Questionnaire: Francesca Wernisch, candidate for Palm Beach County School Board, District 1

Name: Francesca Wernisch

Residence: North Palm Beach, Florida

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Educational Background

University of Florida, 2007

-BS in Construction Management

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Have you ever been arrested?
No

Have you ever been convicted of a crime?
No

Have you declared bankruptcy in the last 7 years?
No

Are you a first time candidate?
Yes

Candidate's Net Worth
330,000

Campaign Website
francescawernisch.com‍

Office Seeking
School Board

Campaign Finance Information

‍How much has your campaign raised to date?
$10,000

How much has your campaign spent to date?
$2,800

Cash on hand.
$8,400

Campaign Contact Information‍

Campaign Email Address
hello@francescawernisch.com

Campaign Address
PO Box 14322
North Palm Beach, FL 33408

List all endorsements
- Barbara McQuinn, Retiring Incumbent
- Alexandria Ayala, Current Board Member
- Karen Marcus, President Sustainable PBC and former PBC County Commissioner
- EducateUS

Do you currently serve, or have you ever served on any municipal, county, or school board appointed committees/boards?
No

List all civic associations, nonprofits, private associations and organizations that you are active in.

- League of Women Voters
- Moms Demand Action
- The Senator Philip D. Lewis Center
- PTA
- SAC

Introduce yourself to our readers by telling us why you're running for School Board.

Born and raised in Palm Beach County, I’m a mom with children in elementary school. I have served on the PTA as treasurer and helped organize events and fundraisers that brought families together and supported their school. As a deeply involved parent, I understand the demands on principals and teachers and strive to create a safe environment where all students can reach their highest potential. I believe this can be done through a holistic approach that involves prioritizing students, engaging parents, and supporting teachers.
I’m running for Palm Beach County School Board District 1 because I believe all children deserve an excellent public school education and am committed to being every parent's voice.

What specific experience or qualifications do you bring to this role that makes you the best candidate?

My degree in Construction Management, my work experience, and parenting have all fostered in me a strong work ethic, empathy, and powerful problem-solving skills. My most valuable experience for this particular role comes from being an involved mom with two children in a Palm Beach County School District school and serving as PTA treasurer.

From your standpoint, what are the top three issues impacting the district? What is your plan to address these issues, and what specific initiatives or strategies will you champion?

My focus is student achievement, and the most important factor in that is teacher and staff compensation. Florida has been rated 50th for average teacher pay across the country. While some legislation has aimed to improve this, it remains insufficient, particularly in Palm Beach County. I will propose increasing the Base Student Allocation received from the State. A higher BSA would provide the District with more funds per student, translating into greater financial resources for compensation, recruitment, and retention. Having the best teachers and staff is the foundation for the success of our students.

Our public schools are being threatened with defunding through the diversion of public funds to charter schools and vouchers, leading to a decrease in the opportunity for student success within our school system. Our public schools are an integral part of our communities, as they affect not only our students and their futures but also property values and businesses. We should reconsider the use of public funds for schools outside our direct oversight and work toward making the schools overseen by the Palm Beach County School District the best option for each community they are in.

Safety, in its broadest sense, is a priority for all of us. By ensuring our facilities are appropriately funded we can enhance safety infrastructure, meet security requirements, reduce the gap that exists with the mandate of funding one school police officer per school, and invest fully in mental health training and resources for all personnel. By addressing these aspects, we can create a safe and supportive learning environment for our students.

Ensuring community engagement and transparency is crucial in government. If you were elected, how would you go about involving residents in decision-making processes and ensuring accountability?

As technology evolves, it’s critical to integrate these advances to streamline administrative processes, improve communication, and foster innovative teaching methods. As a parent in the PBC School District, I have observed improvements in communicating the District’s achievements and progress; however, there is still room for enhancement. Increasing active parent and guardian involvement through improved marketing efforts, understanding modern and innovative engagement methods, and enhancing communication and transparency will benefit the entire PBCSD community.

In what ways are you similar of different from your opponent?

I am the next generation of leadership. I have young children in the public school system and a broad focus on maintaining and improving the District’s success. Focusing solely on the budget or literacy is not enough. I believe in a holistic approach that involves prioritizing students, supporting teachers, and engaging parents to achieve the goal of providing an excellent public school education. I’ve chosen to experience the public school system for 5 years and have another decade to see firsthand how the Board’s decisions can impact a family. I want to be the voice of my community and dedicate my time and energy to this mission now and beyond one term.

Florida's school districts are often in the headlines due to some reluctance to go along with much of the Governor's social agenda, namely on cultural issue such as LGBTQ+ visibility, and so called "wokeness" in public education. What are your thoughts on this, and do you believe that the district should follow these measures?

The mission of the School District of Palm Beach County is to educate, affirm, and inspire each student in an equity-embedded school system. If we maintain that focus as we develop a curriculum based on State laws and give parents the opportunity to be informed and provide their feedback, we can achieve the goal of providing an education for our students that is safe and respectful.

Do you believe that transgender students in your county's schools should be allowed to use bathrooms that correlate with their gender identity, be referred to by their chosen names, using the pronouns associated with their gender identity, and play sports that correlate with their gender identity?

Our focus is on children and supporting them as best we can so they can be at school and stay in school. As a board member, I will implement policies with thoughtfulness and sensitivity to everyone’s needs, which includes the consideration of access to single-stall bathrooms, allowing the use of nicknames by all children, and respecting the decisions of the FHSAA, which sets the framework for how public school sports operate. Providing students with a safe place to learn, regardless of their gender identity, is the focus of how we balance state legislation requirements with respecting individual rights and considering the broader community.

Questionnaire responses are provided by candidates to The County, and are not reflective of the The County or its affiliates' views. All candidates are invited to complete our candidate questionnaire in a timely manner. The County does not edit any of the responses, except for minor formatting fixes. All responses above are the words and writings of the candidate.