GRACE BOULDIN COWAN
Grace Bouldin Cowan settled in Charleston 31 years ago, built a successful business in the music industry and serves the community as an advocate for children and women. Grace co-founded the Charleston – based Sound Events, a concert production and promotion firm and then moved to Show Cobra, a national music production group. In 2009, Grace founded Birthday Buds, a non-profit that provides under resourced children with birthday presents and essential items. She currently serves as the Board Chairwoman. She volunteers as a Guardian Ad Litem, working with youth and their families in the Charleston County social services system. She is the Chair of the Metanoian Circle, a housing and community partner program in North Charleston. Grace is a mom to two daughters and many pets, and is happily married to Ross Cowan, Jr.
WHY I'M RUNNING
I am running because I am an advocate for the well being of all of Charleston’s children. And Charleston’s children need this new board to work together to put children first, to be active listeners and connect the school system to the community with transparency and openness. I am running because I have the skills and experience to meet these needs.
Education is the springboard to social, emotional and life achievement. It is the guarantee for our State's financial and economic progress. All Charleston County schools need individual attention and exceptional leadership to build on their opportunities and strengths and confront their unique challenges. Engagement, empowerment and empathy can unite the children, teachers and school leaders to produce an education that prepares students to be job/college ready and elevates our community.
Contemporary public education requires us to make a choice: Do we commit to making every one of our public schools a place to obtain an “exceptional education”? Or do we accept a future that maintains a “minimally adequate education,” the legal standard for public school so regrettably set in 1999 by our State’s highest court?
MY PLATFORM
STUDENT OUTCOMES
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Timelines and specific goals
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Measure student outcomes in consistent and uniform manner
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Address the divide between high and low performing schools
COMMUNITY COMMUNICATIONS
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Facilitate productive dialogue
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Engage the community
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Restore confidence and trust in governance is critical to future progress
GOVERNANCE
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Hire a new Superintendent
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Ensure that our school leaders are leading
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Work as a team to accomplish set goals
TEACHERS
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Listen to our teachers
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Support new ways to attract teachers to the profession
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Ensure an open dialogue between teachers and school leaders