Dawnyelle Singleton: Passion For My Community
Growing up in Sarasota, my mom was always active in the community and a member of several women’s organizations. As a child, she would take me with her to community meetings and luncheons. I was always amazed at her commitment to our community. That is where my passion for serving others became instilled in me.
Many have called me a “community leader.” I take great pride in the fact that I’ve worked with community leaders, and I’ve seen the positive impact our local organizations have on children, families, and individuals in need. I was never one to sit on the sidelines and wait for others or “hope” that things would get better. I knew that if I had an opportunity to get involved, I would.
It’s that feeling that led me to the decision to run for a seat on the Sarasota County School Board. Like most, I attended and graduated from public schools and believe my teachers, as well as my community and family, helped raise me to be the community leader that I am today. Right now, public schools, our teachers, and support staff are under attack. I am running to protect the future of public schools and to ensure that EVERY child in Sarasota county has access to the highest quality public schools.
As a former administrator at Visible Men Academy, I saw firsthand how parent involvement increased student achievement. I recall conversations with concerned parents, and we worked together to improve educational outcomes for students. I was proud to hold weekly parent nights and town halls, bringing parents and teachers together. I fostered an environment built on cooperation, collaboration, and togetherness.
My ultimate goal as a School Board member is to always do what is right for our students, teachers, and school communities. This includes putting a larger emphasis on high-quality early childhood education and strengthening our Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) programs. Working with our teachers to find solutions to the teacher shortage, and finally, supporting our students’ and teachers’ mental health during these challenging times. We must bring parents to the table, understanding that a child can only receive the best education when there is parent involvement. I was able to do that at Visible Men Academy, work that I am very proud of.
Our teachers are under incredible amounts of stress and are being forced to deal with unfair and ridiculous hurdles, some are leaving teaching altogether. We need to rally around our teachers and support staff now more than ever. The state of Florida is facing a severe teacher shortage, and that shortage will be felt locally in our public schools. We have to prioritize supporting our teachers, increasing teacher pay, reducing class sizes, and improving morale. We must face the truth that our staff deserves so much better. Bonuses and pizza parties won’t cut it- we have to demonstrate real, positive, and sustainable change.
Sarasota County is my home, and I’m proud to be on this journey with so many community members that truly care about the children of Sarasota and public school education. When we work together for good, great things can happen. Our community depends on our public schools and ALL of our students being successful.
Now is the time to stand up and do something. We can not sit back and hope that things will get better, or pray that our children will be okay. We have to put actions behind these words and put people on the Sarasota County School Board that will represent ALL children and fight for what is true, accurate, and correct. It’s time to elect a community leader, who has the experience and the passion to do the job. It’s time to put our students first and to treat and PAY our teachers and support staff like the professionals they are. Now is the time to elect the first African American on the Sarasota County School Board.
My name is Dawnyelle Singleton. I am a native of Sarasota and a proud product of Sarasota County Schools, and I’m running for School Board, Sarasota County District 1. I’d be honored to have your vote during vote by mail, early voting, and on August 23rd.
