Questions from the Community: Vote411/League of Women Voters to Carissa Thurman

Hi! I’m Carissa Thurman and I’m running for Lake Mountain school board seat 3!

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It is often frustrating for voters to learn about candidates, especially in local, or off-season elections. The League of Women Voters, a trusted nonpartisan organization, has sought to help.

They invited me and the other candidates to post our views on key issues for their 2025 VOTE411 Voters’ Guide, an online, nonpartisan resource that helps voters learn about candidates and make informed choices. They told me that over 62,000 Utahns turned to VOTE411 for information during the 2024 elections and they are continuing to grow as a resource for people to learn and make informed decisions in elections. They were not sure how many people specifically from our area will seek out the guide, but I have taken the time to reflect on their questions and provide the opportunity for those seeking their resource to learn about me.

When I initially started making my responses, I grossly overestimated how much space I’d have to answer. Thus what actually has made it into their guide is my very trimmed down (with the help of Chatgpt and my own brain) versions of the questions. I’ve included my full answers and my trimmed down TL;DR answers here as they will appear in the voter guide.

1. How will you ensure continuity in services, curriculum, and staffing during the district transitions?

TL;DR:

I’ve studied the Jordan/Canyons split to understand both successes & challenges. Our work ahead must protect our community’s voice, support staff/residents, & build unity around thoughtful, future-ready investments. This time, legislative guidance offers some stability: shared agreements, no immediate pay or benefit changes, & initial policy adoption. Even so, challenges will come. I’m committed to listening, planning wisely, and addressing concerns as they arise. With more time to prepare, we can build relationships, preserve continuity, and lay a strong foundation for our independent programs. Transitions are already happening, & we must support our teams with intention, listening, and strong leadership—so we come out stronger, together.

Expanded:

I’ve studied the Jordan/Canyons split from over a decade ago to better understand both the successes and the challenges those districts faced. We have important work ahead to protect and amplify our community’s voice, address staff and resident concerns, and build unity around smart, future-ready investments and strategies for schools and the community. 

However, one thing that will be different for our split and to our advantage, is that the legislature has dictated how some of these immediate transition aspects will occur. Ex. They have now required a set time for shared agreements between the new districts, no immediate changes to pay or benefits for our staff and educators, and initial adoption for policies. These will lend to less of a disruption than they experienced in that split for services, curriculum and staffing.  

However even with legislative guarantees, that does not guarantee that the immediate transition will be without challenges or require patience from those impacted by it. Still, I’m hopeful we can approach change wisely and gradually—being especially mindful of its impact on our most vulnerable and our valued staff. I am committed to examining concerns now and as they arise, and continually gathering data to guide how we best address people’s needs.  

Another thing to our advantage is that we will have more time to prepare for the transition than the Jordan/Canyons split. With that time, we should work to develop cooperative relationships with the other districts and explore continued or new community partners that will further ensure continuity for services. This will also allow us to be better positioned in building independent programs in the long term in a strong and sustainable way. Long term, if fiscal responsibility and what is best for our students align with  maintaining long term partnerships with the other districts, we can confidently move forward, or do the work for what is best for the students, their families and the community to more seamlessly serve them within and throughout our district.

Another thing we need to address is that staffing is already in transition even now.  As teams and systems shift, we must be intentional about building strong working relationships and a healthy organizational culture through each stage of transition. I have been trained in group processes and understand that while challenges will arise in change, even good change, that we all can come out better and stronger. We can and will be better together with strong leaders who are willing to listen, get to work, and find paths forward together. 

2. The board will have a unique opportunity to set the goals and priorities for our new school district. What programs should we retain from the previous district? Suspend? What new initiatives can we explore?

TL;DR:

The board has a rare opportunity to build something meaningful from the ground up. My mission is rooted in connection, shared responsibility, and long-term vision. I want schools where students, families, educators, and the community thrive. That means strong school cultures, increased wages, community partnerships, and thoughtful leadership. We must keep what’s working and implement needed changes gradually. I’ve heard concerns about inconsistent professional development and overextended admin; these should be addressed with data and care. I support new partnerships with small businesses and creative infrastructure—like micro-commercial spaces near schools—to strengthen our economy’s support of public education in sustainable, innovative ways.

Expanded:

The board has a unique opportunity to set goals and priorities to build something meaningful and lasting from the ground up. My mission is rooted in connection, shared responsibility, and long-term vision. I want to help shape a school ecosystem where students, families, educators, and our broader community can thrive together. That includes building strong school cultures, supporting students and staff, increasing wages for educators, constructing needed schools, and expanding partnerships with local businesses. By intentionally building our schools and district, we can ensure they are inclusive, sustainable, locally grounded, and truly excellent. 

One of our first and most important tasks as a board will be hiring a superintendent who can lead with the vision and values we create as a board. That decision will shape the future of the district and the futures of the kids and families it serves.  

What we should keep:
We should keep what’s working—what’s helping students grow, supporting educators and keeping things running well.  If change is needed, I believe it should happen gradually and thoughtfully.  Abrupt shifts can cause unnecessary disruptions, especially when people are relying on existing supports and systems.

What we should stop or re-evaluate:
Based on feedback I’ve received from educators, the current structure for school-led professional development is not uniformly or effectively helping them improve their teaching practice. District-level standards including training and evaluations, could improve by focusing on the effective implementation of high-leverage practices in the classroom. With Alpine’s site-based structure, some schools use PD time for high-leverage training aligned to classroom outcomes, while others use it for less focused activities. This imbalance creates inequity and weakens district-wide instructional progress. Efforts to maintain autonomy while still addressing these concerns should be explored. 

Another area to examine is that I’ve heard concerns that many administrators are stretched thin and unable to lead instructionally because they’re bogged down with operational and managerial tasks. When they are absent from the classroom, it becomes harder to make informed, student-centered decisions and to be leaders of the learning.

Before making final recommendations, I would want more data and input from educators, administrators, and staff. But these are clear concerns worth exploring to strengthen how we support our frontline staff.

When evaluating what to pause or change, I would weigh:

• Alignment with the district and board’s vision
  
• Budget feasibility
  
• Program or policy effectiveness
  
• The real-life impact on students, staff, and families
  

What we should start:
We should foster and expand partnerships with small businesses to support extracurricular programs, share resources for infrastructure, and strengthen student mentorship and career pipelines. The Jordan/Canyons split offers lessons here too. By strategically supporting commercial growth, we can strengthen long-term district sustainability—especially as our residential growth (more students and tax needs) outpaces commercial growth (tax revenue without added enrollment).

I also support creative infrastructure solutions—like building schools with adjacent micro-commercial spaces. These could be leased to local businesses who would benefit from school foot traffic, generate additional district revenue, and offer entrepreneurship opportunities for students and residents. Over time, this model can help grow home-based businesses into storefronts, strengthen our local economy, and expand the commercial tax base that funds public education.

3. What strategies will you implement to improve teacher retention and support, and how will you address the underlying causes of teacher dissatisfaction and turnover?

TL; DR:

Improving teacher retention starts with listening to concerns & responding with respect, clarity, & action. Many teachers worry about how the split will affect their benefits, retirement, & students. We must build trust by clearly communicating & planning with them in mind. I support thrivable, sustainable pay & benefits—and teachers’ right to organize & advocate for themselves. Respecting teachers as professionals also means avoiding micromanagement. They deserve autonomy to teach in ways that connect with students while being supported by fair standards & evaluations. Then when the work is still hard, strong relationships & positive school cultures help staff stay grounded in what matters most: helping kids thrive.

Expanded:

Improving teacher retention starts with listening to teachers’ concerns and acting on them with transparency and respect. Many teachers I’ve spoken with have shared fears about how the district split will impact their benefits, retirement, and job security. They also worry about potential disruptions to student learning and the quality of education. We must proactively respond to these concerns—creating clear, strategic plans that build trust and show staff that we are prioritizing their needs both inside and outside the classroom.

Pay and benefits matter. I would advocate for a living—if not thriving—wage for educators. While I understand there are budgetary constraints, teachers deserve to afford to live in the communities they serve and thrive in their work. Where it is feasible, I would support adjusting pay scales upward and expanding—not reducing—benefits and retirement options. I also support teachers’ rights to organize and advocate for themselves through unions and collective action.

Supportive leadership and autonomy are just as critical. Burnout is worsened when teachers feel micromanaged or mistrusted. I’ve personally experienced how demoralizing that can be, and I don’t believe teachers can thrive in a system where they lack autonomy. Teachers are professionals who bring unique strengths, experiences, and values to their classrooms. We should trust them to teach creatively and connect authentically with students—while also ensuring accountability through clear curriculum standards, hiring practices, and evaluation systems based on research and fairness. Trust and accountability should go hand in hand.

Culture and connection reduce turnover. Even when pay and policy can’t immediately fix challenges, strong relationships and peer support make a difference. We must foster positive school cultures where teachers feel supported by one another and their administrators. This will be essential especially as staffing adjustments are already being made in anticipation of the split and as our workforce continues to expand with the building of additional schools.  These human connections help staff stay grounded in the work that matters most: helping kids thrive.

4. How do you plan to address the achievement gap and ensure equitable access to high-quality education for all students in the district? What would you do to better assist underserved students and their parents?

TL;DR:

Equity requires listening, gathering feedback, & allocating resources in ways that remove barriers—so all students & families have what they need to thrive. To close achievement gaps & ensure equitable access, I’d advocate for a Student Support Services department modeled after Alpine’s, using data to guide supports for staff, students, and families & respond to needs of underserved students and families. I support thoughtful planning & inter-district agreements for continuity in programs like Polaris, Summit, CTE, & East Shore Online, with long-term goals of expanded/equitable local access across our schools for those & other programs like ALL & Dual Language.  We must also improve PD to focus on high-leverage teaching practices. 

Expanded:

To address the achievement gap and ensure equitable access to high-quality education, I would begin by advocating for the creation of a Student Support Services department modeled after Alpine School District’s current structure. Their department has effectively used data to identify both needs and successes, while providing targeted support and resources to teachers, staff, and families. In our new district, we must gather input from current department staff to understand their strengths and challenges and use that insight to build a responsive, equity-focused support system from the ground up. 

I would also prioritize thoughtful planning around specialized programs such as Polaris, Summit, and CTE. In the short term, I support inter-district agreements to maintain continuity for students currently enrolled or needing these services. Just as we should ensure access for our students in other districts, we should offer reciprocal access for students seeking programs already available in our area—such as East Shore Online. Long term, we must plan for these programs to be equitably available across multiple schools and regions within our district, reducing the need for school transfers and improving overall access. Other resources such as teen centers, and specialized programs that currently are not available at all schools  such as Advanced Learning Lab and Language Immersion would also benefit from similar strategic expansion to serve our students. 

Another critical step in reducing achievement gaps is ensuring that professional development actually improves teaching practice. If current school-led PD structures are not meeting that goal, they must be reevaluated. The district should invest in training around high-leverage practices, using successful models from high-performing schools as a guide. Improving instructional quality directly impacts student outcomes and is essential to equitable access.

To better assist underserved students and their parents, I would champion a culture of continuous feedback and communication. This includes actively seeking input from families, educators, and community councils to identify access gaps, resource needs, or communication breakdowns. With that data, we can implement improvements that are both targeted and measurable. 

Lastly, I believe equity is not a one-time initiative but an ongoing commitment. We must embed it in how we listen, plan, allocate resources, and evaluate success—ensuring every student and family has what they need to thrive.

5. What measures should the School Board take to ensure the mental health and well-being of students and staff in our schools? How would you advocate for these measures?

TL;DR:

We must create environments of belonging, safety, & trust for students & staff, impacting families, the school setting, & whole ecosystem where we live & learn.  This fosters meaningful, lasting growth in & out of classrooms.

Intentional support & appreciation of staff  impacts morale, effectiveness, and the environment built for students. Expanding/ strengthening staff MH benefits.  Continuing current partnerships (WBH) & exploring new ones for student MH services. In-home support from partners to further benefit students & families.  Adding BCBAs to our schools to act as expert coaches for staff in addressing  behavioral challenges & to support student needs. These & other efforts working together for the wellbeing of students & staff. 

Expanded:

As a licensed clinical social worker with years of experience in the mental health field, I’m passionate about bringing a holistic and systemic approach to schools. Mental health doesn’t exist in a vacuum—we must create empowerment for the “person in their environment.” That means looking at and supporting not just the individual, but also their family, the school setting, and the broader ecosystem in which they live and learn.

Alpine currently provides school social workers through a partnership with Wasatch Behavioral Health—a model that has effectively increased access to care for students and families. I will advocate to continue this partnership and explore new community collaborations that expand mental health and wellness support throughout the district.

I also support exploring the addition of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) in schools. As more students with Autism Spectrum Disorder participate in general education settings and teachers also experience behavioral challenges from students not on the spectrum, BCBAs can provide classroom support, staff coaching, and expert insight into behavioral strategies for these and other students. Their involvement can improve outcomes not only in school but also at home—especially when paired with community partnerships that ensure continuity of care outside the classroom.

Supporting staff mental health is just as essential. I will work to evaluate how employees access mental health services through their current benefits and identify ways to expand and strengthen those supports. Staff wellness directly impacts morale, effectiveness, and the environment we’re building for students. Likewise, our staff’s experiences in the schools of being supported and appreciated impacts their wellness inside and out of the classroom making our support efforts equally relevant. 

Ultimately, we must create environments of belonging, safety, and trust for both students and staff. Addressing mental health systemically—not just at the individual level—fosters meaningful, lasting change. When we support the whole person and the systems around them, we empower students, families, and educators to thrive both in and beyond the classroom.