Candidate: Linda M. Butler

“Together We Make a Difference” is the platform on which Linda Butler believes to be the foundation by which a good system can operate better. She strongly asserts that the communication between parents and teachers is key to establishing strong students. Linda Butler was born and raised on Jacksonville’s Eastside. She attended Richard L. Brown Elementary School and Matthew W. Gilbert Junior/Senior High School. She graduated from Melbourne High School after her family moved to Melbourne, FL. Upon graduation from high school, Linda enrolled in Bethune-Cookman College where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. She continued her education by acquiring a certification in Elementary Education K-6 as well as an endorsement in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). As an Educator, Linda has taught in the private and public school setting in Palm Bay, Monticello, and Jacksonville, FL. She has over 18 years of experience as a Teacher, Faculty Mentor, Curriculum Coordinator, and Instructional Coach. Additional competencies include: ·School Accreditation ·School Improvement Plan .School PTA/SAC Chair As a politician, Linda was elected as a City Council Member, Group 5, and served for 4 years in Monticello, Florida. She also held the position of Vice Mayor for 1 year. During the first 2 years as a city council member, Linda participated in various training opportunities for newly elected officials, particularly, the Institute for Elected Municipal Officials (IEMO), sponsored by Florida League of Cities and Florida Institute of Government Orlando, Florida and Cocoa Beach, Florida. In 2012, Linda moved back home to Jacksonville after accepting a position to teach at Richard L. Brown Elementary School in the neighborhood where she was raised and the grade school she attended as a child. As a teacher, Linda sought after and succeeded in building close and effective relationships with her student’s parents by supporting parent involvement through implementing open lines of communication; many of these relationships are still cultivated today. While at Richard L. Brown, Linda was selected by her principal as Teacher of the Month and later voted, by her peers, as Teacher of the Year, 2015-2016. In 2016, 3 months before retirement, Linda was diagnosed with cancer. She immediately underwent Chemotherapy and Radiation which unfortunately left her unable to complete the last months of her teaching career. She still however, remained in communication with her parents and surprised her students by participating in an end-of-the-year party with help from several of the parents. The experience with cancer gave Linda a new outlook on life highlighting how important life is and clarifying her true purpose. Today, Linda is cancer free and is grateful to God for giving her a second chance at life. Linda has a strong desire to cultivate families and close the communication gap between parents and teachers. Her vision is to extend the mission of the Parent Academy by helping to establish a strong communication line between the family and school. She believes that the appropriation of such an objective will have a positive effect on the academic success of the student. Linda’s love for teaching and her communication skills has afforded her the opportunity to teach Discipleship and Evangelism classes at her church, The Potter’s House International Ministries. She also serves her community as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.