Ms. Sarah Boyer
Q: What qualities do you possess that set you apart from other candidates, and what prior experience do you have that qualifies you for this position?
A: As the only candidate currently in the classroom on a day-to-day basis, I bring practical and current experience to the School Board. My background in Special Education and Instructional Coaching also sets me apart. In my role as an instructional coach, I support teachers with personalized professional development to improve student outcomes. As a Rockwood parent, PTO member, and Girl Scout troop leader, I’m committed to supporting our community and advocating for policies that ensure every student thrives.
Q: Is there a specific goal or issue that you would like to address if elected to the Board of Education, and what is your plan to do so?
A: One of the biggest issues facing Rockwood is teacher salary and the teacher shortage. To ensure Rockwood continues to attract and retain high-quality educators, we must offer competitive salaries while also fostering a work environment where teachers feel valued and supported. I believe we need to be fiscally responsible while also exploring creative solutions to increase teacher salaries and enhance retention. Some ways to do this include advocating and looking for creative ways to increase teacher benefits and salaries, supporting paths for teacher growth, and partnering with local and state leaders to advocate for policies that will support our teachers.
Q: What does a quality education mean to you and how will you use your role to ensure that every student receives that?
A: A quality education means providing every student with the tools, support, and opportunities they need to succeed, both academically and personally. It involves creating an environment where students feel valued, challenged, and empowered to reach their full potential. A quality education is not one-size-fits-all, and success does not look the same for each student. In my role, I would work to ensure that we champion programs that recognize and nurture the diverse strengths and needs of each student by supporting well-rounded curriculums, empowering teachers to meet students’ needs, and listening to families and students to ensure their voices are shaping the learning experience. I would be dedicated to ensuring every student in Rockwood receives a quality education that prepares them for success in their future.
Q: Currently do you think that our school district provides a climate where every student has the opportunity to be successful?
A: Based on our climate survey data, it appears that Rockwood is meeting the needs of a vast majority of students. However, this is not something that we can take for granted or assume will always be true. I know from experience in the classroom that surveys cannot always paint a full picture and that some students may not be accurately represented by the data.
To ensure every student has a voice and the opportunity to be successful, we must foster an environment of trust, open communication, and positive relationships. One way to do this is by fostering and growing intentional student voice initiatives, such as student advisory committees, student-led conferences & panels, and mentorship & peer advocacy programs. By prioritizing student voice and empowering teachers to respond to student needs, we can create a climate where every child has the opportunity to succeed—not just the majority, but all.
Dr. Mara Vorachek-Warren
Q: What qualities do you possess that set you apart from other candidates, and what prior experience do you have that qualifies you for this position?
A: I have over 20 years of experience in teaching at both the high school and college levels. I currently serve as an academic administrator at a community college and have over 7 years of experience planning, budgeting, and in developing curriculum. I have previously volunteered for Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, CYC Sports, and my children’s elementary school. My educational background is in the field of biochemistry, so my natural tendency is to approach situations as a scientist. I listen, do my own research, and study problems deeply before offering solutions to challenging problems. I also am not afraid to ask the tough questions. I am passionate about public education and have dedicated the majority of my working career to ensuring we continue to have thriving schools. Lastly, I was appointed to serve on the Rockwood School Board in June 2024 to fill a short-term vacancy so I have around 9-months of experience already in this role.
Q: Is there a specific goal or issue that you would like to address if elected to the Board of Education, and what is your plan to do so?
A: One primary goal is to ensure our resources are used effectively to support every student, whatever their journey and own goals may be. Again, I work at a community college. We are open-enrollment and provide educational opportunities to students with a wide array of aspirations and reasons for enrolling in college courses. We are also publicly funded, so looking for innovative ways to provide the resources students need to be successful is huge part of my every day. I plan to continue to translate these experiences to my service to the district as a BOE member.
Q: What does a quality education mean to you and how will you use your role to ensure that every student receives that?
A: To me, quality education means students are feeling safe, supported, challenged, mentored, and cared for in our schools. Students who feel socially and emotionally secure are far more likely to achieve. (This is not a new idea and has at its very basis Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs). As the district creates its next five-year strategic plan this year, I will work to make sure all of these basic principles are incorporated into the new framework. Additionally, I will advocate for better funding to ensure the teachers and staff who provide the most support to students feel supported themselves.
Q: Currently do you think that our school district provides a climate where every student has the opportunity to be successful?
A: This question is probably the most difficult to answer as I cannot possibly speak for 19,000 students’ experiences. However, I do think that the staff and teachers do a phenomenal job of responding to parents of individual students when they feel like the climate is not providing the opportunity they are looking for. In January my children just completed their course selection for 9th grade and four-year proposed plan, and attended an orientation night at the high school they will attend in the fall. The number of choices of courses and activities they will have to choose from during their four years in high school is astounding. Additionally, I attended the final strategic plan-related community engagement meeting at which an amazing number of student services were introduced and described. I do think the district has and is continuing to create a climate of opportunity for every student, but I also understand that I’m not every student and that there will always be room for us to improve upon what we have.
Ms. Izzy Imig
The Bugle reached out to Imig’s campaign and district emails, we received no response. According to a Rockwood School District Parent Square post March 12, Director Izzy Imig has resigned effective March 11. She cites her reason for resignation as “health and personal reasons” according to the post. “Ms. Imig has indicated that she no longer would like to be considered a candidate for the upcoming April 8 election… it is not possible for her name to be removed from the ballot, but we wanted to alert the community of her resignation and withdrawal from the race.”
