Kassey Cameron, Zone C Concord School Board Candidate

Kassey Cameron

Age (as of Election Day)

35

Position sought (including district number if applicable)

Zone C School Board Member

Party Affiliation

Family

Husband Eric Cameron and two children ages 6 and 10.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Clinical Psychology and Neuroscience

Occupation

I am the owner and creator of Keto4Karboholics. My work involves providing valuable resources, instruction, and support to help people make positive changes in their health through utilizing a program put together by myself. My program is built on a solid foundation of peer-reviewed research and my extensive experience working with over 200,000 men and women to ensure that individuals receive the most effective guidance in adopting healthy lifestyle change. Additionally, my expertise has led to the publication of a bestselling cookbook, which has earned recognition on several bestseller lists and health/fitness magazines and blogs.
Years of experience: My company was started in the summer of 2017.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

The President of the Mill Brook PTA. But if you are asking about a public office, I have never ran for office before.

Campaign website

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551309394801

Why are you seeking elective office?

As a Concord resident with two children in the School District I wanted to play an active role in supporting out schools and children. Since my children started school in Concord I have been actively involved in the PTA, volunteering in their schools, and helping to ensure children in the school have the necessary tools for success. It is my hope that I can take what I have learned in these past 5 years and apply that towards making a larger impact in our community and schools.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Change. Even in the relatively short period of time that I have been out of school (graduated high school in 2007) so much has changed. When I started elementary school we didn't have computers and iPads. We did our research papers using utilizing the Dewy Decimal System to locate reference books in the library to copy down information to write our papers. We sat in our desks the majority of the day and we did lots of memorizing. But things have changed. Research in education, neuroscience, psychology, and sociology (just to name a few areas) has grown leaps and bounds during this time and our understanding of education has changed with that knowledge. And with this change in educating comes change in how we support our teachers and students as well as how we manage our schools as a district. Change scares people. But in this case, we now know better and we can do better. But to do this we need to make sure that we support these changes with evidence based science and an expectation to put our students and their success first. But this isn't the only way change is impacting out district and board. The change to our city and overall country's economy is changing. Affordable housing is an issue, inflation, the rising cost of living, and the ever decreasing amount of power our dollar holds. I understand all too well as a tax payer that taxes continue to go up and our salaries do not. Financial security has changed for many Concord families. As an autonomous school board we have an obligation to be fiscally responsible and balance the needs of both the schools and communities we serve. As a mother and business owner I am responsible for managing a strict budget and balancing the needs, wants, and our future financial stability.If elected I plan to keep both of these challenges at the forefront of my mind. Our children are the biggest investment we can make in our community's future, but as with all investments we must due our diligence to make financially responsible decisions.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am a small business owner that has had years of experience in balancing the needs and wants of an organization and staying on budget. I have experience with long term project management and working with very diverse populations as well.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Now more than ever, divisiveness and polarization have no place in education. Our students and schools deserve equity, support, and dedication. Whether you have school-aged children or not, the children are our future and will have a direct impact on you. They are our future doctors, nurses, teachers, police, electricians, lawyers, and scientists. Our investment in their future is also an investment in YOUR future- our community's future. I want to make sure that our taxpayer funds are being invested in a fiscally responsible manner. I want to make sure that the funds are being stretched as far as they can be without placing unnecessary strain on the local taxpayers. I want to ensure the teachers are being given the tools they need to succeed and have the full support they need. And finally I want to push for our students to not only "catch up" from the learning loss experienced from the pandemic, but also give them the tools they need to overcome this struggle and use it to make them stronger educationally and emotionally.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Never stop learning. School can teach you many things, but the world has knowledge that extends beyond classrooms. Be open to it. I think one of my greats traits is that I do not assume I know everything or that I am always right. I am willing to learn. I am willing to do the research. I am open to others sharing their opinions and insights. This has helped me be able to never stop growing. For when you believe you know everything you become stagnant, and I never want to stop growing.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?