St. Louis Schools
Watch
BOE Candidate Survey Responses for the
Nov. 6 2018 Election
By Susan Turk
October 10, 2018—St. Louis—The upcoming school board election is
potentially the most significant one since the 2007 state takeover of the SLPS
and instatement of the appointed Special Administrative Board. I write this
because it is widely believed that governance is going to be returned to the
elected school board in the near future. Consequently seven people have
filed to run for the two seats in contention. The candidates are incumbents
Donna Jones and Bill Haas and five challengers, former SLPS administrator Joyce
Roberts, Adam Layne, Jared Opsal, Cydney Johnson and former school board member
David Jackson. In contrast, four years ago on only Jones and Haas filed, and
not having challengers, were automatically re-elected.
Of the 7 candidates, only 4 submitted responses to the Watch candidate questionnaire but we have researched the other three and will report on them as well.
Keep in mind that there is no guarantee that the elected board will be returned to governance. The decision to terminate the transitional school district superimposed on the SLPS and governed by the SAB is up to the discretion of the state board of education. No sunset clause or criteria for termination of the SAB and return of the elected board exists in state law. But a couple of the candidates have oozed out of the woodwork so to speak to run, the woodwork being the corporate/not for profit community network under the influence of the Regional Business Council. Civic Progress no longer seems to be in the saddle. So many of those elite companies have been bought by out of town and multi-national corporations that, they no longer sweat the small change local power battles.
Between the November 2018 and April 2019 school board elections, four new people could be elected to the board of education. If a majority of them were to be corporate community sponsored operatives, everything that the SLPS community has struggled to maintain, during the eleven years of appointed board governance, an elected board representing SLPS parents, would be for naught. If the elected board becomes a mere subsidiary of the RBC, the aspirations of city students, parents, and teachers for much needed community based school reform will die.
With that in mind, the Watch presents the answers provided by four of the November school board election candidates in the order they were received. Due to length, they will be sent in two issues today and tomorrow. Reporting on the three candidates who did not respond to our questionnaire will follow. If you want to see and question the candidates in person, the League of Women Voters and the St. Louis Public Schools Foundation are sponsoring a school board candidate forum, Wednesday, October 24, 2018 at Metro H.S., 4015 McPherson Avenue, 63108 at 6:30 p.m.
Please vote on November 6th and encourage everyone you know to vote.
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Of the 7 candidates, only 4 submitted responses to the Watch candidate questionnaire but we have researched the other three and will report on them as well.
Keep in mind that there is no guarantee that the elected board will be returned to governance. The decision to terminate the transitional school district superimposed on the SLPS and governed by the SAB is up to the discretion of the state board of education. No sunset clause or criteria for termination of the SAB and return of the elected board exists in state law. But a couple of the candidates have oozed out of the woodwork so to speak to run, the woodwork being the corporate/not for profit community network under the influence of the Regional Business Council. Civic Progress no longer seems to be in the saddle. So many of those elite companies have been bought by out of town and multi-national corporations that, they no longer sweat the small change local power battles.
Between the November 2018 and April 2019 school board elections, four new people could be elected to the board of education. If a majority of them were to be corporate community sponsored operatives, everything that the SLPS community has struggled to maintain, during the eleven years of appointed board governance, an elected board representing SLPS parents, would be for naught. If the elected board becomes a mere subsidiary of the RBC, the aspirations of city students, parents, and teachers for much needed community based school reform will die.
With that in mind, the Watch presents the answers provided by four of the November school board election candidates in the order they were received. Due to length, they will be sent in two issues today and tomorrow. Reporting on the three candidates who did not respond to our questionnaire will follow. If you want to see and question the candidates in person, the League of Women Voters and the St. Louis Public Schools Foundation are sponsoring a school board candidate forum, Wednesday, October 24, 2018 at Metro H.S., 4015 McPherson Avenue, 63108 at 6:30 p.m.
Please vote on November 6th and encourage everyone you know to vote.
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Bill
Haas
November 2018
School Board Candidates Questionnaire
Please supply a
brief autobiography. (one paragraph)
I'm a semi-retired corporate lawyer with 20 years college and secondary teaching experience, currently a daily substitute for Ritenour Schools. I've served four terms on the St.Louis School Board. Among my accomplishments are the 9th grade dropout prevention initiative in 2001 or so which people credit with preventing our losing accreditation, working with Mary Armstrong to settle teacher negotiations in 2005 when the Slay slate of school board members was trying to break the union, initiating the audit of the St. Louis Schools from my friend Tom Schweich's Auditor's office, and this past school year initiating a pilot program of a second qualified adult in early child classrooms to improve reading scores, and other initiatives to improve early childhood reading.
The SLPS is currently governed by an appointed Special Administrative Board, whose current term ends June, 30 2019. The elected board has limited responsibilities. While possible, it is not guaranteed the elected board will return to power during the term for which you are running because the state board of education has the authority to extend the SAB for as many terms as they wish. Why, then, are you running?
I ran in 2010, after 5 year hiatus from the board, because I thought we would be regaining governing then, and was disappointed that we didn't. I think the writing is on the wall that we'll be regaining governance by June of 2019 at the latest.
If you believe the elected board will return to power, please explain why.The SAB is tired of governance, as is the community of their governance, and after their recent hearings, they recommended return of governance, and I think the state board is prepared to follow that recommendation.
What is your understanding of the role of a school board member and what do you want to accomplish as a board member?
A board member sets policy (which means different things at different times), hires the superintendent, helps set goals for the district, and dialogues with the superintendent about means to reach those goals. The superintendent's role is to implement those plans to achieve those goals and generally administer the day to day operations of the district.
Are you the parent/grandparent of children who currently attend or recently graduated from the SLPS?
No
Did you attend and/or graduate from the SLPS?
No.
Have you ever worked for the SLPS or are you related to a current or former employee? Are you now or have you in the past served as a board member?
I was a substitute for the district for the 1991-1992 school year, and again for the school years between 2007 and 2010 after I went back on the board. And was a board member from 1997-2005, and again 2010 to present.
If you are not an SLPS parent, graduate, former employee or relation of one, or board member, do you have any other connection to the SLPS?
n/a
What are your thoughts about the Special Administrative Board which currently governs the district?
Dont get me started. Ok, you've got me started. I think they're well meaning and have done the best they can. It seems obvious that the SAB has been run by Rick Sullivan and Richard Gaines. I think 10 years is too long to have been in governance, but that is not their fault. Student achievement was essentially flat under them and I'm not sure what to make of that because I have high respect for Dr. Adams, so I can only assume that achievement was not an issue the SAB excelled in promoting. I think I would fault the SAB most on thinking they had a monopoly on wisdom and what was best for the district and not involving the Elected Board in a continuous dialogue and advisory capacity. The district would have been much better off for that collaboration.
What is your understanding of the impact of charter schools on the SLPS? Should more charter schools open in the city?
Charter schools hurt SLPS by taking away funds from the schools and make it harder to educate the remaining students left behind. On the other hand, charter schools seem here to stay, and our goal should be to lobby that they have to be subject to the same rules we are, with respect to acceptance and expulsion of students, and academics. And that the traditional schools are treated fairly with respect to finances. Money to the charter school might be phased in, and if a student is expelled, remaining money should be returned to SLPS. SLPS should not be complicit in establishing charter schools except perhaps with collaboratives like we may have with KIPP.
Our goal should be to offer such excellent education that parents don't feel that they children will get a better education in charter schools than they'd get in the SLPS.
The SAB is currently developing a not for profit corporation called the Consortium Partnership Network whose purpose will be to govern the lowest performing schools, possibly half of the district. The CPN will be empowered to contract with charter school operators to manage these schools. The elected school board will have an as yet undefined oversight role regarding the CPN but no direct oversight of the schools they are assigned. What are your thoughts on this?
This is a complicated issue. At first I was against it even though it seemed like a done deal, until Dr. Adams told the board in response to my question that it was initially his idea. Tho he may have been required to say that even if it wasn't, I trust his judgment. We have the right to end it after a year or two, I believe. We need metrics to see if it works and then we should decide. But with such a complicated issue, I think it's important to have an experienced thoughtful person like myself on the board to evaluate and help oversee this new and different experiment and experience.
Do you have any ideas to improve public confidence in SLPS and improve enrollment?
I've always said that the district ultimately will have the public confidence and enrollment we've earned and deserved. And that will start with 3rd grade reading scores. If we don't solve that, we're not going anywhere good. For the 20 year period I've been on the board, 40% of third graders are still not reading at grade level. As long as that is true the district and the community are not going anywhere fast. When I recently ran for congress, third grade reading scores, rural, urban, and everyone in between was my number one issue and priority. And the key to changing that is a second qualified adult in the classroom, a certified TA, and I believe there are two different kinds. For those student falling behind, and behavior issues, and as Dr. Adams says, it just changes the culture of the classroom. During the 2017 mayor's race, I asked Dr. Adams how much this would cost. The answer was $12 million/year, and I think we need to go back to the community for a tax increase (about half or less of what we went for before, I believe) to do this. This needs to be our number 1 priority, and the community's.
The Missouri legislature usually considers bills that would expand school choice by expanding charter schools, using vouchers, education savings accounts or tuition tax credits making it possible for students to attend private schools using public money or depriving the state of general revenue so parents could use their own money for private tuition without suffering tax penalties. The Trump administration promotes school choice and may re-allocate Title I funding away from providing low income children with extra resources to master reading and math toward expanding school choice options. School board members will be faced with an uphill battle in a struggle to attract and retain students to their school district. How will you respond to these challenging developments?
WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO OPPOSE THESE EFFORTS AND THAT WONT BE EASY. ELECTING REPRESENTATIVES WHO SHARE OUR VALUES WILL BE NECESSARY. THE CLEAN MISSOURI REDISTRICTING BILL MIGHT HELP.
During the 2018 legislative session, an unsuccessful bill would have provided for the election of St. Louis school board members by sub-districts rather than at large. School board candidates would have to live in and would only represent a geographical area of the city. It will probably be filed again next year. Would you support or oppose this legislation?
I think this is a complicated issue. One might think that this might lead to better and more fair representation, but people I respect oppose it, so that is my inclination, though I will also keep an open mind if this issue comes before the elected board that I'm on and we decide to take a position on it.
What are your thoughts on SLPS magnet schools?
I like them. We seem to need more of them.
What are your thoughts on neighborhood schools?
I like them. I think we should have more of them. I think parents like them too.
What ideas do you have to help students learn?
It's about third grade reading scores and a second qualified adults in early childhood classrooms, as discussed above. I've also long been (since before I was elected in 1997) of computer based learning, especially for students behind in their grade level studies and have often advocated for us to make more use of this, but hardware and software are expensive, but we should find a way.
What do you think about the MAP tests and standardized tests in general?
I know people object to use teaching to the test, but if we have to teach to something, teaching to recognized skills is a place to start. Other values are important, but our kids have to learn reading and math, and we have to know where they're at so we know where to improve, and well-designed standardized tests need to be part of that. One component of improving early childhood reading has always been regular testing to determine who is improving and who falling behind and who need intervention to catch up.
Approximately 70% of SLPS high school graduates who enroll in college must take remedial courses. What policies would you promote to lower this statistic?
It'd be nice if we could recognize and improve this before they graduate. Better reading by third grade will certainly help, and programmed computer-based learning. Skills tests before been allowed to graduate are controversial, but I'd be open to it if students without the skills are given intervention to acquire them.
In the past the elected school board has been criticized as dysfunctional. Local media have unfairly perpetuated this impression. How would your election to the board help to dispel this inaccurate perception.
Oh, my. The Post Dispatch and other media has not been fair to the public schools since the Post supported the Slay slate of candidates and couldn't get themselves to admit they were terrible (and The American since Donald Suggs supported the takeover), either in news or editorial, and don't believe anyone who tells you they're independent. Goodness knows I've become a pest trying to educate the Post on this issue, and have failed. I think the elected board should concentrate on the achievement of our students, and when that is successful, the media will acknowledge that and the job we're doing. It's not about the people we elect, it's about what they do once elected.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
I'm a semi-retired corporate lawyer with 20 years college and secondary teaching experience, currently a daily substitute for Ritenour Schools. I've served four terms on the St.Louis School Board. Among my accomplishments are the 9th grade dropout prevention initiative in 2001 or so which people credit with preventing our losing accreditation, working with Mary Armstrong to settle teacher negotiations in 2005 when the Slay slate of school board members was trying to break the union, initiating the audit of the St. Louis Schools from my friend Tom Schweich's Auditor's office, and this past school year initiating a pilot program of a second qualified adult in early child classrooms to improve reading scores, and other initiatives to improve early childhood reading.
The SLPS is currently governed by an appointed Special Administrative Board, whose current term ends June, 30 2019. The elected board has limited responsibilities. While possible, it is not guaranteed the elected board will return to power during the term for which you are running because the state board of education has the authority to extend the SAB for as many terms as they wish. Why, then, are you running?
I ran in 2010, after 5 year hiatus from the board, because I thought we would be regaining governing then, and was disappointed that we didn't. I think the writing is on the wall that we'll be regaining governance by June of 2019 at the latest.
If you believe the elected board will return to power, please explain why.The SAB is tired of governance, as is the community of their governance, and after their recent hearings, they recommended return of governance, and I think the state board is prepared to follow that recommendation.
What is your understanding of the role of a school board member and what do you want to accomplish as a board member?
A board member sets policy (which means different things at different times), hires the superintendent, helps set goals for the district, and dialogues with the superintendent about means to reach those goals. The superintendent's role is to implement those plans to achieve those goals and generally administer the day to day operations of the district.
Are you the parent/grandparent of children who currently attend or recently graduated from the SLPS?
No
Did you attend and/or graduate from the SLPS?
No.
Have you ever worked for the SLPS or are you related to a current or former employee? Are you now or have you in the past served as a board member?
I was a substitute for the district for the 1991-1992 school year, and again for the school years between 2007 and 2010 after I went back on the board. And was a board member from 1997-2005, and again 2010 to present.
If you are not an SLPS parent, graduate, former employee or relation of one, or board member, do you have any other connection to the SLPS?
n/a
What are your thoughts about the Special Administrative Board which currently governs the district?
Dont get me started. Ok, you've got me started. I think they're well meaning and have done the best they can. It seems obvious that the SAB has been run by Rick Sullivan and Richard Gaines. I think 10 years is too long to have been in governance, but that is not their fault. Student achievement was essentially flat under them and I'm not sure what to make of that because I have high respect for Dr. Adams, so I can only assume that achievement was not an issue the SAB excelled in promoting. I think I would fault the SAB most on thinking they had a monopoly on wisdom and what was best for the district and not involving the Elected Board in a continuous dialogue and advisory capacity. The district would have been much better off for that collaboration.
What is your understanding of the impact of charter schools on the SLPS? Should more charter schools open in the city?
Charter schools hurt SLPS by taking away funds from the schools and make it harder to educate the remaining students left behind. On the other hand, charter schools seem here to stay, and our goal should be to lobby that they have to be subject to the same rules we are, with respect to acceptance and expulsion of students, and academics. And that the traditional schools are treated fairly with respect to finances. Money to the charter school might be phased in, and if a student is expelled, remaining money should be returned to SLPS. SLPS should not be complicit in establishing charter schools except perhaps with collaboratives like we may have with KIPP.
Our goal should be to offer such excellent education that parents don't feel that they children will get a better education in charter schools than they'd get in the SLPS.
The SAB is currently developing a not for profit corporation called the Consortium Partnership Network whose purpose will be to govern the lowest performing schools, possibly half of the district. The CPN will be empowered to contract with charter school operators to manage these schools. The elected school board will have an as yet undefined oversight role regarding the CPN but no direct oversight of the schools they are assigned. What are your thoughts on this?
This is a complicated issue. At first I was against it even though it seemed like a done deal, until Dr. Adams told the board in response to my question that it was initially his idea. Tho he may have been required to say that even if it wasn't, I trust his judgment. We have the right to end it after a year or two, I believe. We need metrics to see if it works and then we should decide. But with such a complicated issue, I think it's important to have an experienced thoughtful person like myself on the board to evaluate and help oversee this new and different experiment and experience.
Do you have any ideas to improve public confidence in SLPS and improve enrollment?
I've always said that the district ultimately will have the public confidence and enrollment we've earned and deserved. And that will start with 3rd grade reading scores. If we don't solve that, we're not going anywhere good. For the 20 year period I've been on the board, 40% of third graders are still not reading at grade level. As long as that is true the district and the community are not going anywhere fast. When I recently ran for congress, third grade reading scores, rural, urban, and everyone in between was my number one issue and priority. And the key to changing that is a second qualified adult in the classroom, a certified TA, and I believe there are two different kinds. For those student falling behind, and behavior issues, and as Dr. Adams says, it just changes the culture of the classroom. During the 2017 mayor's race, I asked Dr. Adams how much this would cost. The answer was $12 million/year, and I think we need to go back to the community for a tax increase (about half or less of what we went for before, I believe) to do this. This needs to be our number 1 priority, and the community's.
The Missouri legislature usually considers bills that would expand school choice by expanding charter schools, using vouchers, education savings accounts or tuition tax credits making it possible for students to attend private schools using public money or depriving the state of general revenue so parents could use their own money for private tuition without suffering tax penalties. The Trump administration promotes school choice and may re-allocate Title I funding away from providing low income children with extra resources to master reading and math toward expanding school choice options. School board members will be faced with an uphill battle in a struggle to attract and retain students to their school district. How will you respond to these challenging developments?
WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO OPPOSE THESE EFFORTS AND THAT WONT BE EASY. ELECTING REPRESENTATIVES WHO SHARE OUR VALUES WILL BE NECESSARY. THE CLEAN MISSOURI REDISTRICTING BILL MIGHT HELP.
During the 2018 legislative session, an unsuccessful bill would have provided for the election of St. Louis school board members by sub-districts rather than at large. School board candidates would have to live in and would only represent a geographical area of the city. It will probably be filed again next year. Would you support or oppose this legislation?
I think this is a complicated issue. One might think that this might lead to better and more fair representation, but people I respect oppose it, so that is my inclination, though I will also keep an open mind if this issue comes before the elected board that I'm on and we decide to take a position on it.
What are your thoughts on SLPS magnet schools?
I like them. We seem to need more of them.
What are your thoughts on neighborhood schools?
I like them. I think we should have more of them. I think parents like them too.
What ideas do you have to help students learn?
It's about third grade reading scores and a second qualified adults in early childhood classrooms, as discussed above. I've also long been (since before I was elected in 1997) of computer based learning, especially for students behind in their grade level studies and have often advocated for us to make more use of this, but hardware and software are expensive, but we should find a way.
What do you think about the MAP tests and standardized tests in general?
I know people object to use teaching to the test, but if we have to teach to something, teaching to recognized skills is a place to start. Other values are important, but our kids have to learn reading and math, and we have to know where they're at so we know where to improve, and well-designed standardized tests need to be part of that. One component of improving early childhood reading has always been regular testing to determine who is improving and who falling behind and who need intervention to catch up.
Approximately 70% of SLPS high school graduates who enroll in college must take remedial courses. What policies would you promote to lower this statistic?
It'd be nice if we could recognize and improve this before they graduate. Better reading by third grade will certainly help, and programmed computer-based learning. Skills tests before been allowed to graduate are controversial, but I'd be open to it if students without the skills are given intervention to acquire them.
In the past the elected school board has been criticized as dysfunctional. Local media have unfairly perpetuated this impression. How would your election to the board help to dispel this inaccurate perception.
Oh, my. The Post Dispatch and other media has not been fair to the public schools since the Post supported the Slay slate of candidates and couldn't get themselves to admit they were terrible (and The American since Donald Suggs supported the takeover), either in news or editorial, and don't believe anyone who tells you they're independent. Goodness knows I've become a pest trying to educate the Post on this issue, and have failed. I think the elected board should concentrate on the achievement of our students, and when that is successful, the media will acknowledge that and the job we're doing. It's not about the people we elect, it's about what they do once elected.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Joyce M. Roberts
Autobiography
I am a candidate seeking to become a member of the St. Louis Public Schools Elected Board of Education. My family and I have resided in the city of St. Louis all our lives. I am also a homegrown product of the SLPS district, having served as a Local 420 teacher, and principal of Pierre Laclede Elementary recognized as Gold Star and Blue Ribbon awardee for consistent academic achievement. The students consistently met and exceeded local, state and federal benchmarks. I have served in a variety of capacities within the district. My lived experience as a parent, teacher, principal, and central office administrator (Director of Middle Schools, Assistant Superintendent of Low-performing Schools, and Assistant Superintendent of Professional Development) will bring a unique historical perspective and in-depth experience at every level in the district to the Board. I have a track record of excellence, accountability and a demonstrated willingness to build relationships among all the stakeholders. I retired in 2005. In May, 2017 I received my D. Ed from the University of Missouri, St. Louis.
Why, then are you running?
I love the work and I know schooling; what it feels like, sounds like and looks like. I bring the experience of working within the district at every level from teacher, principal, and central office. I have a demonstrated track record of student achievement. I have credibility and understand how to effectively utilize curriculum, instruction and assessment as the resources used by teachers to meet the individual needs of the students they serve. I am an influencer, a capacity builder, who can collaborate to identify appropriate process, procedures to maintain accreditation and move the district forward. These are key ingredients necessary to attract support from the community/business/and families who want to return to the city for prospective jobs and access to the plethora of museums, parks, art center, etc. St. Louis is a great city to raise a family.
If you believe the Elected Board will return to power, please explain why?
I believe the Elected Board will be returned to governance. The series of open to the public School District Governance Task Force forums/meeting made it clear that the citizenry of the City of St. Louis was adamant about the return of local control. The community resoundingly agreed that the state had also been clear, that upon the return of full accreditation the SLPS district would be returned to local control without qualifiers.
What is your understanding of the role of a school board member and what do you want to accomplish as a board member?
The role of a school board member includes governance of the school district, setting/adhering to policy, the supervision, evaluation, hiring and dismissing of the superintendent along with the approval and expenditures of school district funds. I want to be a board member that advocates for students and their families. One that makes informed and data driven decisions that will maintain accreditation, improve student achievement, increase district attendance percentages and holds the superintendent accountable to leading, guiding and serving as the instructional leader of the SLPS, ensuring that students meet and exceed local, state and federal standards.
Are you the parent/grandparent of children who currently attend or recently graduated from the SLPS?
My daughter is a product of the St. Louis Public Schools.
Did you attend and/or graduate from SLPS?
No
Have you ever worked for the SLPS or are you related to a current or former employee?
Yes, I was a SLPS district employee for 34 years at every level of the organization.
Are you now or have you in the past served as a board member?
No
If you are not an SLPS parent, graduate, former employee or relation of one, or board member, do you have any other connection to the SLPS?
No
What are your thoughts about the Special Administrative Board which currently governs the district?
The continuity of the Special Administrative Board provided direction and support to the superintendent’s plan to earn full accreditation.
What is your understanding of the impact of charter schools on the SLPS?
Charter schools impact the funding stream that constitutes the budget allocation the SLPS district’s ability to meet its fiduciary responsibility to pay the bills. The budget is spent on resources for students, maintenance of school buildings, salaries healthcare benefits, etc.
Should more charter schools open in the city?
There should be an accountability review of charter schools’ impact on student academic standing/ performance to determine if they should open, remain open or be made to close. So that the district never encounters another Imagine Management Company. A firm that was responsible for 8 schools that performed very poorly but were allowed to remain open to the detriment of students and their families. Imagine was abruptly closed by DESE for systemic low performance .
The SAB is currently developing a not-for-profit corporation called the Consortium Partnership Network whose purpose will be to govern the lowest performing schools, possibly half of the district. The CPN will be empowered to contract with charter school operators to manage these schools. If returned to governance, the Elected School Board will have an as yet undefined oversight role regarding the CPN but no direct oversight of the schools they are assigned. What are your thoughts on this?
I believe that there should be no decision regarding the creation of a Consortium Partnership Network prior to the reinstatement of the SLPS Elected Board. The currently identified low-performing schools were factored into the determination made by DESE to approve the district as a fully accredited entity. These schools provided data that supported the decision to grant accreditation. We must review the data to determine if this is indeed a sound decision in the best interest of the students and their families. The Superintendent will continue to ensure that the proven strategies implemented to guide the district forward to accreditation remain intact.
Do you have any ideas to improve public confidence in SLPS and improve enrollment?
I believe that the Elected Board should take full control of the narrative of the SLPS and communicate directly to students, parents and the community at large. We begin by simply communicating that there is #NO US without #U and these are the specific steps we will take to earn your trust and confidence and maintain a strong united SLPS. Let’s begin by collectively agreeing to message and implement strategies aimed at getting all students to school every day and on time #ATTENDANCEPLEDGE (bumper stickers, student/parent buttons, community billboards, challenges from radio, TV, Greek organizations, businesses, bus signs, etc.) and Achievement and Attitude as our guiding principles. Everything done in the school district will support these tenets.
The Missouri legislature usually considers bills that would expand school choice by expanding charter schools using public money or depriving the state of general revenue so parents could use their own money for private tuition without suffering tax penalties. The Trump administration promotes school choice and may re-allocate Title1 funding away from providing low income children with extra resources to master reading and math toward expanding school choice options. School board members will be faced with an uphill battle in a struggle to attract and retain students to their school district. How will you respond to these challenging developments?
I will advocate and work to demonstrate that every school is a “quality” school and one in which any parent would be willing and proud to enroll their child.
During the 2018 legislative session, an unsuccessful bill would have provided for the election of St. Louis school board members by sub-districts rather than at large. School board candidates would have to live in and would only represent a geographical area of the city. It will probably be filed again next year. Would you support or oppose this legislation?
The school board is responsible and accountable to all St. Louis children, parents and the community. To represent only the residents of a geographical area is a subtle form of defacto segregation.
What are your thoughts on SLPS magnet schools?
Magnet schools were established specifically as a part of the SLPS Desegregation Plan and designed specifically to attract white students to city schools while denying access to other groups of children. Magnet schools also received huge sums of money while segregated and integrated schools received smaller amounts of funding. The data indicates that the outcomes for student achievement of Magnet schools did not consistently surpass student achievement of non-magnet schools in SLPS over time. All schools should have comparable support, resources and marketing provided to district magnet schools.
What are your thoughts on neighborhood schools?
As a former principal of a neighborhood school, I am in full support of them. Neighborhood schools serve as anchors in the community. The culture of the neighborhood school extends and celebrates the concept of family, unity, and mutual support.
What ideas do you have to help students learn?
I always return to the basic plan that I used in the schools and districts that I had the privilege of serving. We place a laser focus on the Triple AAA Standards of Achievement, Attendance, and Attitude. Everything that is done in school comes under this umbrella. We begin by creating a movement that is exciting for students. The school environment is welcoming, safe, engaging, and promotes academic success. We create a tag line that everyone in the school espouses. I used welcome to the #1 I CAN SCHOOL, Think you Can, Work Hard, and You Can Get Smart! or Conceive It, Believe and Achieve. We create an inclusive school culture where all children and staff are celebrated. We include student ideas (survey) that will be incorporated in to school life in the same way after we have focused on our academic goals. Each child will continue to be assessed in the first two weeks of school (long before we paid companies to generate electronic testing material). These Grade Level Assessments set important benchmarks for students and staff that guide instruction. The datais transferred to a student’s Individual Advancement Plan (IAP) to be shared with students allowing them access to their own strengths and weakness. A complete integration of wrap-around-services that deal with students and their families erasing any reasons that keep students out of school. These are the reasons that keep children out of school (lack of clothing, health concerns, permanent housing, etc.) School must be fun where students and teachers show up everyday striving for “POWERFUL TEACHING AND LEARNING” which we called our “TOP JOBS”.
What do you think about the MAP tests and standardized tests in general?
I am a candidate seeking to become a member of the St. Louis Public Schools Elected Board of Education. My family and I have resided in the city of St. Louis all our lives. I am also a homegrown product of the SLPS district, having served as a Local 420 teacher, and principal of Pierre Laclede Elementary recognized as Gold Star and Blue Ribbon awardee for consistent academic achievement. The students consistently met and exceeded local, state and federal benchmarks. I have served in a variety of capacities within the district. My lived experience as a parent, teacher, principal, and central office administrator (Director of Middle Schools, Assistant Superintendent of Low-performing Schools, and Assistant Superintendent of Professional Development) will bring a unique historical perspective and in-depth experience at every level in the district to the Board. I have a track record of excellence, accountability and a demonstrated willingness to build relationships among all the stakeholders. I retired in 2005. In May, 2017 I received my D. Ed from the University of Missouri, St. Louis.
Why, then are you running?
I love the work and I know schooling; what it feels like, sounds like and looks like. I bring the experience of working within the district at every level from teacher, principal, and central office. I have a demonstrated track record of student achievement. I have credibility and understand how to effectively utilize curriculum, instruction and assessment as the resources used by teachers to meet the individual needs of the students they serve. I am an influencer, a capacity builder, who can collaborate to identify appropriate process, procedures to maintain accreditation and move the district forward. These are key ingredients necessary to attract support from the community/business/and families who want to return to the city for prospective jobs and access to the plethora of museums, parks, art center, etc. St. Louis is a great city to raise a family.
If you believe the Elected Board will return to power, please explain why?
I believe the Elected Board will be returned to governance. The series of open to the public School District Governance Task Force forums/meeting made it clear that the citizenry of the City of St. Louis was adamant about the return of local control. The community resoundingly agreed that the state had also been clear, that upon the return of full accreditation the SLPS district would be returned to local control without qualifiers.
What is your understanding of the role of a school board member and what do you want to accomplish as a board member?
The role of a school board member includes governance of the school district, setting/adhering to policy, the supervision, evaluation, hiring and dismissing of the superintendent along with the approval and expenditures of school district funds. I want to be a board member that advocates for students and their families. One that makes informed and data driven decisions that will maintain accreditation, improve student achievement, increase district attendance percentages and holds the superintendent accountable to leading, guiding and serving as the instructional leader of the SLPS, ensuring that students meet and exceed local, state and federal standards.
Are you the parent/grandparent of children who currently attend or recently graduated from the SLPS?
My daughter is a product of the St. Louis Public Schools.
Did you attend and/or graduate from SLPS?
No
Have you ever worked for the SLPS or are you related to a current or former employee?
Yes, I was a SLPS district employee for 34 years at every level of the organization.
Are you now or have you in the past served as a board member?
No
If you are not an SLPS parent, graduate, former employee or relation of one, or board member, do you have any other connection to the SLPS?
No
What are your thoughts about the Special Administrative Board which currently governs the district?
The continuity of the Special Administrative Board provided direction and support to the superintendent’s plan to earn full accreditation.
What is your understanding of the impact of charter schools on the SLPS?
Charter schools impact the funding stream that constitutes the budget allocation the SLPS district’s ability to meet its fiduciary responsibility to pay the bills. The budget is spent on resources for students, maintenance of school buildings, salaries healthcare benefits, etc.
Should more charter schools open in the city?
There should be an accountability review of charter schools’ impact on student academic standing/ performance to determine if they should open, remain open or be made to close. So that the district never encounters another Imagine Management Company. A firm that was responsible for 8 schools that performed very poorly but were allowed to remain open to the detriment of students and their families. Imagine was abruptly closed by DESE for systemic low performance .
The SAB is currently developing a not-for-profit corporation called the Consortium Partnership Network whose purpose will be to govern the lowest performing schools, possibly half of the district. The CPN will be empowered to contract with charter school operators to manage these schools. If returned to governance, the Elected School Board will have an as yet undefined oversight role regarding the CPN but no direct oversight of the schools they are assigned. What are your thoughts on this?
I believe that there should be no decision regarding the creation of a Consortium Partnership Network prior to the reinstatement of the SLPS Elected Board. The currently identified low-performing schools were factored into the determination made by DESE to approve the district as a fully accredited entity. These schools provided data that supported the decision to grant accreditation. We must review the data to determine if this is indeed a sound decision in the best interest of the students and their families. The Superintendent will continue to ensure that the proven strategies implemented to guide the district forward to accreditation remain intact.
Do you have any ideas to improve public confidence in SLPS and improve enrollment?
I believe that the Elected Board should take full control of the narrative of the SLPS and communicate directly to students, parents and the community at large. We begin by simply communicating that there is #NO US without #U and these are the specific steps we will take to earn your trust and confidence and maintain a strong united SLPS. Let’s begin by collectively agreeing to message and implement strategies aimed at getting all students to school every day and on time #ATTENDANCEPLEDGE (bumper stickers, student/parent buttons, community billboards, challenges from radio, TV, Greek organizations, businesses, bus signs, etc.) and Achievement and Attitude as our guiding principles. Everything done in the school district will support these tenets.
The Missouri legislature usually considers bills that would expand school choice by expanding charter schools using public money or depriving the state of general revenue so parents could use their own money for private tuition without suffering tax penalties. The Trump administration promotes school choice and may re-allocate Title1 funding away from providing low income children with extra resources to master reading and math toward expanding school choice options. School board members will be faced with an uphill battle in a struggle to attract and retain students to their school district. How will you respond to these challenging developments?
I will advocate and work to demonstrate that every school is a “quality” school and one in which any parent would be willing and proud to enroll their child.
During the 2018 legislative session, an unsuccessful bill would have provided for the election of St. Louis school board members by sub-districts rather than at large. School board candidates would have to live in and would only represent a geographical area of the city. It will probably be filed again next year. Would you support or oppose this legislation?
The school board is responsible and accountable to all St. Louis children, parents and the community. To represent only the residents of a geographical area is a subtle form of defacto segregation.
What are your thoughts on SLPS magnet schools?
Magnet schools were established specifically as a part of the SLPS Desegregation Plan and designed specifically to attract white students to city schools while denying access to other groups of children. Magnet schools also received huge sums of money while segregated and integrated schools received smaller amounts of funding. The data indicates that the outcomes for student achievement of Magnet schools did not consistently surpass student achievement of non-magnet schools in SLPS over time. All schools should have comparable support, resources and marketing provided to district magnet schools.
What are your thoughts on neighborhood schools?
As a former principal of a neighborhood school, I am in full support of them. Neighborhood schools serve as anchors in the community. The culture of the neighborhood school extends and celebrates the concept of family, unity, and mutual support.
What ideas do you have to help students learn?
I always return to the basic plan that I used in the schools and districts that I had the privilege of serving. We place a laser focus on the Triple AAA Standards of Achievement, Attendance, and Attitude. Everything that is done in school comes under this umbrella. We begin by creating a movement that is exciting for students. The school environment is welcoming, safe, engaging, and promotes academic success. We create a tag line that everyone in the school espouses. I used welcome to the #1 I CAN SCHOOL, Think you Can, Work Hard, and You Can Get Smart! or Conceive It, Believe and Achieve. We create an inclusive school culture where all children and staff are celebrated. We include student ideas (survey) that will be incorporated in to school life in the same way after we have focused on our academic goals. Each child will continue to be assessed in the first two weeks of school (long before we paid companies to generate electronic testing material). These Grade Level Assessments set important benchmarks for students and staff that guide instruction. The datais transferred to a student’s Individual Advancement Plan (IAP) to be shared with students allowing them access to their own strengths and weakness. A complete integration of wrap-around-services that deal with students and their families erasing any reasons that keep students out of school. These are the reasons that keep children out of school (lack of clothing, health concerns, permanent housing, etc.) School must be fun where students and teachers show up everyday striving for “POWERFUL TEACHING AND LEARNING” which we called our “TOP JOBS”.
What do you think about the MAP tests and standardized tests in general?
I believe that
schools are in need of assessment tools to identify where students are and what
specific skills they need to focus on. Assessment instruments also help to
bridge learning gaps that children may have and adjust the curriculum to meet
the individual needs of students. Children all learn differently, have
differently learning styles but must be able to achieve competent levels
identified by the current assessment instruments.I
Approximately
70% of SLPS high school graduates who enroll in college must take remedial
courses. What policies would you promote to lower this statistic?
As a member of the Elected Board of Education, I
would recommend to my fellow board members the creation of a policy
specifically designed to lower the percentages of students enrolled in remedial
courses in college. Policy: Competency Levels for High School Students.
Implementation, assessment of student performance by grade level, and
monitoring will be the responsibility of the student, parent, teacher(s) and
administration under the direction of the district superintendent.
In the past the Elected Board of Education has been criticized as dysfunctional. Local media have unfairly perpetuated this impression. How would your election to the board help to dispel this inaccurate perception?
I am a homegrown product of the SLPS school District. I have worked in the district at every level, teacher, building principal and central office administration. I come with experience, credibility and a documented track record of leadership and student academic achievement. I understand schooling, what it looks like, sounds like and feels like. I can build capacity in students and teachers, forge critical relationships with the community, hold myself and others accountable for the work. I can work collaboratively with other board members to identify specific steps, policies and procedures to maintain accreditation and move the district forward while attracting a competent and diverse teaching force during my tenure on the Elected School Board. With the implementation of these strategies, I believe SLPS will become the first choice of the children and families we currently serve, but will be uniquely positioned, as an example, to draw other diverse families back to an academically challenging school district and an economically prosperous city.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The editor encourages readers to forward The Watch to anyone you think would be interested. Our city and our schools need as much public awareness and public engagement as we can muster at this time.
.................................................................................................................................................
Questions for The Watch? Letters to the Editor? Stories to contribute? News tips? Send them to SLS_Watch@yahoo.com
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Calendar
October 18, 2018, Thursday, irregular monthly meeting of the Special Administrative Board, 6:00 p.m., 801 N. 11th Street, room 108
October 24, 2018, Wednesday, League of Women Voters School Board Candidate Forum, Metro H.S., 4015 McPherson Avenue. St. Louis, 63108, 6:30 p.m.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Please Subscribe to the SLS Watch.
If you have never subscribed because friends have forwarded The Watch to you, please consider subscribing now. Internet newsletter mailing and management services are not free. The Watchhas always concentrated its efforts on getting you the news and analysis of the SLPS that you value rather than on keeping itself in the black. But in order to pay our bills, we do need your subscription. For a dollar a month, you will get news, opinion, and analysis that you won't see elsewhere in the media. Please write a check today.
Subscribe to the St. Louis Schools Watch.
Name:____________________________________________
Street No.:________________________________________
City:_____________________________________________
State/Zip:________________________________________
Telephone:_______________________________________
Email:___________________________________________
I am enclosing:_____$12 for a 1-year subscription (make checks payable to Commonsense Publishing, and mail to P.O. Box 1983, St. Louis, MO 63118.)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
The St. Louis Schools Watch was founded on the premises that parental and community involvement is needed for good schools to flourish, and that public participation is a cornerstone of democracy. St. Louis Schools Watch offers information and analysis that we hope contributes to a public debate over what changes are necessary to improve St. Louis public schools and what works.
Our mailing address is:
Common Sense Publishing
P.O. Box 1983
St Louis, MO 63118
In the past the Elected Board of Education has been criticized as dysfunctional. Local media have unfairly perpetuated this impression. How would your election to the board help to dispel this inaccurate perception?
I am a homegrown product of the SLPS school District. I have worked in the district at every level, teacher, building principal and central office administration. I come with experience, credibility and a documented track record of leadership and student academic achievement. I understand schooling, what it looks like, sounds like and feels like. I can build capacity in students and teachers, forge critical relationships with the community, hold myself and others accountable for the work. I can work collaboratively with other board members to identify specific steps, policies and procedures to maintain accreditation and move the district forward while attracting a competent and diverse teaching force during my tenure on the Elected School Board. With the implementation of these strategies, I believe SLPS will become the first choice of the children and families we currently serve, but will be uniquely positioned, as an example, to draw other diverse families back to an academically challenging school district and an economically prosperous city.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The editor encourages readers to forward The Watch to anyone you think would be interested. Our city and our schools need as much public awareness and public engagement as we can muster at this time.
.................................................................................................................................................
Questions for The Watch? Letters to the Editor? Stories to contribute? News tips? Send them to SLS_Watch@yahoo.com
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Calendar
October 18, 2018, Thursday, irregular monthly meeting of the Special Administrative Board, 6:00 p.m., 801 N. 11th Street, room 108
October 24, 2018, Wednesday, League of Women Voters School Board Candidate Forum, Metro H.S., 4015 McPherson Avenue. St. Louis, 63108, 6:30 p.m.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Please Subscribe to the SLS Watch.
If you have never subscribed because friends have forwarded The Watch to you, please consider subscribing now. Internet newsletter mailing and management services are not free. The Watchhas always concentrated its efforts on getting you the news and analysis of the SLPS that you value rather than on keeping itself in the black. But in order to pay our bills, we do need your subscription. For a dollar a month, you will get news, opinion, and analysis that you won't see elsewhere in the media. Please write a check today.
Subscribe to the St. Louis Schools Watch.
Name:____________________________________________
Street No.:________________________________________
City:_____________________________________________
State/Zip:________________________________________
Telephone:_______________________________________
Email:___________________________________________
I am enclosing:_____$12 for a 1-year subscription (make checks payable to Commonsense Publishing, and mail to P.O. Box 1983, St. Louis, MO 63118.)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
The St. Louis Schools Watch was founded on the premises that parental and community involvement is needed for good schools to flourish, and that public participation is a cornerstone of democracy. St. Louis Schools Watch offers information and analysis that we hope contributes to a public debate over what changes are necessary to improve St. Louis public schools and what works.
Our mailing address is:
Common Sense Publishing
P.O. Box 1983
St Louis, MO 63118
