Candidate Q&A: Henrico School Board

Editor's note: In advance of the Nov. 5 general elections, the Henrico Citizen posed four questions to each candidate for the local and state offices that represent Henrico. Below is the third in a series of responses from those candidates; it includes the responses of each candidate for the Henrico School Board. Responses were limited to a total of 400 words. They appear alphabetically by district and then by the candidates' last names.

1. Why should residents of your district vote for you?

KINSELLA – I believe that voters should choose me for the same reason I am endorsed by the Henrico Education Association PAC. I am an independent voice that will fight for our children and teachers – not a party. As the only candidate with children in Brookland schools, I am also the most experienced and knowledgeable about our school system’s triumphs and challenges. I understand the unique challenges our children and teachers face. I'm also a wife, mother, advocate, small business owner, volunteer, and daughter of an HCPS retired teacher with lifelong roots in the Brookland District. I attended Holladay, Moody, and Hermitage prior to earning my degree in finance at VCU. I believe every child deserves a safe, first-rate education and the resources necessary to be successful and life ready after high school graduation. I’m invested in the future of our children, teachers, staff, and schools. Together, we can make a difference. In addition to serving on PTA Boards and volunteering in my children's schools since 2011, I currently co-chair the Henrico Lay Advisory Committee, serve on the HCPS Strategic Plan Steering Committee, and co-founded an education advocacy group, Equitable Advocates.

KNOX – As a proud Brookland resident, and son of an educator, I have been committed to making a difference in my community from an early age. For nearly three years, the Board of Supervisors unanimously appointed me to represent Brookland as a member of the Henrico Grievance Panel and as a current member of the Library Advisory Board, which include Glen Allen and Libbie Mill Libraries. Furthermore, I have served on the HCPS Strategic Planning Committee, and represented Brookland at the Henrico Citizens Academy. As your next representative, I will leverage these experiences and relationships to ensure that the Henrico Way is a reality for all.

COOPER – Our children deserve the best teachers, the best facilities, and access to the right resources and opportunities to prepare them to become life ready. I'm proud of the accomplishments we've made over the past 4 years – decreased drop-out rates and improved graduation rates; increased the number of accredited schools; approved the plans to construct two new high schools by 2021; and approved the largest budget increase for HCPS that supported raises for teachers, critical staff hires, and the expansion of innovative programs. Despite the progress, there’s more work to be done and I have the experience, the established relationships, and the momentum to continue this progress and proudly represent the Fairfield District on the Henrico County Scconway
hool Board.

HICKS – I believe that the voters within the Fairfield District deserve a fighting chance. It is evident that the infrastructures of the Western and Eastern Henrico schools dramatically differ. Eastern Henrico County schools are not reaping the same equal benefits as those in the West End. The teachers, students and parents’ perception is their ultimate reality. In order to change the scope of their present, I feel as though we must offer a more balanced economic structure; give them more resources within the classrooms; and give them the hope of change that they wish to see. Change is not always bad.

OGBURN – It has been my honor to serve on the Henrico Co. School Board for the last five years. In that time, I have made it a priority to work with my constituents and HCPS staff members in the Three Chopt District so that they know that I am accessible and willing to listen. I have worked with the school and county administration to create plans and policies that will ensure a bright future for HCPS. I look forward to continuing to serve the citizens of the Three Chopt District.

DART – I’m deeply passionate about public education and a system that serves ALL teachers, students and schools equitably. I understand that passion is not enough. This position stewards a nearly half-billion-dollar school budget. I have the professional experience and skills to be a careful manager of those tax dollars. My education and experience combined with my passion uniquely qualify me for the school board.

SHEA – We need members on the School Board who have worked in our schools and understand what policies look like when they get to our students at the classroom level. My experience as a Henrico physics teacher and now as an elementary school parent gives me firsthand knowledge of what works and where we have opportunities for growth. My run for the Henrico School Board is motivated by a deep appreciation and understanding of our public schools, not the desire for a political position. I have never run for another political seat and do not have aspirations for any higher political office. My passion, vocation, and education have always been centered around our schools.

ATKINS – I am a champion for equity and quality education. I have been endorsed by the Henrico Education Association, Richmond Association of Realtors and Henrico County School Board chair because I have a proven record of success in our schools and strategic plan for the future. As the next School Board member for the Varina District, I will use my education, professional skills, compassion, and leadership to benefit children, families, and schools. My motto is Let’s FACE the Future Together. FACE is an acronym for Facts, Action, Change, Educate. Together, we will explore Facts, take Action, and inspire Change to Educate all children.

DAVIS – Residents should consider me as their candidate, given my diverse experience in education, policy, leadership in public service and knowledge of local and state legislative processes. I have extensive skills gained in program management, policy development and budget analysis, which will assist me in decision-making on behalf of students, teachers, and administrators. I have served as a policy adviser, former public school teacher, criminal justice planner, probation officer and youth advocate. In reflecting on my practical experience as a criminal justice program director, I established additional resources and policies to meet the needs of those I served, which resulted in grant writing, new programs and management of funding received. I‘ve gained skills in establishing successful youth programs such as: a certified VDOE tutoring program; VCU - Violence Prevention and Law Related Education Training for police and legal professionals; and I wrote the grant to start the Juvenile Drug Court. In my current role as policy and legislative adviser to elected officials, I have achieved a greater voice in decision-making to utilize my practical knowledge and inform those making decisions about laws and policies impacting the constituents they serve. My current position in formulating and recommending laws to local officials and members of the General Assembly on education, social justice issues and government operations has prepared me for this public service.

HENDERSON – Residents in the Varina District should vote for me because 'Children Are My Business' is not just my brand, it is my passion. I have proven leadership and experience they can count on. I have over 30 years of working with children and youth, with over 23 of those years right here in the district. I am an advocate, leader, mentor and teacher. I have represented Varina on the Henrico Co. Social Services board for eight years, including two as chair.

LUCAS – Simply put, I am the most qualified candidate that possesses the will and skill to create the world-class education system that Varina’s families deserve. I am a licensed educator, administrator, veteran special education teacher, community activist, advocate, and most importantly, a parent who understands the needs of all educational stakeholders. As a bold leader, I will hit the ground running to drive reforms that will have drastic impact regarding our students, families, and district employees.

2. What will be your top focus if elected?

KINSELLA – My priority when elected is to make sure all of our Henrico students receive a first-class education from the best and brightest educators, are safe, and are life ready no matter their path after high school graduation.

KNOX – My three priorities include: preparing students for a global workplace, implementing a sustainable green plan for Brookland schools, and recruiting and retaining top talent in the county.

COOPER – HCPS is currently undergoing one of the most complex and controversial planning decisions for a school district – the Comprehensive Redistricting 2021, which will affect school attendance boundaries beginning in 2021. If re-elected, my charge will be to make objective, fact-based decisions that will consider population growth, reduce overcrowding, reduce inequities, while balancing a community school concept. Other top priorities include increased compensation for teachers and HCPS staff; improving resource equity and eliminating school fees that have been burdening many of our families; approving and implementing suggestions made by the Exceptional Education Program Committee; and continuing to support initiatives that close achievement gaps with the goal of reaching full accreditation for all schools.

HICKS – Re-appropriating the funding for the Math and Science Innovation Center.

OGBURN – I am especially concerned about teacher recruitment and retention. We need to continue our work to improve the working environment for our teachers so that once they come to work for HCPS, they will want to make long term plans to stay in our schools. I am not just focusing on increases in teacher pay, which is of course important. We need to give our teachers the materials, supports, and training that they need to do the job that we have hired them to do.

DART – My top focus will be determining why over the last few years Henrico has so many teaching positions that go unfilled and what we need to do to attract and retain the best and brightest professionals to those positions.

SHEA – My focus will be to diligently apply a classroom lens to everything the School Board looks at. This involves using my classroom experience to judge what is best for our students over what just sounds good. It looks at policy to ensure that we treat teachers like the professionals they are. It reviews the budget to allocate resources equitably in ways that add value and truly move the needle for our students.

ATKINS – Schools should engage every student in rigorous learning that prepares them for college, work, and life. I am focused on fixing the "cracks" in our foundation to successfully implement HCPS strategic plan. These "cracks" include preventing bullying, code of student conduct revision, reducing suspension-expulsion, improving communication, reducing classroom sizes, addressing salary compression, providing access to more educational resources, and increase training opportunities to help balance the different learning needs of students.

DAVIS – If elected, my top focus will be fiscal responsibility and strategic planning of policies and allocations for the budget, focusing on learning outcomes to close the achievement gap, increasing reading levels (PK-12 supports) and graduation rates for all schools to meet accreditation standards. I am concerned that students of today experience bullying, the impact of the opioid crisis, and safety concerns in their school day. I support school safety initiatives, anti-bullying prevention and interventions to reduce suspensions for positive behavior.; resources for diverse learning needs, educational supports and interventions to ensure counseling for students, as well as those entering the workforce. Equally important is better pay to hire and retain teachers for quality instruction for the overall foundation of HCPS and sustainability of Henrico County.

HENDERSON – My top focus if elected will be inclusion. There needs to be equal opportunity and access for all students including those who may have specific physical, emotional, and or behavioral needs. To accomplish this we must provide more support for our teachers to assist them as they work hard to meet the needs of each student.

LUCAS – Implementing equity and access through the proper allocation of the district’s human and financial resources to the needs of educators and students first, as well as dismantling the preschool-to-prison pipeline.

3. What are the most critical issues: 1) facing your district? 2) facing the county? How do you propose to address these?

KINSELLA – The most critical issues in the Brookland District and HCPS include overcrowding of our classes and schools, teacher and staff shortages, and resource allocation to ensure all our students are safe and successful. I support proactive planning and budgeting that reduces class sizes and eliminates overcrowding; recruiting, retaining, and rewarding the brightest teachers and staff by empowering them with relevant curriculum and professional development, competitive compensation, increased support, guaranteed planning time, and reduced student testing; and resource allocation that supports every student academically, developmentally, mentally, and physically.

KNOX – The most important issue facing schools is overcrowding. We cannot expect our students to excel in a global workplace if they are competing for floor space with their peers. We need to strive for optimal learning environments that encourage student collaboration, leverage the latest technologies and support our overburdened teachers. My first meeting when elected will be with members of the planning commission and the Brookland District supervisor to develop a framework to reduce the number of trailers in our district. By reducing the number of trailers used, we can give students a real chance to collaborate with their peers and thrive when they graduate.

COOPER – The Fairfield District continues to experience challenges related to full accreditation of all schools, and disparities in discipline for certain students, including teacher-to-pupil ratios for certain schools, facility inequities across the county, and teacher/staff compensation (bus drivers, librarians, cafeteria staff, support staff, mental health professionals, etc.). During my Eastern Henrico Schools Town Hall last month, Dr. Cashwell and principals from schools in Fairfield discussed the schools’ efforts at boosting attendance, increasing parental/
community involvement, and improving equitable access to resources, which all impact learning and accreditation. As a result of the School Board approving the most recent budget, Dr. Cashwell and her team are addressing these issues as part of an aggressive strategy to ensure all schools reach/maintain accreditation, TPR and overcrowding is reduced, and equitable access to resources is improved.

HICKS – 1) The most important issue that is facing the Fairfield District schools are the lack of adequate instructional resources for both the teachers and the students. 2) The school system’s major issues are the lack of funding for teacher’s salaries; we need to exceed the national average. Henrico County has a high turnover of teachers every year. There needs to be more instituting of robust recruiting and retention system that will ensure the district retains the best and the brightest teachers and staff. My plan includes increasing the resources that teachers need in the classroom, utilizing a larger share of the revenue received from the meals tax to go toward teacher salaries. Teacher salaries need to receive the largest share of the meals tax revenue in order for our teachers to exceed the teacher national average in wages.

OGBURN – 1) Overcrowded schools- I am working closely with the redistricting committee and the staff to be sure that we get our school populations more evenly spread out across the county. 2) Meeting the needs of students- I am focused on adding more options for our students to meet their needs. For example, I support increasing the number of classes and choices in our Career and Technical education classes and making sure that we have enough SPED teachers, gifted teachers, and reading teachers. It is imperative that we have our students reading on grade level by 3rd grade.

DART – 1) Comprehensive redistricting. We need to focus on rezoning with minimal feeder pattern disruption with an eye toward equity and relief of school overcrowding. 2) The equitable distribution of resources across the entire county. While every Henrico County school is accredited, some are with conditions. We need to determine why those schools are all in eastern Henrico and rectify those challenges.

SHEA – The Tuckahoe District struggles with class size. While the secondary average is 22, over 2,000 classes last year were over 28 students. I would put a cap on class size to increase both the quality and equity of education for all students. Overall, not all areas of the county have access to the same classroom resources and supports. We need to continue the work of drilling down into the allocation of resources. We must focus on teacher attrition - which is especially prevalent in the East End - by consideration of incentivizing teachers in hard to staff locations.

ATKINS – Issues facing our schools I will address include revising policies to create equitable and inclusive learning environments, transforming the curriculum to meet the needs of a global workforce and family engagement. I will align public school system strategies to accommodate careers of the future by closely partnering with the community, key stakeholders and career experts to influence the curriculum. I will advocate for policy changes on Standards of Learning, the code of student conduct and increased funding for teacher salaries. I will strengthen family engagement through partnerships with diversity and inclusion efforts and heighten Parent Teacher Association involvement. Along with community support, I will establish programs to reduce bullying and test anxiety while strengthening the mental wellbeing of students.

DAVIS – 1) Schools not fully accredited, low achievement scores. 2. Achieve 100% full accreditation. I would propose performance measures to decrease the gaps in proficiency, by race, economic status and IEP status.

HENDERSON – The most critical needs facing schools in our district are cultural competency and inclusion. The most critical needs facing the school system overall are cultural competency and inclusion. To address these issues we must be proactive instead of reactive. As a district and school system we must be prepared to meet students and families where they are. I believe forming faith-based, community, local and corporate partnerships would be a huge step.

LUCAS – 1) Illiteracy at every grade level. From birth to third grade our students “learn to read,” from third grade on, they ”read to learn.” This contributes to poor academic performance, disruptive behavior, poor emotional well-being, school drop-out, and the preschool-to-prison pipeline. 2) Inequitable distribution and misallocation of human and financial resources that result in ineffective, unsafe academic settings, and the preschool-to-prison pipeline. I plan to implement policies that mandate that all students participate in an intensive, evidence-based reading curriculum that equips them with the life skill to “read to learn,” no matter their grade level. I also plan to continue to access the distribution and allocation of human and financial resources to ensure equitable distribution based on student need.

4. How will you involve citizens in local government matters?

KINSELLA – With the flexibility to serve as a full-time school board representative, residents may contact me by phone, email or in person to discuss concerns. As I have during my campaign, I will continue to host “Conversations with Kristi” to hear concerns in the Brookland District.

KNOX – I am the only candidate running that has committed to having regular office hours to have the tough conversations, and listen to new ideas. I am the only candidate that will create a Student Cabinet comprised of student council presidents from each of our Brookland schools to engage and act on their concerns. I am the only candidate that can believably connect to every sector of this melting pot called Brookland. Citizens in Brookland expect a leader that has the energy and enthusiasm to follow through and get things done, and I plan on upholding that tradition. That’s why Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger has endorsed our campaign and I will follow her model of servant leadership.

COOPER – For citizen participation to work, transparency of information is needed, as well as the inclusion of stakeholders from various groups in the community. As such, I have begun hosting town hall meetings to inform and engage the community, and it’s my goal to host one at least once a quarter. This year I began holding Chat & Chews in some of our underserved communities, and will continue to utilize community events, such as heavily attended youth sports leagues to educate, inform, and strengthen our residents’ participation in local governance. Finally, I will continue to use various social media platforms as a space for informing and dialoguing, while improving communication about local government matters.

HICKS – My focus is to implement a community engagement council, which will include local businesses, teachers, staff and parents. This community council will meet quarterly to discuss progressive ways to combine the community and the classroom when making policy decisions that affect all of the stakeholders.

OGBURN – Citizen involvement is critical to moving forward as a community. As we have seen in our current community redistricting committee, we need the input of citizens in order to get jobs done in an equitable manner. As we move forward, I will continue to recruit parents for the various School Board committees, and hold community meetings with Mr. Branin from the Board of Supervisors.

SHEA – It may be the teacher in me, but I think there is no better place to be than our schools. If elected, School Board will be my full-time work allowing me opportunity to be in our schools seeing the work of our students, dialoguing with teacher and administrators, and having regular opportunities for conversations with parents and the community. I will continue to attend school events across the Tuckahoe District, not as an honored guest, but as a volunteer working alongside other parents and hearing what is important to them. I plan to continue a robust use of social media to supplement the communications of Henrico County and HCPS as that meets many families where they are.

ATKINS – Education, transparency, and trust are crucially important. We must continually educate and share information with citizens using effective communication methods. As a leader, I will share information promptly, involve citizens in the decision-making process, confront difficult situations with an open mind along with providing solutions, and fulfill commitments to earn trusting relationships with citizens.

DAVIS – Advocacy – funding from local, state, federal and philanthropic sources; partnerships (businesses for careers, tutoring); Law enforcement-safety; PTA-parental engagement; advisory boards: student; teacher; community/assessment.

HENDERSON – Partnerships are a great way to get citizens involved in local government matters.

LUCAS – Creating a more accessible, transparent, and engaging school board that seeks authentic community engagement regularly, as the standard, by bringing the board to our communities. This includes continuing my community canvassing when elected as Varina’s voice and having community connection hours weekly where I am accessible to the community.