Richfield School Board Candidate Amy Cossette: 'I Can Bring an Outside Voice'

Editor's Note: , Patch will be featuring individual Q&As with the candidates before the Nov. 8, 2011 election.

Amy Cossette, 34, is a stay at home parent who has lived in Richfield for 11 years. She has two children who attend the , one in kindergarten and the other in the first grade.

Richfield Patch: Why did you decide to run for the Richfield School Board?

Amy Cossette: I have two young children in the school system and it is important to me as a parent and as a community member to see the school succeed. I can bring an outside voice to the school board discussions.

Richfield Patch: What do you see as your particular qualifications for serving on the Richfield School Board?

Cossette: I worked in marketing for the City of Richfield. I not only have public sector experience but also experience dealing specifically with various citizen groups within Richfield. The fact that I have not been involved in the school district administration in the past should be seen as a benefit.  It allows me to have a different perspective, come up with new ideas and really question why things are done a certain way. This district needs to constantly adapt to stay relevant while retaining current students and drawing in new students.

Richfield Patch: What do anticipate will be the big issues facing the Richfield School Board during the next few years?

Cossette: The first major issue would be funding. I recommend a thorough budget review and benchmark of spending to other similar-sized school districts. That will allow us to see where we overspend and also identify areas that require more attention to remain competitive.

The second major issue is the retention of district students: those that are currently in elementary and those that currently choose to attend non-district schools. STEM and RDLS () should become K-12 schools to retain students after fifth grade. We need to do a much better job of marketing our schools to residents. There has been significant positive change in the district—let’s make sure everyone knows about it. Finally, we need to understand why roughly 25 percent of the children who live in the district don’t attend a district school and see what we can do to lower that percentage.

The third issue is the student achievement gap and test scores. We should look at other districts with similar demographics that have had success and adopt some of their best practices. There needs to be a bigger effort to bring in parents and/or community volunteers who could help out with children who may be behind. This also helps to strengthen the bond between the community and the school.