South Kingstown Election Profile: Melissa Boyd

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI — Melissa Boyd is running for a seat on the South Kingstown School Committee. The 45-year-old Democrat is a newcomer to elected office.

Boyd and her husband, Jason, are both running for seats on the school committee. The pair are native Rhode Islanders and have three kids, ages 6, 10 and 12, in the South Kingstown school system.

Boyd works as a students affairs administrator and an adjunct faculty member at various universities for the past 17 years, currently serving as the assistant director of student leadership at the University of Rhode Island. She holds two degrees from URI: a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in sociology and a master's degree in human development and family studies, with a focus on college student personnel.

Campaign website

Why are you seeking elective office?

My answer in based in two truths — first, I am an involved parent in the district and have 3 children in 3 different SK schools. Effective communication, transparency, and enhanced dialogue with the community is more important than ever and I know that I have, at times, not felt that my concerns were heard. I hope to use my leadership skills and experience in working with others to not only make space for all opinions coming from members of our community but to also be professional and timely in my responses. Second, my skill set is unique in that I have professional experience in leadership and organizational development. We have very passionate and talented members of our community, however I believe we can improve on efforts to effectively and efficiently deliver on our mission in a way that better reflects our community values. I bring experience in facility and budget planning, facilitation, strategic planning, conflict resolution, diversity and inclusion and curriculum development. I believe this experience would allow me to be an immediate asset to the School Committee as we face complex decisions in the years to come, and I am ready to serve our students and our community.

What do you believe should be done to contain the coronavirus pandemic, and what would you do to lessen its economic impacts?

In my personal and professional life I have committed to following all stated CDC and state-level guidelines to attempt to limit and contain the spread and impact of this virus. As someone running for a community office, my responsibility is to do what I can to care for my neighbors and my family - so we wear masks, limit our time in public spaces, and wash our hands frequently in order to not add to the problem and the strain on our local businesses and healthcare systems. In terms of limiting impact on a community level, I encourage others to support local businesses as much as possible and to do so in a safe manner so that they can remain open. I would also advocate for responsible spending if elected to this role since our funding comes directly from members of our community who may be struggling financially.

Do you believe systemic racism is a problem in America generally and Rhode Island specifically, and if so, what would you do to combat it?

Yes I do. In my role at URI, I actually teach a course on the historic nature of leadership and directly address systemic racism, power and privilege as core content of the course. From my point of view, leadership is a values-based activity that is rooted in the ways we have been socialized and given opportunities (or not) to learn with and from others who might be different than ourselves. And typically when folks have the opportunity to lean about others, it becomes clear that systemic racism has impacted generations in terms of access to economic growth, affordable housing and equitable schooling opportunities. It is our shared responsibility to understand the struggles of our friends and neighbors, especially in a state as small as RI, where we can have a significant positive impact through shared educational goals and curriculum changes around this issue, legislation to ensure quality affordable housing and healthcare, and community measures to ensure the safety of all community members and the prosperity of small businesses. As a potential School Committee member, initial tasks would involve reviewing all existing policies to ensure that all learners have access to the highest quality education, retaining and hiring educators who commit to inclusive excellence, and ensuring that our leadership consistently enacts its stated commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Should the words "Providence Plantations" be removed from the state's name?

Yes

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

I believe my experience and training in organizational development and leadership, and specifically in human development and education, stands out. I am not seeking the role for political purposes, but instead I believe the skills I mentioned above can actually benefit our entire community and specifically change the course of the next 4 years of our students' learning experience in a positive direction. We have incredibly complex issues ahead in SK in the next 4 years including addressing community concerns (including funding concerns and reduced opportunities for community engagement), safety and supports for students and teachers during COVID-19, making critical capital planning decisions, and addressing inequities in faculty retention, per student spending, and allocation of resources — especially for those most in need in our communities. I offer experience and a readiness to serve immediately when addressing these strategic needs.

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

I believe our current School Committee members all wish to serve our students. However, I believe there are other priorities, for some, that have become the main focus of their time and energy. Our most recent candidates ran on the shared promise of transparency, community engagement, financial management, enhanced accountability, and a student-centered approach to setting goals and priorities for the district. And based on the results of our recent referendum on educational spending, our town is seemingly more divided on education priorities than ever before. We need leadership that focuses on students — and to do so we must be able to work professionally together and regain the trust of our entire community. I realize that some community members may feel more connected now, and if that is the case, my hope is that all families can feel confident that these promises are being lived up to in the year to come. Communication needs to be enhanced with all stakeholders, committees need to be open to all interested participants, and concerns need to be heard and responded to in a timely manner that reflects our values and best-practices in education. I would hope to see Community Conversations return as the norm, on a monthly basis, beginning in November.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

My priorities are:
Enhancing student success — Through enhancing educational outcomes for all learners, efficiently allocating resources, and growing inclusive curriculum and teaching resources
Collaborative leadership: Enhanced community engagement, shared decision-making processes, and responsive and professional leadership
Enhanced accountability: Responsible fiscal stewardship, data driven decision-making and effective planning for change

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

Education and curriculum reform at URI — served for 4 years as a member of the URI's General Education Committee charged with developing and implementing an innovative and inclusive curriculum for all students.
Financial and facility management — I have supervised my department's budget, chaired a non-profit, and supported the building and maintenance of new facilities during my 13-year tenure at URI.
Data-driven decision-making: My knowledge of educational research and current best practices helps me to make informed and cost-effective decisions.
Facilitation and inclusive leadership skills: I have led strategic planning sessions, facilitated difficult dialogues, developed crisis plans, centered issues of equity and inclusion into all aspects of my work, and delivered (on-time and on-budget) on challenging projects.
My experience in Strengths-based coaching, mental health case management, supervision and human development also helps me to be a better listener, team player, and leader.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Be authentic, seize every opportunity, and use your voice to help others — only you can. As a public school kid and first generation college student, I have been fortunate to have amazing mentors and supporters throughout my education — I am grateful for their time and support to this day!

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

I am a Democratic candidate and proud to have the endorsement of the Democratic Women's Caucus. I hope to also gain the support of the Young Democrats of RI as well. Finally, as a first-time candidate, I would love to hear your feedback as well — please reach out with questions and comments via the website or via Facebook: Melissa Boyd or Instagram: boydsk2020.