Richmond Heights resident Rachel Goltzman has announced she is running for the Maplewood Richmond Heights School Board. She is currently one of three running for two open seats.
Amber Withycombe has also filed, and incumbent Ralph Posley has filed for reelection; incumbent Wesley Robb has not. The filing period expires at the end of the business day on January 19.
Rachel Goltzman’s statement:
My name is Rachel Goltzman. I have been a lifelong Missouri resident and a Richmond Heights resident since 2001. I have been married to Paul Swier for 18 years; we have two children. Both of our children have been enrolled in the MRH School District since preschool; currently, we have a middle school student (Jacob) and a high school student (Amelia).
I have a Master’s degree in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis and 2 years post-master certification in Gestalt therapy. I worked for 15 years as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker; seven of those years I ran my own practice while continuing my work in the community. My focus of practice was severe mental illness, domestic violence, child abuse, and trauma. My social work education and experience taught me active listening skills, the ability to see the overall picture, to focus on resolving challenges using a person’s strengths, and excellent communication skills. In addition, I have 7 years of accounting experience from running my private practice. Since retiring from Social Work, I have been an Office Manager for a metal shop providing bookkeeping, tax preparation, and human resource management. This experience broadened my accounting skills as well as provided education on a completely different work field: metal fabrication and construction projects. I am the only accounting professional at my company and manage the finances of multiple complex projects simultaneously. In addition, I am the treasurer of the Spread Ari’s Light Foundation.
My volunteer experiences include volunteering at my children’s schools, being a Girl Scout leader, a Neighborhood Girl Scout Cookie Manager, and an Assistant Coach with MRH Youth Sports. In addition, I was an active volunteer and the Secretary of the Jewish Council Against Family Violence from 1999-2012. I am a practicing Jew in a loving interfaith marriage. I have a strong connection to my faith and our community. My faith and experiences would bring diversity to the School Board and helps guide my social justice values and action.
We are a family that loves outdoor activities: hiking, jogging, snow skiing, biking and exploring. I have practiced yoga for the past 15 years. I am an avid gardener and neglector of orchids. And I enjoy crafting, whether it is knitting, needlepoint or scrapbooking.
I am running for School Board because I believe that Education is the Foundation of Our Future – Your Voice is Important!
I am an…
- Advocate for continued high academic achievement for our district,
- Champion for ensuring the educational needs of all,
- Believer in integrity of person and discussion,
- Supporter of the district’s diversity, equity, and social justice core values,
- Conduit for all community voices to be heard, and
- Bridge for building community strength & engagement.
I love the MRH School District and our community; I would be honored to share my passion and commitment for our children on the MRH School Board. You may direct questions to [email protected] Thank you.