose to have me help guide our District in a direction that allows for success for each of us, and for all of us.
Thank you!
Respectfully,
Felicia 🙂 ❤
Why “Vote Felicia Chew”? Click here for 8 great reasons!
Endorsements and Character Statements of Support
We are each a piece of the puzzle of life 