Candidate: Denise Coyle

I would like to introduce myself and share why I am running for School Board. My Husband Marty and I have been married for 23 years and we have 3 children. All of our children have attended schools in Brevard County. My youngest son is Senior Class President at Heritage High; I have a daughter who graduated from Palm Bay High and is now a senior at UNF. Tragically; we lost our oldest son on September 20th 2013 in an accident. I have been very involved in my children\'s education; I have battled many times to change policy and to enforce laws that protect not just my children but all children. I have been very involved in volunteering as well as being a strong advocate for students . I do not hold any special degrees, nor do I have any prestigious titles in front or behind my name. I have no awards or special achievements that I can share. The title that I am most proud of is “mom” I am a certified volunteer of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida; Guardian Ad Litem program. For me, making a difference in a child\'s life far exceeds any award or title. A GAL establishes an ongoing relationship with a child (or group of siblings) and conducts a thorough investigation to determine what recommendations to make on the child\'s behalf in court. The GAL helps advocate for medical, mental health, educational or economic services needed to bring stability and wholeness to the child’s life, and acts as a monitor to see if court orders are carried out in a timely fashion. We are the voice for the child! I want to be the same voice for students, teachers and parents. I have no agenda other than to bring \"HEART\" back into this district. We have lost touch with the real issues in public education. We have made decisions that hurt our students. We have disrespected our teachers. We live in fear of speaking out! We have lost compassion and empathy. We do not follow the mission of this district and I want to change that! I don\'t believe as a school board member if elected, I should receive compensation that exceeds that of some of our teachers. I actually would like to see the board as a volunteer position. The purpose of having volunteers is to increase the effectiveness of an organization in fulfilling its mission. Thus, volunteer roles need to encompass activities that serve the mission and goals of the District. The only promise that I can give, is that I will fight hard to put students, and teachers first and give parents the respect, compassion and empathy they deserve. We need change, and I can\'t do that without your support. Please help me make a difference in our children\'s education and future by upholding the mission! Help me give teachers hope and parents a voice! Denise Coyle