To the editor:

The upcoming Lindbergh Board of Education election is an important one for our community. 

After watching the first forum and researching the candidates, one stands out above the rest, Carrie Clay. Candidate Clay is a longtime resident, devoted mother, small business owner, an advocate for children with learning differences and volunteer in our community. 

Lindbergh used to be one of the top rated school districts in the area, consistently ranking in the top 10.  We ranked No. 1 from 2010-2015 based on our state testing in reading and math on standardized testing. 

Unfortunately, over the past five years Lindbergh has steadily declined. Shockingly, the district now ranks 76th in the state. While many want to blame COVID, every district faced the same problems yet our neighboring districts of Kirkwood, Ladue and Brentwood did not show drastic declines. Additionally, our drop in rankings started long before COVID. 

Candidate Clay plans to face these problems head-on with solutions that will make teachers jobs easier and children more confident and prepared. She intends to focus on bringing back grammar, vocabulary, spelling instruction, writing instruction, explicit and systematic reading instruction, along with challenge classes in middle school and math interventions in elementary. All of these have been absent from Lindbergh’s classrooms for some time and directly impacted our decline in academic standing. 

Candidate Clay is the much needed change to the board that Lindbergh residents need.

Lindsey Ackland
Sunset Hills