Editor’s note: StateCollege.com will accept Centre Region and countywide candidate campaign announcements for the 2021 primary election until April 30. Press releases can be emailed to [email protected]. We will accept letters to the editor endorsing candidates until May 10.
Jacquelyn Huff, a former high school math teacher and current assistant teaching professor in Penn State’s College of Engineering, is seeking election to the State College Area School Board this year.
She is cross-filed on the Democratic and Republican ballots for the May 18 primary election.
In a press release, Huff said she is “dedicating her efforts to empowering teachers and ensuring the district’s students have access to the resources they need to serve as a springboard toward future success.”
Her experience as a math teacher for six years taught her the importance of student-teacher relationships, she said, adding that her work in a Title I public school in Hearne, Texas gives her insight into the importance of equitable access to educational resources.
Along with her husband, Greg, and their three elementary-aged children, Huff moved to Park Forest three years ago as her career transitioned from high school to post-secondary education.
She said that she feels strongly about supporting teachers and ensuring students have access to a wide variety of instructional opportunities that match the different ways they learn.
“Having access to resources like the Delta Program sets our district apart, and I’d like to explore opportunities that expand the range of offerings to meet every student’s unique needs,” Huff said.
Inspired by the community’s participation in the school board’s meetings, Huff said she believes community engagement is the foundation for successful public schools.
She added that she has watched school board meetings closely since moving into the district and believes the current board responded well in addressing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“While we can look back critically at some of actions implemented in response to COVID, I’m proud of the detail-oriented approach the board members took in gathering data and the community’s opinions before making important decisions,” Huff said. “The current board is a great example of a body of people that take their job seriously.”
She hopes “to keep the momentum of the board moving forward” and said “the district is poised make meaningful improvements in curriculum and to take big steps forward in student equity and inclusion.”
If elected, Huff said, she would bring unique perspective as the only current school board member with public school classroom experience.
“Teachers know the needs of their students, and without their input, the school board will not be able to effectively measure the success of our district’s schools,” Huff said.
Huff is one of seven candidates seeking four State College Area School Board seats up for election this year. She is joined by Deborah Anderson, Peter Buck, Carline Crevecoeur, Michelle Glenn Young, David Hutchinson and Dawn Lorenz. Each candidate is cross-filed on both primary ballots.
