President

Term Expires: 2027

jdodd@re-2.org

It has been my privilege to represent our families as a member of the Fremont RE-2 School Board since 2019. I grew up in Fremont County and lived in Penrose for most of my childhood, so I attended Penrose School from Kindergarten through 8th grade and graduated from Florence High School. After living in Colorado Springs for a short time as a young adult, I wanted to move back to Fremont County to raise my family. We have lived in Florence since 2013 and enjoy our tight-knit community and all it has to offer. My children are enrolled in the Fremont RE-2 School District, and being a small community, I have family members and friends who work in each of our schools. I was a paraprofessional at Penrose Elementary School for one school year, then worked in residential treatment as a paraprofessional for at-risk youth. Later, I became the trainer for all staff at the treatment facility and held that position for about four years before working in municipal government. I currently work from home doing social media marketing and providing administrative assistance for a gestational surrogacy agency, a field I entered after I carried a surrogate baby for a family in 2020-2021. Outside of work and through my involvement with civic organizations and community service groups, I have been able to help with events and programs that benefit Fremont RE-2 students and the community. Each of these roles have taught me important skills and keep me well-connected and committed to meet the needs of students and families. Though I am far from being an expert in any area, I strive to continue to hone my skills and expand my knowledge to better serve those who have trusted me in this role.

One of my favorite things I've learned during my tenure was at the annual winter conference hosted by the Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB). One of the speakers taught that board members are not intended to represent a certain party or political agenda. They said that each board member has three groups of people they represent - "The ones who like them", "The ones who don't like them", and the largest group, which is "Those who don't know who they are." This stands out in my mind, because it’s a good reminder to consider the perspectives of all constituents and that our individual ideas or biases should not be the sole driving force behind decisions.

I value feedback and input from all constituents and encourage folks to stay informed on things happening in our district, attend and actively participate in school activities and functions, volunteer, read school board meeting agendas and minutes, and watch the live streams of meetings if they can’t attend in person. Without speaking for the Board as a whole, (though I know this is true for others on the Board), I am happy to speak with community members who would like to discuss anything happening in our district. That said, please say hello if you see me in public, or contact me directly if you’d like. It would be an honor to connect with you and find out how our district can better serve our students and families!