1. What are your top two priorities for the school board and what skills do you
bring to the board to help you achieve them?
bring to the board to help you achieve them?
| 1. To restore confidence in Alexandria’s schools. Confidence can only be regained when Alexandrians trust that the School Board is completely open and honest in its dealing with all constituencies (parents, teachers, staff, and taxpayers). 2. Ensure that the School Board, Superintendents Office, and ACPS schools listen to every voice. Teachers feel they have no voice in decisions which affect them. Parents say that their concerns are dismissed by the Board or Superintendent’s office. There is a feeling that program initiatives and changes are promulgated without considering their impact on those directly affected. What distinguishes me are my strong leadership, educational and technical background, and broad experience. As a professional Naval officer for over 20 years, my greatest satisfaction came from having a direct impact in the transformation of young people into responsible adults. My role involved boss, parent, teacher, pastor, counselor, advocate and friend. I planned and budgeted the five-year Capital Improvement Program for 72 naval ships. I am experienced in reviewing Architectural and Engineering drawings and specifications. My MBA and Certified Financial Planner® experience make me uniquely qualified to review complex financial statements and budgets. I excel in creating motivational work environments by practicing positive leadership principles and approaching each situation with a strong bias for action. I have a passion for people, and have demonstrated that individuals and teams are capable of achieving extraordinary results when positively led. I am a conceptual thinker and actively seek new ways to solving problems. I can’t imagine any situation while serving on the School Board that I haven’t encountered in one form or the other before. I am particularly pleased to have received the A-PACE Teacher Endorsement. Those of us who were endorsed share much in common. We all want the very best education for Alexandria’s children; we want to empower our teachers. As the father to twin 6 year old boys, I am dedicated to providing quality education for all our children with flexibility for individual needs. |
2. What are your two top critiques of the system and how do you intend to address them?
| Transparency and accountability to our community is one of the School Board’s primary responsibilities. That’s our job. As elected officials, the Board is directly accountable to our community for every aspect of the ACPS system. It is an awesome responsibility and it can not be delegated away. So the School Board must be the instrument of communication. This communication must be clear, concise, correct, and above all honest. The Superintendent is knowledgeable, smart and energetic. However, he is perceived as dictating change not leading it. As a result, even good ideas meet resistance. In many ways, the Superintendent has become his own boss by filling a leadership vacuum on the Board. The fault is not the Superintendent’s; it is the School Board’s. To the extent, that the Superintendent’s performance is questioned – the School Board’s performance must be questioned. Alexandria’s public schools are over managed and under led. We must refocus on fundamental concepts of organizational leadership. |
3. Parents want to understand how Alexandria measures the success of its schools. They also want to know if they are sending their child to a good school. What measures of achievement are now being used? Are they adequate or are additional metrics needed?
| There is lots of testing going on in our schools and Dr. Sherman loves data. The issue here is what to make of this data. The Superintendent tends to highlight only the best and bury the rest. I look at VDOE data myself. A parent I spoke with was concerned about how much time this testing is taking. I noticed this myself last year when our twins were in kindergarten. There were lots of substitutes while the teacher was out of class for testing/assessing, coaching, and training. I checked with one of my elementary teacher sources (a benefit of being Teacher Endorsed) about this. Her reply: "Here are the tests we give small people starting in the first quarter: Scholastic Reading Inventory Scholastic Math Inventory PALS DRA (Reading but not all schools give it!) On-line quarterly tests Transfer tasks Pre and post unit tests in math. Also, for ELLs WIDA in January TAG testing in 1st and 2nd grade SOL tests in June SFA schools have their own reading assessment as well. No time to look at data, just time to grade and prepare the next assessment!" If elected, I want to increase teacher time in class and not impose additional out-of-class requirements on them. |
4. One of the school board’s major responsibilities is overseeing and managing the superintendent. What do you believe is the right relationship between the school board and the superintendent?
| The Board supervises the Superintendent. The Superintendent executes the strategy and policies the Board sets. He is the COO responsible for day-to-day operations. Questions about the Superintendent’s performance really reflect the performance of the current School Board. If elected, I will work with the next Board to reassert its proper authority. |
5. Superintendent Sherman stated that, “Our community and students deserve candor and a complete picture when it comes to looking at school and division performance.” On a scale of A to F, how would you grade the school administration on communication, transparency, and candor? If you give a grade less than A, what changes to improve the situation would you recommend?
| C-. First, communication is a two way exchange of information and ideas. Far too often the ACPS administration simply dictates directives, policies, and decisions, without first listening to the parents, teachers, staff and the community who will be affected by them. The Jefferson Houston extended day directive and the Quaker satellite campus are recent examples and there are many others. Even the School Board is taken by surprise by these decisions from the Superintendent. Bureaucracies often are guilty of suppressing dissenting voices and failing to listen to constituents. I know that to lead one must listen. I have that leadership experience. As a member of a new School Board, I will work with the Superintendent and the School Board to ensure that those affected by ACPS decisions, both parents, teachers, and citizens have a strong voice in determining how change is implemented. Additionally, I will work to restore the morale, esteem, and recognition of our teaching and staff professionals and allow them the flexibility to teach to their strengths. |
6. Because of big enrollment increases in recent years, Alexandria’s elementary schools are bursting at the seams. But these enrollment increases appear to be limiting elementary school choice. How would you address the capacity challenges facing the schools and their effects on parental choice?
| Capacity constraints affect every aspect of ACPS, every program is impacted. There are no quick solutions to ACPS overcrowding, only short-term fixes and workarounds. This is a long-term problem. Keeping in mind that the need for additional facilities, teachers, and staff are a direct result of the city’s robust residential development, the School Board must communicate to City Council the need to hold down further housing development until classroom capacities can be stabilized. Achieving our goal of becoming a great school system will only increase the number of families and children seeking enrollment. The only viable solution is to build new schools, (perhaps in the Eisenhower valley) and enlarge existing schools. We must size these new schools not to just meet today’s demands but projected enrollment twenty years out. The School Board has to lead in making this case before City Council and our communities. We need to do this right - not keep doing it over! |
7. Superintendent Sherman said in October 2011that “eliminating academic achievement differences among race, income, disability and language subgroups must be the highest priority.” This, he said, is “an educational and moral imperative.” Schools across America are struggling to close this achievement gap. Do you believe that Alexandria has been making progress in closing its achievement gaps? If so, what are the best examples? Where and in what areas do we need to do more?
| Yes, TAG STEM (Science,Technology, Engineering, and Math), AVID, Honors and AP programs are all doing their part. I have a strong background in math, engineering and technology, so naturally I am excited by STEM. The STEM curriculum has been in place for almost 10 years at Cora Kelly, and has been well received by students and parents. Scores show it has narrowed the achievement gap. At T.C. Williams, the Honors and AP programs are beginning to see results. A successful program already in place is AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination). This program provides B, C, and D students with reading, organization and study, research and inquiry, writing, and collaboration skills. AVID, together with AP classes, has proven successful in increasing college acceptance rates for minority children. Just this week, the VDOE reported that TCW increased its on-time graduation rates from 2011 to 2012, with improvements in achievement by African American and Hispanic students. To expand on these successes, we need more dedicated math and science teachers, and real laboratory space. |
8. One of the board’s major responsibilities is budgeting. How do you restrain costs and still provide what students need?
| My background managing the CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) budget for 72 Navy ships, my MBA, and experience as a Certified Financial Planner® uniquely qualify me to identify waste and inefficiencies in the ACPS budget. I will seriously look at the so called “residency loophole” and work to continue reducing non-teaching labor and consultant costs. Just a 2% savings in our budget will yield over 5 million dollars. I would use these savings to increase our pre-K programs and full-time Special Ed employees. A major responsibility of the School Board is preparing the ACPS budget and selling it to City Council and the community. We are going to need more funds to make our schools ones we can all be proud of. Our best advocacy is to show accountability and efficiency in use of funds. Bottom line - Money must produce results. |
9. Despite increasing enrollment, there is a perception that some parents continue to question the quality of Alexandria’s public schools and send their children to private school or to a public school elsewhere. Is this perception accurate, and if so, what can and should the school system do, if anything, to convince these families to stay in Alexandria schools?
| That is certainly the perception of many people I talk to. I think it is accurate, 60% of our student population attend sub-performing schools according to the VDOE. The only thing that will change this is results. You can play a part. If you are happy with your teacher and school, say so. If you a taxpayer, visit your local school and spend some time in the classrooms, check out the facilities, and see how your taxes are spent. When our schools are performing, the word will get out. |
10. There is pressure on school systems to develop rigorous teacher evaluation systems. Virginia requires that 40% of a teacher’s evaluation be based on student outcomes. Because the state allows districts some flexibility in determining those outcomes, what makes sense for Alexandria?
| Teacher performance should be based on many attributes: experience, student success, professional development, contribution to the team effort, certifications, etc. I don’t think we need to invent the wheel on this, but benchmark against teacher-accepted, proven performance models already in use in other systems. I am also concerned with how we measure teacher performance. Measuring teacher performance is an art, just what are you measuring? By scores? How do you normalize between a class with special needs children and AP class? By improvement? Same issue with differing rates of student progress. The best evaluation system must be multi-faceted and very flexible. |
11. Despite much effort, many parents of special needs children do not feel satisfied with the services being provided to their children. Indeed, this is evidenced by the fact that parents are often seeking redress in the courts. What do you think the school board can do to address the issues with the system’s efforts to help children with special needs.
| First, let’s really listen to parents; they know their children’s needs best. Together with the Special Education Committee (SEC) a realistic and achievable IEP (Individual Education Plan) is one way in removing frustration. I’m still learning about this complex issue but, studies show early identification and intervention increase successful outcomes and are cost effective. I will work to find funding to support pre-K and early elementary programs, and early identification and screening of children with special needs. I also believe in keeping the specialist in special education. These specially qualified professionals provide flexibility not available in the general education environment. I see with my twin 6 year old boys that one size does not fit all. |
12. Despite the increase in enrollment, there are families of young children who still have doubts about ACPS and plan on sending their children to private schools or move out of the city. How can ACPS improve its communication to families of younger children?
| Repeat of Question 9. |
13. What is the one decision made by the board in the last six years that you disagreed with and how would you have voted differently?
| A decision NOT made: the School Board’s failure to require a full and complete audit of ACPS finances. This must be done to restore confidence and credibility in this area. There have been procedural errors within the CIP Funds and outside accountants have reported the ACPS has operated in a dysfunctional environment in relation to CIP related activities. We don’t want to find out a year from now that this partial procedural audit disclosed only the tip of an iceberg and that we are facing a titanic financial catastrophe. I can't in good conscience go before the Alexandria City Council and ask for a quarter of a billion dollars and say "trust me” We must show that funds are properly spent and accounted for. |
