(upbeat music) - Welcome to Communicating the Vision, sponsored by Advent Health, where we will bring you closer to the people shaping Pasco County Schools. - Today, we're diving into the stories, the passion and the purpose behind the work of our incredible school board member, Colleen Beaudoin. - Colleen, serving as a school board member takes time, passion and commitment. Can you tell us the why behind your passion for serving on the school board? - The kids, it's always been about the kids. My entire career has been in education, and I'm particularly
fond of what happens in Pasco County Schools. I literally did move to Pasco County for my kids to go to school here. So all my kids went to school in Pasco, and my niece and nephew went to Pasco Schools. So I've always cared and I've always been an involved parent. I've got decades of experience as an educator in many different roles. So I've always been involved. What led to the school board for me was there were some changes taking place at my son's middle school, and I had some concerns,
and I spoke to the leaders at the school, and I actually came and spoke at a school board meeting, and it led to a really wonderful collaboration so that the program that was being implemented, we got more community feedback, we got more parents involved, more stakeholder input, and it really was a positive experience. It started out as a concern, but we worked together and it was a collaborative approach. So at the same time that that was happening, I also served on the National Education Advisory Board for the Tourette Syndrome Association
of America. So I was contacting legislators, reaching out to legislators about legislation that impacts students with disabilities. So I was doing some advocacy there. At the same time, I was advocating at the middle school, and some people just approached me and said, "Colleen, you're getting things done. "Maybe you should run for school board." And I said, "No, I never really had imagined "that I would do that." But really people in the community started reaching out and asking me to run, so it was just kind of the perfect timing of being
in the right place at the right time and having this opportunity to help more kids. 'Cause it's all about helping more kids and then having that teacher perspective, the parents' perspective. So it really drives me to always want to do, what can we do? What can we do for our kids? What can we do to bring in our community and work with our teachers and have that voice on board? - Colleen, we see you visiting schools all the time. What's your favorite part about visiting our schools and connecting with students and staff? - Well, I really love building the relationships because
when we build the relationships, then people are more likely to reach out to me when I'm not there. So I really like that part, is just getting to know people on a personal level. I really enjoy talking to the students because students don't hold back. And if you ask them a question, they're gonna give you an honest answer. And it's, they say things that sometimes will surprise you. We think we know what students are thinking, but they will surprise us sometimes. And I really do like hearing their voice. I like seeing the decisions that we make, the conversations that
we have all the time behind the scenes. Those are impacting students every day and they're impacting our teachers and leaders every day. And it's important to see how those decisions are playing out. The other thing is I just love seeing the joy when I see the students doing the things that they love. So not necessarily just visiting during the school day, but going to performances. And when you see those kids on stage, they light up the stage, or going to an athletic event or science fair or national history day, but seeing the kids doing the stuff they love is, it brings me joy,
it really does. Well, I do think as a followup, I know that you are a strong advocate for our students with really unique abilities. And so I think sometimes parents and students forget what an impact that can have when you have someone on the school board that's really advocating for them and focused on highlighting them and really focusing on the positive experiences that they have. So I really appreciate you saying that. It is a passion of mine to support our students with unique abilities. And I've been met with a lot of parents over the years and helped
to steer them in the right direction to get the help they need. But every single one of our kids, every single one has a story. And no matter what their background is, they have a story. And we need to look at every student as an individual, just like every school is an individual. But it isn't always on the surface of parent, the challenges, what the students are facing. So it's so important for us to just always remember that each of these kids, they're individuals, they
have unique abilities and they have some unique challenges. But it is really important to me that we meet those students' needs. Colleen, can you share a story about a school visit or a school that really impacted you, like something that stuck with you and stayed with you? Yes, first, every school has something special about it. Every school is unique. And all our schools have great things to offer for students. But one visit has really stuck with me. And that was a visit to
Lacoochee Elementary several years ago. And I went there and I met with parents and teachers, staff and their terrific leader, Dr. Latoya Jordan. And I got to hear a lot about the community and the community involvement at Lacoochee. The parents that I met with, they took me, I rode around the neighborhood with them. They wanted me to see where kids live, where they're coming from, and really understand the students who are at Lacoochee Elementary and know that they have
parents there who are supportive and a community that wraps their arms around them. Dr. Jordan is a product of Lacoochee Elementary and she is an amazing leader. So meeting her, it's been just such a pleasure to follow her on her journey. And she inspires the people in her community. She gets a team behind her, they believe in her. She really just leads with compassion, but she also will tell you exactly what needs to get done and people will listen to her and they
respect her. And what she's done for the community and for the students in the Lacoochee area is phenomenal. She follows the students, she and her team, follow the students through middle school, they visit the students and check in. Through high school, they continue to check in on students, communicate with families. So important that communication piece and having that support for our students. And since Dr. Jordan has been there, the students from Lacoochee Elementary in 2015,
the graduation rate of Lacoochee area students was about 20%. And in the last 10 years, it's more than quadrupled. And it was a little over 83% this past year. So that just shows the power of having a passionate, committed leader surrounding herself with good people who believe in her and having the community support. That community engagement is key. They really do an amazing job there. And like I said, all our schools do an amazing job, but it is a little, a special little school with some
amazing leadership. - I'll agree with you on that because I had not had the opportunity to go out to Lacoochee until this new position this year. And it is an amazing community. And I will agree with you that when you meet Dr. Jordan, you instantly want to do whatever she tells you to do to support the school. It was like truly inspiring. And I think we left there and thought, this is like, it's like a little home for the kids. - That's what I say to her. When I go there, I feel like I'm coming home. - It does. - That's exactly what I say. - It does. So Colleen, is there anything
else that you might want to share about Lacoochee that has really just stuck with you? - Yes, every time I'm there for an event, Dr. Jordan always says, your demographics do not determine your destination. So visits to Lacoochee always inspire me and remind me that every decision must be made with a focus on helping every student reach their full potential. - All right, Colleen, you survived the serious questions. Now it's time for some fun ones. This is the lightning round.
We're just gonna ask you a few questions, simple answers, don't overthink it. Are you ready? - Yes, sir. - First question. Coffee or tea? - Coffee. - Football or hockey? - Football. First job you've ever had. I worked as a games attendant in an amusement park, but one of the funniest jobs was I drove a garbage truck. - There's a story behind that, (laughing) - Okay, last question. Yeah, that would be a follow up episode. Last question. What was your favorite subject as a student? - Well,
that's easy, math. - I knew it, I knew it. - A huge thank you to board member Colleen Beaudoin for joining us today on CTV and for sharing her story and giving us a closer look at her passion for public education. Thank you, Colleen. - Thank you for having me, I really enjoyed it.