Unverricht, Sue

Meet the Candidate

Running For:
School Board
District:
Humboldt Unified School District
Age:
66
Occupation:
Retired CPA
Education:
Bachelors of Arts, University of Illinois; MBA, Northwestern University
Biographical Info:

Winston Churchill famously said, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” I made a living as a CPA. I served boards and had the opportunity to serve on a board. I am familiar with fund accounting, which includes public school accounting. More personally satisfying is how I have made a life – building into the next generation. My husband and I have two adult children and two sweet granddaughters. We moved to Yavapai County in 2011. I have served here as a substitute teacher, a CASA helping kids in the court’s care, a children’s church teacher, and on the Prescott YMCA and my HOA board finance committees. I look forward to serving our community, families and students as a HUSD Board member.

Statement:

When my children were young, the neighborhood public schools were easily the first choice of parents for their children’s education. They were widely trusted and respected by parents and the community. But trust has eroded, especially after the Covid response. I know first hand the value that high performing, well respected public schools provide to students, families and society as a whole.

My aim is to provide leadership that will build trust and respect for HUSD schools. We must steadily raise the level of student achievement by consistently focusing time and resources in traditional academic subjects. We cannot be sidetracked by initiatives in areas which are outside of the school’s core mission and belong to the family. Reducing absenteeism, streamlining teacher paperwork, enforcing consistent behavior standards, and robust communication are other tools available to improve student outcomes, which is the key to increasing trust and respect for our schools.

I look forward to serving our community, families and students as a HUSD Board member.

Endorsements:

AZ Women of Action

Survey

Response Legend

  • SSupports
  • OOpposes
  • *Comment
  • −Declined to respond
  • †Declined to respond, Position based on citation

Question Response Comments/Notes
1. Requiring district and charter school officials, including teachers, to inform parents about their child’s social, mental, emotional, or physical health. S* A school official's routine concerns about a child's social, mental, emotional or physical health should be referred to parents. Of course, if the concern triggers their duty as a mandated reporter, it should be handled according to those rules.
2. Allowing parents to opt their children out of activities or lessons that offend their personal, moral, or religious beliefs. S* ARS 15-102 A 4 requires procedures for parents to opt their children out of activities or lessons that offend their personal, moral or religious beliefs.
3. Increasing state and local taxes to provide more funding for schools and school facility projects. O* According to Arizona Auditor General data, the Humboldt Unified School District weighted student count is declining. With fewer students, I don't anticipate a need for additional funding.
4. Requiring signed permission from a parent before a student may participate in any sexuality related instruction, activities, or clubs. S* ARS 15-102 prohibits schools from offering sex education unless the parent provides written permission for the student to participate. This standard should apply to sexuality related activities or clubs as well.
5. Allowing all parents to use tax credits and publicly funded empowerment scholarship accounts to enable their children to attend any private, homeschool, or online academy of their choice. S* Education funding should follow the child.
6. Making available books and instructional materials that include sexually explicit images and themes in school classrooms and libraries. O
7. Acquiring parental consent for school faculty and staff to refer to students by pronouns that do not align with the student’s birth sex. S
8. Allocating teacher pay raises based upon merit rather than providing uniform salary schedule increases based upon years of teaching or additional credentialing (e.g. master’s degrees) S* Aligning compensation with district goals supports the attainment of those goals.
9. Implementing policies to allow students and faculty to use the restroom, locker room, and shower room based on self-identification rather than biological sex. O* Privacy for girls and women should be honored.
10. Teaching what is known as diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI); social, emotional learning (SEL); or critical race theory (CRT) in public schools. O* Public schools should remain focused on their core mission: providing education in traditional subjects such as reading, writing, math, fact-based science and social studies.
11. Requiring each district and charter school to post online a list of all curriculum and instructional materials being used in the classroom. S