For Polly Taylor-Gerken, Toledo Public Schools are nothing new. Polly worked for 30 years in the district she now serves, initially as a school secretary, and later as a school psychologist. From these roles she learned not only how a school works, but also what students need to succeed and what parents and teachers need to support their students’ education. Now, Polly is prepared to continue her role as a Board of Education member, where for the last eight years she has learned the mechanics of policy making and managing oversight of a large urban school district. 

As a board member, Polly has vocally stood against expanding charter school vouchers and publicly challenged regulatory restrictions that limited the amount of food children could receive under a hybrid model of learning. Polly is currently pushing for gender neutral dress codes, including ending the requirement that students in the all-girls elementary school must wear dresses or skirts. With her experience working for Toledo Public Schools and the Board of Education, Polly knows the ins-and-outs of what makes a strong leader, and she is the right choice to make sure that progress is made within the Toledo School systems.