New school board member hopes to close educational gap
After the Rome Board of Education appointed Toni Blanchard last week to fill its vacant seat, she said her goal is to create equal opportunities for all students.
“I want to be able to work with the kids where they are now in the school system, and let them know the importance of education and utilizing the tools and resources within the community. I don’t want them to have to come and see me in the capacity that I work in,” the probation officer said.
Blanchard moved to Rome in 1998, and both of her children grew up in the Rome City Schools system.
She’s spent those 24 years being heavily involved in the community. She is a member of the Title I stakeholders team and the ELOST team. While Blanchard has been involved in parent teacher organizations since her children have been in the system, she became Rome High’s PTO president in 2019.
Additionally, Blanchard worked with the Rome Housing Authority to provide resources to families, and she continues to help the community as a probation officer with CSRA Probation Services. Since 2013, she has helped her probationers with tasks such as entering rehab and working through custody plans.
Blanchard’s law enforcement background and resource connections bring a unique perspective to the school board, she said. Some of her probationers struggle to find or maintain a well paying job because of their lack of education, and Blanchard wants to improve the quality of education so students can avoid this cycle.
To do this, her goal is to “make sure that every kid has an equal opportunity, be it education- or athletic-wise.”
Blanchard addressed the educational gap between Rome’s elementary schools.
“Statistics show we have some schools that are performing lower than other schools,” she stated. “I want to make sure we have the right tools, teachers, staff and strategies in place to get these schools up to standards. My kids had the opportunity to attend West End, which is a Distinguished School of Excellence, and I want to see all (schools) get up to that point.”
Blanchard’s appointment is temporary. The 4-year term just started in January so, per state law, a special election will be held in November. Blanchard said she is planning run to complete the term, which goes through Dec. 31, 2025.