Greetings Friends of Elizabeth City! This petition has been created as a means of support for Pam Godfrey Pureza in an effort to secure recommendations, signatures and words of encouragement as she campaigns for the vacant seat with the Elizabeth City/Pasquotank Public Schools Board of Education. Pam was born and raised in Elizabeth City and has been a consistent voice and advocate for better schools in our hometown. To raise awareness about the urgency and importance of filling this board seat with a person who has a passion for youth, policy and commitment for collaboration, we would like to collect at least 300 signatures in support of Pam 's efforts by Monday, August 5, 2013, at 11:00 am, to show the board that we feel she is the best candidate. Please take a moment to provide your name and e-mail as a signature of support, and if you feel led, leave words of encouragement or a plea to the board on behalf of Pam's nomination. If you are a former resident who has since moved away from Elizabeth City, please indicate that in your comments.

Thank you in advance for your support! We look forward to seeing new leadership in place for ECPPS to strive and thrive.

Members of Team Pureza - Current & Former Residents of Elizabeth City

------ A Note From Pam Pureza:

Greetings Fellow Residents of Elizabeth City:

I am pursuing an appointment to the open seat on the ECPPS Board of Education with a passion and vision of excellence for our school system. It is my desire for the ECPPS School district to be a welcoming, safe and respectful place where we hold ourselves accountable to global standards and empower our students to be productive stewards both locally and abroad. ECPPS should set the standard for challenging, yet dynamic and engaging curriculum for every child and on every level. ECPPS should be a place where teachers love to educate and children love to learn. I believe we can achieve this vision through strong leadership, innovative curriculum and strong community support.

Top 3 Issues of Concern for ECPPS:

1. Lack of Funding for Advancements in Education (Resources, Programs, and Technology)

2. Effects of Cultural and Economic Diversity (School Performance as well as Test Scores)

3. Poor Perception of the School Environment (Within the Community)

Solutions to Top 3 Issues of Concern for ECPPS:

Lack of Funding for Advancements in Education - Appointment of a Grant Writer or Development Officer for ECPPS to investigate and pursue funding from the private and public sectors. This position could be shared in conjunction with the city, county or ECPPS Education Foundation with support of parent-teacher groups.

Effects of Cultural and Economic Diversity -  Organize and streamline the process of volunteering within the school system. With the reduction of teacher assistant positions, principals and teachers are in need of support within the classroom setting and should have access to a central database to secure volunteers that have been background checked, trained, and approved to work in schools. I propose a challenge in which residents would be charged to“Give 1 Hour”-whether an hour a day, week, month or school year to make a difference in the lives or our youth and future leaders of our city. ECPPS also needs to develop a strategic plan to focus on accountability and monitor progress within the schools for test scores. Let’s promote positive outcomes, programs and celebrate successes in order to improve the perception of the school system within the community.

Poor Perception of School Environment - Let’s join forces to be proactive and encourage residents to embrace the state of education in Pasquotank County by becoming a part of the solution. Parents are key to the promotion of education and learning and for children who lack support at home, a mentorship program can be developed to meet the need and monitor progress to build self-esteem and accountability. Underserved and disadvantaged children deserve the opportunity to be nurtured as they strive for excellence to become productive citizens within our community.

One final note:

Strong leadership is key to a successful school district. I take the role of a leader very seriously as a volunteer in schools and the community. Faced with many challenges, I have worked hard to promote improvement and change in my own children’s school. My goal is to be the leader who helps the entire ECPPS district achieve positive outcomes for all children in our county. I am invested in our community and I know that the future of this county is dependent upon how well we educate and empower our youth. Aside from my own family, nothing is more important to me than the state of education in the Elizabeth City/Pasquotank School System.

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