Sharon El-Amin's Election to the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) Board of Education Could Be a Vital Event in the Advancement of MPS as a National Model for the Impartation of Excellent Education

I will be soon be making a formal endorsement for Sharon El-Amin in her candidacy for an At-Large seat on the Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education.  I have known of her work as business owner (the fish shop on West Broadway Avenue), her multi-faceted community involvement, and her marriage to Makram El-Amin, imam at Musjid An'Nur Mosque on Lyndale Avenue North, across from Cub Foods in North Minneapolis.

Last evening I met with Sharon and found resonance in her own passionate concerns and stances to those that I have expressed on this blog and in many public forums.

At this time, please review Sharon’s personal introduction, statement of her vision, and identification of her key areas of focus in running for one of the two At-Large seats that are up for election on Tuesday, 6 November, as found on her website, Sharon4Schools:

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My name is Sharon El-Amin and I'm running for Minneapolis School Board At-Large.

 

My husband and I have been married for 26 years. We have three children, two graduates of Minneapolis Public Schools and one currently attending North High School . Minneapolis has been our home for 27 years and I have been serving within my community for over 25 years.  

I am currently the President of Minneapolis North Polar Parent organization, and a member of North High School Site-council. I owned a business for 15 years, and have valuable experience managing budgets; El-Amin’s Fish House is located in a bustling North Minneapolis neighborhood.  

 

I am Muslim, and a member of Masjid An’Nur located in North Minneapolis. I am Social Coordinator at Masjid An’Nur, and for the last two years, on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month, I cook and prepare 100 hot meals for families in need.  

 

I was a member of Neon’s Board of Directors for three years. I have earned a number of awards and recognitions, including the Start Up Business of the Year 2002, 2010 Small Business of the Year, 2010 Longevity & Sustained Impact Award, and the 2010 Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained Nominee at Women Venture. 

 

My Vision for Minneapolis Public Schools

I am running for School Board to be a voice for students, parents, staff and the community within Minneapolis!  My vision is for our Schools to be a fully funded and safe learning environment and provide the best experience for our youth from Pre-K through 12th Grade. We need to make sure our youth are ready for life after High School. 

 

I understand that we all have different needs and I want to be that voice for all of us!!! As a mother of three, I realize the need for more staff within the schools, more educational resources, more parent involvement, and more staff training. 

Improving Minneapolis Public Schools will take all of us. I will be that voice for you.  I will work diligently to make sure that all needs are considered at the board. I will be the voice that will bring balance and experience from living, working and worshipping within Minneapolis.  This is my life. I am a vested in Minneapolis and I will work hard to make a difference. Thank you for putting your trust in me and supporting me to be the next School Board Member. I will work hard for what we need and want for our families. I am excited to get to work for your family! With your support Together We Win! 

 

My Focus

 

Accountability - Holding all stakeholders responsible for high performance in our schools and investing in support & resources for our teachers, parents and most of all our students.

Community - "It takes a village to raise a child", creating paths for community resources to support our schools, enriching our students, addressing social determinants, and preparing students for success both inside and outside the classroom.

Transparency -Starting with a foundation of openness to learning new ideas and encouraging Innovation. Being clear with parents and teacher about what the goals are and where we are headed.  Over communication should be the rule to ensure everyone is engaged at MPS.

We must A.C.T. NOW!!!