Deirdre George Davis, who is running for school board in Washington Township, aims to achieve equity for all students and close the achievement gap. George Davis has been around the Township since she moved here in 2008 and has had children who have graduated from the district. George Davis hopes to land a spot on the school board as it is her first time running.

Q: What are your short term goals for the township?

A: My short term goal is to learn as much as I can from current and previous board members. To truly learn the ebbs and flows of board membership.

Q: What are your long term goals for the township?

A: Long term, my biggest priority is equity in education. In order for students to have the best experience possible and to truly understand and maximize their potential, they need to be met where they are. We spend a lot of time honoring the big performing students and assisting those with social needs, that those who are in the middle often are not pushed to their full potential. There is no one way that works for all students. My hope is to create an environment that is inclusive, free from bias, so that everyone is afforded the same opportunities, in whatever way works best for them. I also would seek to build community partnerships. Washington Township is more than schools. It is a community and we should be leveraging those ties and working together for the advancement of our schools.

Q: Why do you want to be on the school board?

A: I am the proud parent of a 2020 graduate. MSDWT is the only place my children have been educated. I love this district and have been an active parent and strong and vocal advocate for public education since moving here in 2008. Being a member of the school board would allow me to have a broader reach in the work that I am already doing, to touch more lives and more families in an effort to provide the best experiences for both teachers and students.

Q: What is the number one thing you would change within the township? Why would you change it?

A: If I had a magic wand and could change any one thing, I would make sure the district hired and retained quality teachers that mirror the demographic of our students. If nothing else, recent events in the news around the world have taught us that representation matters and the two glaring issues are race and gender biases. Admittedly, some teachers do not even realize they have certain biases. The difficult conversations have to happen so that all students (and teachers) feel safe and comfortable sharing their experiences in a welcoming learning environment.

Q: How would your goals help the students and teachers?

A: My goals of creating an equitable environment of inclusion create a safe space for learning and relationship building between students, teachers and staff. It also allows the community to be a part of that process.

Q: What strengths do you have that will help/improve the township?

A: I am an epidemiologist. I have worked in this field for over 22 years. As such, I create, implement and evaluate evidence based programs, based on the needs at that time. There is a lot of talk about what the district needs and does not need. I also have experience in creating and implanting strategic plans. The combination of the two is crucial to any entity that is looking towards driving and creating change. You must know how to collect the data and then when you have it, you need to know what to do with it.

Q: What motivates you to want to be a school board member?

A: As stated above, I love this district and there isn’t another place I would consider living or educating my children in Indiana. I have worked tirelessly for the good of this district for the last 12 years, paying particular attention to building relationships. I sought this seat on the board as a means of growing that, reaching more and doing more for the community that I love.