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<h3>Pat Higgins For School Board Campaign ad </h3>Vote for a better tomorrow.

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"You deserve a School Board that listens to the public and puts kid first" –&nbsp;Pat Higgins

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My family has always believed we have an obligation to help make our community every way possible.

History of Community Service

Member, Abbott Loop Community Council, past Board Member, helped start Whisper Faith Kovich Dog Park

Member, Abbott Loop Community Patrol (started by my wife and me)

Past President, Friends of the Library

Volunteer, professional services for Alaska Girl Scouts, Alaska Special Olympics, Alaska Sea Life Center

Blood Donor, 15 gallons and growing

Sponsored, first Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit to Alaska for ASD students

Sponsored, first US Astronaut visit to Anchorage and Anchorage schools

Anchorage School Board Member, 2008 to 2017

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With a rich history of impactful service on the Anchorage School Board, Pat Higgins is running for reelection to continue his mission of transforming education in our community. From dramatically increasing graduation rates to cutting administration costs and expanding career technology education, Pat's leadership has been pivotal in shaping a brighter future for Anchorage's students.

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<h2>Pat is running for reelection to School Board Seat E. This is a municipal wide election.</h2><h4>Pat previously served on the School Board from 2008 to 2017 and was reelected in 2021.&nbsp;</h4>Pat is proud of his role in raising graduation rates from low 60’s to over 80 percent, cutting drop out rates almost in half, expanding career technology education for all students, and cutting administration costs 9 years in a row.&nbsp; Pat was elected in 2021 focused on improving academic outcomes.<h4>Pat and Patti have been married over 47 years and moved to Anchorage 41 years ago.&nbsp;</h4>They have three children who attended Anchorage schools and six grandchildren currently enrolled. They are appreciative of their teachers and proud of their educational progress.<h4>Pat and his wife Patti believe in community service.&nbsp;</h4>Pat is a member of Abbott Loop Community Council, a Community Patrol member, served as President of the Friends of the Library, volunteered with Girl Scouts, Special Olympics, and Sea Life Center.&nbsp; Pat and Patti sponsored the first Smithsonian exhibit and US Astronaut to visit Anchorage schools.&nbsp; Pat is a&nbsp;proud 15 plus gallon blood donor and still giving!

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Dozens of local organizations and leaders are standing together!

Pat Higgins for School Board

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Every hand helps, sign up to make a difference. Pat Higgins' campaign is built off of grass roots support. We can't do it without you. Our volunteers are the heart of our campaign and we appreciate everything they do for us.

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<h4>I&nbsp;believe the Board should challenge the District to set and achieve high goals, acknowledge the staff for successes and assume responsibility when it falls short.&nbsp; </h4>I agree with the Nation School Board Association that boards are responsible for being the voice of the public, including staff, students and parents, providing direction to the Administration and holding the Administration accountable.&nbsp;When I first joined the Board in 2008, a majority of the Board stated their job was to support the Administration. After I joined, the majority of the Board accepted that their job is&nbsp;to direct the Administration on its goals. From 2008 until I left the Board in 2017, we set and achieved some outstanding goals, including cutting the number of dropouts by half, increasing graduation rates by almost 20 percent, and expanding Career Technology Education.When I rejoined the Board in 2021, a majority of the Board once again said their job was not to provide direction or hold the administration accountable.&nbsp; I am pleased that the new Board is now following the direction set by the National School Board Association.

I&nbsp;believe the Board should challenge the District to set and achieve high goals, acknowledge the staff for successes and assume responsibility when it falls short.

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The Role of the School Board

<h3>The mission of the Anchorage School District is to prepare every student for success in life. </h3>To be successful, every student needs to graduate high school with a plan that leads to a career! College is only one of many paths that may lead to careers. There are lots of great career options and we need to help students see the connection between school and employment opportunities. Many job opportunities in the construction, medical and engineering career fields do not require a college degree and offer great pay in Alaska!In 2008 CTE was not a high priority for ASD Administration but it was for the public and students. As a Board member, I proposed goals that were unanimously approved by the full Board that resulted in expansion of CTE opportunities in high and middle schools.I am proud of my role in promoting more CTE in schools. It keeps kids in school, helps them learn, and gives them the opportunity for a great future!&nbsp;I am also proud of the initiatives today for College, Career and Life Ready programs.&nbsp; Working with the business community, ASD will focus on helping all students to be prepared for what happens after high school.&nbsp; Students need to be prepared to enroll in college, obtain career technology instruction in trades, or obtain jobs that allow advancement with additional training.&nbsp; Working with business, we will be exposing students to options, including apprenticeships, while in high school.

The mission of the Anchorage School District is to prepare every student for success in life. To be successful, every student needs to graduate high school with a plan that leads to a career!

Career and Technical Education

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<h3>The School Board today is responding to very difficult challenges.&nbsp; </h3>The impact of the COVID pandemic has reduced enrollment and remote learning has impacted academic outcomes.&nbsp;The State’s refusal to adequately fund public education has resulted in ASD facing huge deficits.&nbsp;And the shrinking workforce has resulted in a larger number of vacancies with increasing classroom sizes.Regardless of the challenges, we must continue to improve educational outcomes for all our students.&nbsp; Their future depends on our success.On July 1, 2022, the Board hired a new superintendent with high expectations.&nbsp;The Superintendent was challenged to find a way to improve academic outcomes while facing large financial deficits.&nbsp;I am pleased that changes are a Board priority, including curriculum changes.&nbsp;When I joined in 2021, 74 percent of staff and principals said they had no trust in the Superintendent and Administration.&nbsp;Today, that trust is being restored by respectful communications and a cooperative working environment.Academic scores are too low.&nbsp;We cannot focus on the reasons for failure but must seek alternatives to improve outcomes.&nbsp;Our early grades have over 10 more employees per classroom than more states allow under their “maximum effective classroom size”.&nbsp; But we can still do better.&nbsp;Differentiated instruction is critical to help all students advance a full year every year.&nbsp;A comprehensive plan must be implemented, regardless of obstacles.&nbsp;

The School Board today is responding to very difficult challenges.&nbsp;The impact of the COVID pandemic has reduced enrollment and remote learning has impacted academic outcomes.&nbsp; The State’s refusal to adequately fund public education has resulted in ASD facing huge deficits.&nbsp;

Academic Focus

<h3>The School Board is responsible for approving the ASD budget.&nbsp; As a Board Member from 2008 to 2017, I am proud of my role in cutting administration nine straight years to increase funding in the classroom!&nbsp;</h3>I ran for School Board three years ago to reestablish the Board’s Internal Operations Audit committee.&nbsp;I am proud that this has been achieved this year. The first two audits will focus on the process of responding to concerns from staff, public and students, and an audit of Purchasing.&nbsp;Today employees are not protected from retaliation for raising concerns, and parents have difficulty raising concerns above the principal.&nbsp; Failure to properly investigate concerns, including safety and compliance issues, is unacceptable.Two years ago Purchasing asked the Board to approve a contract for close to a million dollars stating it was an emergency purchase with no other qualified vendors. After I was approached by a different qualified vendor, Purchasing went out for bid and we saved the taxpayers over half a million dollars.&nbsp;This was unacceptable.The Board is now doing more than simply approve what the Administration proposes.&nbsp;We need to continue to expand our role to ensure all departments are run efficiently to maximize every dollar possible goes to delivery of education for our students.

The School Board is responsible for approving the ASD budget.&nbsp;As a Board Member from 2008 to 2017, I am proud of my role in cutting administration nine straight years to increase funding in the classroom!&nbsp;

Fiscal Responsibility

Here’s what the candidates had to say about their priorities and many of the issues Anchorage voters said they care about most.

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