Candidate: April Barefoot Tisher

My name is April Tisher and I am running for Alachua County School Board. I was born and raised in Wilmington, NC where I attended the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. I graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. I worked in the Clinical Research Field until my first son was born in 2004. Then I began my career as a “stay at home mom” and self-described professional volunteer. I have been a resident of Alachua for the past 16 years when I moved with my husband, Chris to his hometown. We have been here raising our family every since. I have four children, three of which are current students in the Alachua County Public School System. Next school year I will have children in elementary, middle, high school and college. They are why I am running. 

I became involved with Talbot Elementary School when my oldest son began kindergarten there 9 years ago. From room mom to committee chair, to PTA board I still remain very active there several times a week. I have the opportunity to be in the schools, behind the scenes and in the classrooms on a regular basis. I have also been involved with the Howard Bishop PTA for 3 years, served on their SAC committee and as a member of the Community School Community Council as well. 

I have been a member of the Junior League of Gainesville for the past 14 years. The leadership training I have received along with the many volunteer opportunities with community events and school programs such as the CARE committee at Rawlings Elementary, the HIPPY program and the Read With Me program at Duval Elementary have allowed me to get a sense of other schools in the areas besides my own children’s schools. The past four years in the League I have served on the State Public Affairs Committee. With that I have formed working relationships with our local and state elected officials. Each year I have gone to Tallahassee to advocate for legislation that benefits women and children in our area. 

My other experiences include being a member of Trinity United Methodist Church where I have been extensively involved with both children and sports ministries. I am a current employee of Irving Publications where I am a writer and Ad Executive for Giggle and Wellness 360 Magazines. 

I have a pulse on the current events in our schools. I am the only candidate who has children currently attending our public schools. I feel strongly that parents need representation on the school board who will be an advocate for them and for the students in the classroom. 

My priorities include school safety; which is not limited to reinforcing the physical aspects of the campuses and SROs, which are vital, but also include more social workers in our schools. By having more social workers in schools county wide that can address mental health issues and basic needs our students can be ready to learn. Teachers can teach and school counselors can have the opportunity to focus on academic counseling and plans. 

Extracurricular activities are my second area of focus. Whatever interests a student that will motivate them to come to school and make good grades should be fostered. Whether it’s band, an art class or playing football for their school on Friday night, the district should support those activities. Not all students are motivated by academics alone; some will require extra tutoring to maintain the required grade point average to participate. 

Third on my priority list is Career and Technical Educational programs (previously known as Vocational Programs). Not all students are going to go to a four-year university upon graduation from high school. If we can expand our offerings in these types of programs we are giving our students marketable and relatable experiences that they can use for gainful employment right out of high school. They can use these skills and certifications to work higher paying jobs to support themselves while furthering their education or to support their families. 

If elected I will work hard to be a voice to represent parents on the board. I will base my decisions with the students’ best interest in mind. I know that all students don’t have someone who can or has the resources to advocate for them; I want to be that person. I am living the decisions made by the board every day with my own children. I have faced many of the same things parents all over the county face with their own students. I truly believe this perspective is currently missing from the board and I would love the opportunity to serve in that way. I hope you will vote for me, April Tisher, on August 28th.