Thank you to our Knight Crier writers and editors for offering all candidates running for North Penn School Board the opportunity to submit letters to the Editor in the days leading up to the election on November 7th . Local elections matter: as you reach the age of 18, register to vote, and when you make your plan to vote in perhaps your first election, know that your vote matters. Elections happen every year and give you the opportunity not only to participate in our democracy, but also have a say in issues that matter to you.

When you cast your vote for a candidate, it is important that you consider their vision and platform, their ability to partner and work with others, and of course, their character.

With that said, here is a bit about me.  I have been a North Penn resident for 19 years after moving to the area for work.  I am the proud mom to a North Penn Class of 2023 graduate and a 10th grader.  As I shared during the Knight Crier Candidate Forum, I am a social worker by training and have worked in the field of refugee resettlement for over 25 years.  This work has spanned unique experiences working in refugee camps in Ethiopia; supporting program administration and monitoring for an organization serving a nationwide network of refugee resettlement agencies, and running resettlement programs and services for the largest refugee resettlement agency in Philadelphia. I am at the point in my career where I am humbled and honored by the work I do, and attribute my successes in great part to the relationships I have built over the years, starting with the foundational internships I undertook in college. I encourage every North Penn student to consider internships and volunteer experiences as a way to explore career opportunities, learn more about your community, and build a sense of service in all that you do. And above all, seek out opportunities to serve your community.

In 2018, I was appointed to the North Penn School Board and elected in 2019. This year, I am running for re-election to carry forward the vision of the North Penn Neighbors for Progress. I could not be more proud to be running with an incredible slate of candidates – Kunbi Rudnick, Tim MacBain, Elisha Gee, and Cathy Wesley.  Each of us bring an incredible set of skills and experiences to support the wide variety of issues that come before the North Penn School Board.

Some of these issues and my stance on them include the following:

• Advancing efforts to move forward with the renovation of North Penn High School and ensure that all 18 academic buildings, our ESC, Support Center, and the bus depot are well maintained and designed in a manner that maximizes opportunities for our North Penn students and community.
• Supporting our school personnel and encouraging the next generation of educators. With the number of individuals graduating from college ready to launch their teaching careers on a steep decline and the nation-wide challenge of filling critical positions, we must work to prioritize efforts to attract and retain school personnel.  I support the expansion of work based learning and apprenticeship programs both sponsored by North Penn and in partnership with academic and community based partners. And of course, staff we hire to serve North Penn must represent the rich diversity of not just our local community but the world. I encourage our North Penn students to explore careers in education. There is no doubt that this is a noble profession and your skills and passion are needed.
• Providing our students with learning opportunities and experiences that will prepare them for the future. To be ready to move into the workforce, on to a technical school or higher education, we need to offer opportunities to explore concepts beyond the ‘basics’. Our world needs critical thinkers, innovators, problem-solvers, peace builders and beyond.
• Continue to put in the work to ensure a safe, welcoming, and inclusive school environment. We can all celebrate efforts and improvements that have been made in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion but we all must roll up our sleeves and commit to engaging in the ongoing efforts to ensure that all students feel welcome, included, and are able to freely engage in learning.  For our students to benefit from an inclusive school environment, we must work towards ensuring that these principles are in place and practiced in our community – including on social media.
• Build community and seek to find common ground. I could not be more grateful to be a resident and contributing member of this great North Penn community, but over the last several years, the seeds of division have been sown. With this said, I will continue to work to find common ground but will call out nefarious efforts of a few who seek to divide and are unwilling to engage in productive discourse.
• Advocate for public education. This is one of the key responsibilities of a school board director and an effort that is needed now more than ever. Partnering with local, state and federal elected officials is necessary discourse to support a civil society. North Penn’s budget, similar to districts throughout Pennsylvania, are supported by federal, state and local funding. Efforts to ensure fair funding for all schools and charter school reform are mandates that I take seriously.
• Be adaptive, supportive and responsive to the needs of our students and our district. If I have learned anything serving on the School Board through the pandemic, it is that adaptive, supportive and responsive leadership is necessary.

For more information about the platform and priorities of the North Penn Neighbors for Progress, please visit Our Platform (npneighborsforprogress.com).

Thank you,
Juliane Ramic