Shiyo Everyone! My name is Sasha McCoy-Watty and I am excited to be a candidate for the office of Birdtown/3200 Acre Tract School Board.
First, I would like to tell you a little about myself. I am the only daughter of Dave and Vickie McCoy. I have two brothers, Skooter and Taz. My paternal grandparents are the late Bud and Nonie McCoy, and my maternal grandparents are Blue-Jay and the late Alice Maney Sequoyah. I am married to Stephan Watty, and we live in the Birdtown Community with our two wonderful daughters. Suri Alise is nine years old and will be going into the 4th grade at Cherokee Elementary School. She enjoys playing softball, basketball, and learning the Cherokee language. Sela Liona is three. She loves Peppa Pig, enjoys dancing, and rules the roost.
I am a 2006 graduate of Cherokee High School, and I hold a bachelor’s of science degree in sports management, with a minor in business administration from Mars Hill University. I am currently the EBCI Recreation manager. In my previous job as a grants programmer at the Cherokee Preservation Foundation for seven years, I assisted the school in obtaining many grants. These grants were vital in building Cherokee’s workforce and supported the Cherokee Language department within the school.
My desire to run for the School Board has been ongoing. I love being involved and giving back to my community, and I am a person of action. If elected to this office, I will take my role very serious. I’m a strong role model for our youth, and I have strong family values.
Recently, I assisted with the creation of the Qualla Education Collaborative at Cherokee Central Schools. This group is developing ways to move our school forward into a blended learning E-Steam based curriculum, which is vital to the academic growth of our student population. I also assisted with the creation of the Cherokee Language APP that all Cherokee families can use to help learn and save the language.
Student Preparations: Our students need to be better prepared for life after graduation. I agree we should push college as a top option, but we also need to be realistic that college isn’t for all students. These students need more options with obtaining certifications and life skill classes that help prepare them for competitive jobs. A blended learning education would involve individual learning techniques that each student could benefit from with new learning opportunities to navigate careers and be a well-rounded, successful person.
Teacher and Coach Recruitment: As a parent, I’m ready to see new young energetic teachers at Cherokee Central Schools. I think we can all agree that teachers who have retired from public schools have retired for a reason and need to be enjoying their retirement not coming to our school system for 3-5 years only to gain a second retirement. These new teachers would be more familiar with implementing the new E-Steam based curriculum.
Coaches are a key element of promoting learning and citizenship within the student body. When our school board, superintendent and principals value an education-based athletic program we can attract top coaches. These coaches will lead by example and are held to higher expectations, while also guiding and counseling their athletes through issues and problems that arise.
Public School Relationships: Lastly, with such a high percentage of our enrolled member students from the Birdtown/3200 Acre Tract community that attend public schools we need a stronger working relationship with the Swain County School system. I would like to know why these students attend other schools and I would also like to find solutions to these issues and possibly get those students back to Cherokee schools.
These are only a few highlights about me. I look forward to this opportunity, so let’s be proactive together and make our school’s future as bright as possible! Please contact me with any questions or concerns you have.
I would appreciate your support this coming Thursday, June 1.
Sgi, Sasha McCoy-Watty
“Be BRAVE Make Education Matter”
736-4199
