Meet Erin Reilly Stein, Candidate For Upper Dublin School Board

UPPER DUBLIN, PA — Patch continues its pre-election coverage with a profile of Erin Reilly Stein, a candidate for Upper Dublin School Board.

Read below the responses that Stein submitted to a Patch candidate questionnaire.

Age (as of Election Day)

43

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Married with four children

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

B.S. from Philadelphia University

Occupation

Senior Designer and Artist, 20+ years of corporate experience

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Current PTO Board Member at Sandy Run Middle School, Current UDHS Water Polo Booster Club Board Member, Former President of Jarrettown Elementary PTO, Former Manorlu Swim Club Board Member

Campaign website

www.udunited.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am a champion for public education. I have been involved and have been volunteering in our schools since 2005. I believe Upper Dublin has wonderful assets and I want to be a part of making sure we are utilizing every asset we have to the fullest to ensure the best outcome for ALL of our students. I am an energetic, positive, creative thinker and a problem solver. I would love the opportunity to serve our community and bring a fresh perspective to the board. As a mother of four sons and being heavily involved in the community, I feel I have a real time grasp on what challenges face today's students. I would love to be a part of elevating Upper Dublin to the highest level it can be. I think the community needs a real voice on the board. I want every student and community member in Upper Dublin to be heard, seen, valued and given the opportunity to reach their highest potential.

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

The single issue that is most pressing in my opinion is one of trust, transparency and accountability. I believe there is a trust issue with our community and our current board. Our community does not feel heard, seen or answered time and time again. There is a lack of pro-active, two-way communication with the taxpayers of Upper Dublin. Political agendas have taken hold of decision making and we need to bring the power back to the people and deal with the real time issues that face our community. I do not feel the current board values the community's input. They seem out of touch with our current students.

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

I identify as an engaged community member, mother, neighbor, friend, and level headed thinker. I do not identify as an endorsed candidate of a political party. School Board positions should not be politically driven. It is hard for one to understand the cross filing process if one is unfamiliar with it. Other candidates use this to their advantage and rely on endorsements from political parties to convince voters to vote for them based solely on their endorsement. I am running for the sake of all the children in our district. I want to make a difference for them and their futures. I don't need an endorsement to ensure that I will do that!

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

The current board is allowing our district to coast into mediocrity. Schools have been forever changed since March 2020. Business as usual is not cutting it now. Our board has not had the foresight to address issues that are now a result of their closing schools in 2020 and into 2021 (hybrid does not count as open school in my opinion, 1 student in a class is not school). Our schools have the ability to be great, we have great teachers, great facilities and a wonderfully supportive community. We need great leaders to build back what has been broken.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I'm getting specific on this one. It's easy to throw buzzwords around and we have all heard them by now. We need to hone in on specific areas where we can do better. For example:

I wish Upper Dublin High School did a better job with preparing the students for college/post high school careers. Students could connect with local businesses to explore different jobs. The school could hold a career day for professionals to come and talk to the kids about opportunities that they may not be exposed to. Imagine a co-op between the school and our township where students could participate in programs. Our Community Study program needs to be revamped and modernized. The current model does not apply to a post COVID-19 world. Students need to be made to realize the freedom they have to select certain courses and be encouraged or steered in that direction by a mentor. A mentorship program for everyone could be established and offered. There could be an active UD Alumni group formed that helps students after high school. These are the kind of real life ideas I would like be a part of implementing in UD. After the tornado hit our small town, I witnessed this community come together like I have never seen before. Let's ask ourselves how we harness that community willingness to engage and translate it to the investment of our children and their futures.

I am also wary of the amount of technological learning our students are subjected to. I would love to audit how many hours a day our kids are staring at a screen. Every board meeting I go to I feel like I hear about another tech platform that we are buying or trying. Is this really the best? Is there a balance? Do teachers have what they need and how do they feel about these platforms? Do teachers have a say in anything really? Teachers are one of our top investments and what make a school great. Are teachers getting what they need? Is anyone asking them?

Our gifted program has all but fallen off the map. The nature of a GIEP is for it to be individualized (Gifted Individualized Learning Program). Why do we then offer a program? How is a program individualized? Are these students really getting what they need to reach their top potential? DO we have the right resources for teachers in this area? Are the students with IEPs getting what they need? What can we do to ensure that students on both ends of the learning curve are getting all they need to be successful. This is where we fall short in my opinion.

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

I am hard working mom of four that has managed to work while raising my sons and supporting my husband as he opened his own business. I have been fortunate enough to volunteer at school since 2005 and served as the PTO president at Jarrettown Elementary. I am currently on the PTO board at Sandy Run Middle School. I have been an active member of my church and have had the pleasure of teaching Sunday school for many years.

I have been employed as a designer for over 20 years. I have traveled the world with my job. I have worked on a team since day one and know what it takes to be a team player. I am a creative yet pragmatic thinker. My ambition, energy, ability to problem solve and think ahead has led me to success in my career. I work with many people of all backgrounds and cultures and have completed multiple trainings on diversity and belonging and am still continuing to train in this area. I have been able to manage a team, empower others and help them grow to their full potential. I am not afraid to question something in the name of getting to the best result possible.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Tough times don't last, tough people do.

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

My running for School Board Director is a testament to my will to do good for kids... your kids, my kids and ALL OF the kids. Plain and simple. I have no political agenda. I have no higher political aspirations. There are no strings attached to money that was given to our PAC. I am not a political person. I am not anti-science. The lies and mudslinging by our opponents is disappointing, disheartening and disgusting. I will hold my head high no matter what the results are. I am proud to run, I have every right to run and I will continue to be a community leader as long as I live in Upper Dublin. I need NO ENDORSEMENT or PARTY AFFILIATION to be a good person. I'm real as the day is long.