Meet Kaitlin McLaughlin, A Candidate For Upper Moreland School Board

UPPER MORELAND, PA — As Patch continues our pre-election coverage, take the time to learn about Kaitlin McLaughlin, a Republican running for a spot on the Upper Moreland School Board.

See below how the candidate responded to a Patch questionnaire.

Age (as of Election Day)

37

Party Affiliation

Republican

Family

Married to a Philadelphia firefighter with 4 children ages 6 and under

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Bachelor of Science in Nursing from West Virginia University

Occupation

16 years as a Registered Nurse

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

N/A

Campaign website

www.GrowthForUpperMoreland.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I would like to serve the community, and I believe there is room for improvement with the current board. As a nurse, I can provide a perspective that the board does not currently have.

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

The biggest issue in our district is a lack of transparency. Without transparency, parents and the community do not know how and why important decisions are made. Without this understanding, they are less likely to get on board with these decisions. I believe schools work best when parents are involved and are willing to partner together with the district to best educate their children. As a board member I intend to make sure that our district holds public meetings in full compliance with sunshine laws. Decisions should be made with public deliberation with no pre-engineered decisions or pre-determined outcomes.

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

I believe that it is important to close the achievement gap by focusing on academic excellence and increasing opportunity for ALL students. I have a community focus and believe community engagement is critical to the success of our school district.

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

The current board has failed our district and our community because Upper Moreland students are suffering from high levels of learning loss. Although there have been difficult circumstances to deal with the past few years, educating students should still be a primary goal of the public school system. I believe we can refocus on academics, increase graduation rates for ALL students, and serve the entire community by improving our schools.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I would like the board to be accessible and fully answer questions from the community. It is not appropriate when the board doesn’t respond to a question or attempts to silence people. I also believe fiscal responsibility is extremely important and we need to make sure our district is maximizing the investment of our taxpayer resources and putting them towards items that have direct educational benefits.

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

I have been a Registered Nurse for 16 years and have had the opportunity to work with people from diverse backgrounds. In that environment I have learned it is important to quickly analyze data and take decisive action, I believe those same skills will help me serve as a school director.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

When you know better, do better. We all have the opportunity to learn something new every day, and as we learn we incorporate this new knowledge into our actions.

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

I never wanted to be in politics, but I felt that there was a need and a role on our school board where I can help. I have been fortunate to meet and speak with so many wonderful people in our community through this process, and I will strive to represent our entire community.