Ariel Miner for USD 497 School Board

The day has arrived! Take a deep breath and go VOTE!

KSVotes.org KSVotes.org is the fastest, simplest way to register to vote in Kansas using just your touchscreen device.

Election Day is almost here -- on November 7th, vote KUPS! We're ready to get to work and make USD 497 the BEST district for our kids to get an education, to support our educators, pay our staff a living wage, keep public dollars in the public school system, and bring the community back into our schools.
Vote for Ariel Miner for USD 497 School Board, Yolanda Franklin for USD 497 School Board, and Carole Cadue-Blackwood for School Board.

8. Days.
8 days until Election Day, when we will select five new candidates to the USD497 school board... Four 4-year term seats and one 2-year term seat.
Lawrence, we NEED change. We've seen our schools closed, our budget misspent -- on consultants, out-of-state vendors, religious and private institutions, and more money for our superintendent -- under whom our enrollment has tanked). We've seen a loss of THREE HUNDRED students over the last year alone. Experience is great for the board, sure, but only if you are able to use it wisely. We haven't seen that. Vote early, vote by mail, vote on election day (November 7th), however you choose -- but make sure you vote. Our kids' futures literally depend on us, NOW. VOTE KUPS 💪
VOTE Ariel Miner for USD 497 School Board Yolanda Franklin for USD 497 School Board Carole Cadue-Blackwood for School Board!

I’ve got 12 signs left. Any takers?

Want one of these? Send me a message with your address and I’ll deliver!

Want one of these? Send me a message with your address and I’ll deliver!

It is imperative that voters know Shannon Kimball has false information on her website. She’s including Kennedy when she says 6 schools had under 250 students in 2020-2021. 189 students was the number the consultant used to show how “inefficient and underutilized” Kennedy was to justify its closure. It actually had 317 students according to the Kansas Department of Education. NY Elementary enrollment numbers were also manipulated.

Woohoo!!

Do you have a plan to vote yet? There are multiple ways to cast your ballot - make sure YOUR voice is heard.
Vote for Ariel Miner for USD 497 School Board, Yolanda Franklin for USD 497 School Board, and Carole Cadue-Blackwood for School Board!

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After a membership vote, we are excited to endorse these candidates for USD 497 School Board. We have also let Shannon Kimball know that we hope to see her run for statewide office to continue building our movement to fight to fully fund our schools statewide!

In August 2022 the school board approved a contract with RSP for $120,000. There was an additional supplementary fee of $27,500 approved in May 2023. There is another $80,000 up for approval on the agenda tomorrow. Why are we paying for another 5 year projection when the contract from August 2022 was for a 5 year projection? Why are we using this consultant again when they used incorrect enrollment numbers to inform school closure decisions?

We deserve a board that is responsible and transparent in its decision making process; and one that will keep our dollars close to the classroom rather than in the pockets of demonstrably unreliable consultants.

We need YOU! Join us.
https://www.kansansunitedforpublicschools.com/volunteer

Thank you, Carole Cadue-Blackwood for School Board, for your vote tonight in support of the families in our community. These students and families have seen upheaval in their lives with school closures, transportation issues, and several other changes by the board. A tax increase would only be a further burden upon them, especially as our marginalized and lower-income families have been so disproportionately impacted. For the last three years, 57% of our Local Option Budget (LOB) funds have gone towards paying our administration and ONLY 2% have been for student services. Raising the mill levy WILL place undue burden on all members of our community to further fund our administration payroll; meanwhile our staff still doesn't earn a living wage, our students aren't receiving the services they desperately need, and our families are struggling as it is.

See page 10 for LOB expenditures:https://www.usd497.org/cms/lib/KS01906981/Centricity/Domain/7043/Budget%20Profile%202023.pdf

I’d love to hear what others think about repurposing Liberty Memorial Central Middle School into a magnet school. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

Here’s a blog post with my thoughts and concerns.

Thoughts on the Liberty Memorial Central Middle School Redesign — Kansans United for Public Schools This post was written by Ariel Miner, USD 497 School Board Candidate for the two-year seat and member of KUPS

Hey Lawrence Public Schools, the community is looking for more transparency and less inconsistencies. Can you please confirm that the Free State High School shade structures will be funded from capital outlay like the school board approved in the last board meeting? Lawrence Schools Foundation is in the comments of an LJWorld article stating this is a privately funded project. Please clear up this inconsistency.

❤️ Happy Labor Day! ❤️

🌻 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING TONIGHT!

I’d like to highlight 2 items on the board agenda tonight and start some community conversations.

*Do you have concerns about inconsistent funding sources for similar projects among our schools?

A bid for two shade structures for Free State High School totaling over $100k is on the agenda for approval at tonight’s board meeting. The Hillcrest PTO has been tasked with raising $20K for a shade structure for the Ryan Gray playground. The Free State shade structures will be paid for with capital funds. My question is whether the Hillcrest shade structure can also be purchased using district capital outlay funds? My understanding is that planning for shade was part of the renovations from the bond issue. It seems unfair that the responsibility to fund this now falls on school families when it appears to be a district responsibility.

Although I appreciate attention being paid to the mental health of our children, I have concerns over the Gaggle surveillance software that is on tonight’s agenda for approval. Moderators for the company are paid low wages and are not trained mental health professionals. Other school districts have discontinued this software because of concerns over data breaches, tax dollar waste, privacy, and racial disparities in discipline. The Trevor project ceased sponsorship of Gaggle over concerns effecting the LGBTQ+ community. It seems irresponsible to get into a 3 year contract with a service that may not be right for the district.

*What are your thoughts about this software?

I took a few days to process the last 2 months and am THRILLED with the results from the primary election. I encourage everyone to join Kansans United for Public Schools and help us elect board members that will transform our district and give our children the education they deserve. Much appreciation for EVERY. SINGLE. VOTE. We have to take action to affect change and this community showed up! Join us as we move towards the November election. We need YOU!

https://www.kansansunitedforpublicschools.com/volunteer

(Thanks to Carole Cadue-Blackwood for the beautiful flowers on primary day. 💛)

Hey UNAFFILIATED voters! You can still vote in the PRIMARY TOMORROW. Arrive at your polling location and request a PROVISIONAL ballot. Declare a party and vote! Woohoo!

There's less than a week left to make sure you're registered to vote in the upcoming election. You can check your registration at ksvotes.org. Don't forget that you must register for a party to vote in the primary!

Primary voting begins July 12. Please make sure to vote for Ariel Miner for USD 497 School Board starting July 12!

If you are traveling this summer, please keep in mind that there are important voting deadlines coming up and we need your voice to bring about change! July 11 is the last day to register to vote, and advance voting begins July 12. Our candidate, Ariel Miner, is on the ballot for the Aug. 1 primary. Keep in mind that you must declare a party to vote in the primary election.

You can register and check your status at KSVotes.org.

Hello!

There’s an important school board meeting tonight at 6pm.

The board will be deciding who will fill the vacant seat (among other agenda items). They have narrowed applications down to 4 people and will interview them tonight! Share your thoughts with the board using this email and it will go to all board members:

[email protected]

They will choose among…

Bob Byers
Rachel Thomas
Rebekah Gaston
Paul Carttar

Hey ya’ll! There are only 45 days til the primary election on AUGUST 1st! If you’re interested in supporting our campaign for transformation in USD 497 you can sign up to volunteer, request a yard sign, or donate on the website:
https://www.kansansunitedforpublicschools.com/

Happy Juneteenth! 💛💚❤️🖤

Ariel Miner, member of grassroots campaign to fully fund public schools, files for election to Lawrence school board Ariel Miner, the mother of four students enrolled in Lawrence schools and a member of a grassroots campaign advocating for fully funded public education in Kansas, has filed for election to the Lawrence school board. Miner grew up in Tonganoxie and most recently has worked as a substitute teacher in...