"When a flower doesn't bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower." — Alexander Den Heijer
This quote has guided much of my work with children and families. Instead of blaming people for the issues they are facing, we must look closely at their environment, their access to services, resources, and their support systems. What are the circumstances that keep them from thriving?
Meet ConnieConnie is a long-time resident of Smyrna with a history of working with children and families throughout those years. She grew up in New York State, moved to Missouri where she graduated from St. Louis University with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a teaching license in general and special education. She moved to Tennessee with her husband, a native Nashvillian where they raised three children.
She later attended MTSU and earned her master’s degree in early childhood special education. Her coursework raised her knowledge and understanding of the updated Individuals with Disabilities Education Act laws impacting children with special needs.
After graduating from MTSU, she spent seven years at Outlook Nashville serving as a teacher, coordinator, outreach teacher, and then director of this program for children with and without disabilities from birth to age four. This program was intentionally started to serve children with and without disabilities in the same classroom.
She left Outlook Nashville when she was recruited to the Tennessee State Department of Education. There she played an instrumental role in the development of the then-pilot Voluntary Pre-K program serving 600 children. In this work, she pulled together research that was presented to the legislators leading to the passage of The Voluntary Pre-K Act for All . In three years, she oversaw the expansion of the 30 pilot program classrooms into 934 classrooms serving 18,000 children in all Tennessee school districts. Through this work, she built relationships with educators in every school district across the state.
After 15 years of service at the Department of Education, she took on a new job at Middle Tennessee State University as Director of Early Learning Programs and an adjunct in the College of Education. She supported the work of three unique early education programs serving children, families, students, and staff in understanding the importance of early education. She continued her advocacy work across many organizations and agencies working with and for families and children.
After nearly 10 years of service at MTSU, she felt called to retire and set a new course, running for Tennessee State House District 49. Her past experiences and relationships elevated her awareness to the many issues and struggles facing families every day. She is running for office to continue to work towards solutions to the issues that can keep families and children from thriving.