ELECTION 2023: Kinsella, Shea discuss collective bargaining, staffing shortages, and more

Henrico School Board Chair and Brookland District member Kristi Kinsella and Tuckahoe District member Marcie Shea both are running unopposed for reelection to the board.

Kinsella and Shea were elected to the board in 2019. They are alongside school board vice-chair and Varina District member Alicia Atkins in seeking reelection. Three Chopt District member Micky Ogburn and Fairfield District member Roscoe D. Cooper are both not running for reelection.

As of Aug. 31, Kinsella had raised $846 and Shea had raised $20,000, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

The Citizen posed the same questions to each candidate; their responses appear below, in alphabetical order by last name, edited only in several occasions for conciseness and grammar.

What will be the top priority for you on the school board?

Kristi Kinsella: My top priority in my second term will continue to be our students and employees. Every student and employee should feel safe and have the support to be successful.

Marcie Shea: My priorities when I ran in 2019 and where they stand now:

• Increase school counselors to reach the recommended 250:1 ratio. During the last four years, 75 more school counselors, 12 additional social workers, and 12.5 additional psychologists have been added.
• Expand quality non-AP class offerings in the high school and technical centers. Dual-enrollment offerings continue to grow in addition to AP and IB offerings. Henrico’s nationally-recognized Career and Technical Education programs are currently in the middle of a $50+ million expansion of seats and facilities.
• Ensure the 2020 school redistricting plan accounts for new growth in Henrico
• Prioritize the importance of maintaining communities in school redistricting.
• Due to COVID, redistricting efforts that were started in 2019 were paused. I continue to believe in the importance of maintaining strong school communities and cohesive feeder patterns.
• Impose a cap on class size. Class size continues to be an important issue. The division has to be able to recruit and retain more educators in order to successfully reduce or impose a cap on class size. Staffing challenges during and following the pandemic have been a hurdle to achieving this goal.

Specific to the Tuckahoe District, I have and will continue to champion the rebuilding of Quioccasin Middle School (as passed in the 2022 bond) and its reimagining with a magnet program and community accessible supports.

In recent years, has the school board been successful in addressing major issues and priorities in Henrico schools?

Kinsella: The Henrico School Board has been successful in addressing issues and priorities for students and employees by proactively planning and budgeting to fund investments in safe schools, student and employee wellness, academic supports, employee recruitment and retention efforts, and capital infrastructure.

Shea: During the last four years I have served, the board has been successful keeping a student-centered focus during one of the most contentious periods in public education. There has not been a single issue discussed with my colleagues I can recall that has split down party lines or due to partisan politics. Our disagreements have been centered on the needs of students, staff, and families in our districts and Henrico as a whole. Through honest conversations with each other, trust, and the common goal of student success, we have found consensus to move the district forward without putting students in the middle of political exchange.

How should Henrico Schools address student misconduct and incidents of student violence?

Kinsella: As a board member, I am committed to providing safe schools. The board reviews and updates the HCPS Code of Student Conduct annually in response to legislation and student, employee, family, and community feedback. The Code of Student Conduct is provided to every student and family each fall, and they must review and sign, acknowledging they understand it and the expectations and consequences of their behavior.

Shea: Violence and threats toward other students or staff are unacceptable. Violence, possession of weapons, and/or threats to students or schools should be handled within the behavior system of the Code of Conduct as well as the juvenile justice system where applicable.

How should Henrico Schools address teacher and staff vacancies?

Kinsella: The Henrico School Board and division leadership should continue to listen to our employees and be responsive to their needs to fill remaining teacher and staff vacancies. By using this approach, HCPS implemented 8.2% salary increases, innovative programs, and policies and was recognized by Forbes as a ‘Best-in-State Employer’ for 2023.

Shea: There has to be a break in the vortex of losing staff which puts more load on remaining staff which leads to the loss of more staff. This has definitely slowed in the last two years but is still a driver in the education sector. Teachers must be treated like the professionals they are - including compensation (this will require the state investment as well) and classroom autonomy. Also, I would like to see Henrico Schools create job-sharing (or part time) opportunities for teachers - actively recruiting master teachers who left the full time classroom who are open to teaching one or two classes per day. This could be especially impactful for secondary schools.

How should the board address the inequities that still exist within Henrico Schools?

Kinsella: The board continually evaluates needs and endeavors to provide resources to support student success across Henrico County.

Shea: With the continuing increase of multi-language families in Henrico and significantly in the Tuckahoe District, an evaluation of how beginning language students are served is critical to the success of these students and our teachers who juggle many learning needs in the same classroom.

As a board member, would you support a resolution that would allow collective bargaining for HCPS teachers and staff?

Kinsella: As a returning board member, I will continue to listen to and advocate for our employees. It’s not responsible to comment on a resolution I have not yet seen for consideration.

Shea: I support staff being able to have open, honest, authentic communication with the school board and division leadership. Feedback, ideas, and input from teachers and staff are an essential part of a strong school division.

In what ways and to what extent should parents be involved in school education and curriculum?

Kinsella: The Virginia Board of Education sets statewide curriculum standards. Parent and guardian involvement is critical to student success.

Shea: Parents and guardians are an essential part of the educational success of students. It is my desire that all parents and guardians are involved in their students’ work and classrooms as the best outcomes for students happen with home (the expert on the child) and school (the expert on learning) working together as a team.

What makes you stand out as a candidate for the school board?

Kinsella: My record speaks for itself. I will continue to be transparent and accessible in my service to the Brookland District and Henrico Schools at large by listening, learning, and working towards solutions.

Shea: I have perspective as a former teacher in the district I serve and as a parent of students currently in Henrico Schools, which provides depth of institutional knowledge. I use both of these lenses to assess policy and consider what true impacts are on our students, staff, and families. I treat my work on the board as my full-time role which allows me the availability to be present in our schools and community.

As a board member, would you support or oppose Gov. Youngkin’s 2023 model policies for transgender students?

Kinsella: I support Henrico Schools’ policy process, which is to thoughtfully review existing policies, procedures, and regulations to assess the need for changes, if any, and to ensure they are in compliance with federal laws and provide safe and welcoming learning environments for all of our students, staff, and families.

Shea: I support the same approach to Gov. Youngkin’s 2023 model policies for transgender students as the board took for the 2021 Gov. Northam’s 2021 model policies for transgender students – a thoughtful review that considers federal and state laws, local policies, and school procedures to best serve our students and keep them from being the center of political rhetoric.

How should Henrico Schools address learning loss, the decline of SOL scores, and the lasting impacts of COVID?

Kinsella: Since the pandemic, the process for monitoring and improving student academic outcomes continues to evolve with HCPS teachers, principals, school leaders, and coaches working together to identify and support each student’s individual needs.

Shea: Fortunately, the number of SOLs students are taking now is significantly less than they were 5-10 years ago. For example, generally once high school students pass one math SOL, they do not take any more math SOLs. This is the right move for students but changed the way that SOL outcomes and pass rates need to be evaluated. I suggest that the outcomes on performance tasks and what happens in the classroom every day needs to be the real litmus test for student achievement.

Focus must continue on the foundations of reading, writing composition, and numeracy. Using evidence-based reading instruction and intervention is essential along with the continued training of teachers. Additionally, students whose foundations of algebra occurred during COVID need extra support in those critical concepts.

How can the board and Henrico Schools strengthen communication with Henrico families?

Kinsella: HCPS and the board provide numerous communication opportunities through town hall meetings, open school board meetings, online platforms and local media, as well as direct communication via email, text, and phone through which families and community members can use to stay informed.

Shea: I am always open to new ideas for communicating and connecting with the community! We have tried some town halls of different formats, but outside a few major hot topics (redistricting, COVID protocols) they have been sparsely attended. For everyday communications, streamlining apps for parent information is an important step.

As a board member, how will you incorporate input and feedback from the community into your policy decisions?

Kinsella: As a returning board member, I will continue to be accessible to constituents to ensure every voice is heard and is a part of my decision making.

Shea: I have spent the last four years building relationships of trust in our buildings by being present – helping with reading groups, leading guest lessons, meeting with students and staff, volunteering at school events, and more – which yields authentic feedback I share with my board colleagues and the division.

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Liana Hardy is the Citizen’s Report for America Corps member and education reporter. Her position is dependent upon reader support; make a tax-deductible contribution to the Citizen through RFA here.