The more I know about Elsie, the more convinced I am she is doing an amazing job. As a teacher educator and researcher, I realize the importance of a highly knowledgeable leader in the superintendent position for the Office of Public Instruction.
Elsie collaborates with parents, students, coworkers in administration for carefully crafted educational services. More than ever, we need an incumbent as the Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction. Elsie knows from statewide travel and tele-communications the complexity of teaching in these COVID circumstances, the uniqueness of students and family circumstances. She is reassuring with eyes wide open. Quality of instructional programs matter.
Specifically, with 23 years as a teacher experience, legislative experience, and administration, she knows who to contact, when, and how to shape action plans. Elsie worked hard on school safety and mental health and the procurement of CARES Act funding, rewriting the Montana Career and Technical Education guidelines for her Montana Ready Initiative. She knows the importance of highly skilled teachers for our school programs that use business, industry, military, and two-year college partnerships. She hired the new Career and Technical Education Director to assure the Montana Ready Initiative had cohesion and was a fully funded program.
Sally Peterson
Missoula