Link to main article on SLPS (and other candidate responses) is here.
Please supply a brief autobiography including relevant employment and academic degrees completed. (one paragraph)
I'm from Cincinnati, Ohio, I attended public schools K-12. I earned a BA from Denison University in Economics, Religion and Spanish. I taught 3rd and 5th grade math at Bond Hill Elementary, a Cincinnati Public School. I learned from master teachers an important lesson: kids need to love their teachers if they're going to learn.
After attending graduate school at WUSTL, I fell in love with St. Louis. My wife and I bought a home in Benton Park West. I started working for KIPP Victory Academy immediately following graduation.
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 may extend the SAB for as many terms as they wish. Why, then, are you running? If you believe the elected board will return to power, please explain why.
I’m running because my wife and I are building a life here in St. Louis and, like many city residents, we’re trying to decide what schools would make a good fit for our future family. Regardless of whether power is restored to the elected board, I believe that it’s important for St. Louisans to engage with educational issues, specifically how we ensure that the children of St. Louis have choice-filled lives. If my run for school board gives me a platform to discuss new ideas with engaged citizens, then I’ve already won.
What is your understanding of the role of a school board member and what do you want to accomplish as a board member?
It’s the job of a school board member to enact policies that improve scholarly achievement across the district. I’d like to focus specifically on student culture, because children learn from people they love. It starts with collecting information on how children feel about their school, their teachers and their administrators.
Are you the parent or grandparent of children who currently attend or recently graduated from the SLPS? Did you attend and/or graduate from the SLPS? 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? 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?
I have no connection to SLPS. I’m from Cincinnati, Ohio and attended public schools K-12 there.
What are your thoughts about the Special Administrative Board which currently governs the district?
I believe that the Special Administrative Board has allowed us as a city to hit the reset button on how our elected board should operate. That being said, the SAB was never expected to be permanent and should, now that the district is accredited, be dissolved.
What is your understanding of the impact of charter schools on the SLPS? Should more charter schools open in the city?
I believe that this is a question about quality, not quantity. Parents shouldn’t have lots of bad choices, they should have a handful of good choices that can create a pathway for their child to lead a choice-filled life. Bad charter schools should be closed as quickly as possible, because they don’t benefit families and they can damage functioning schools.
The SAB is currently developing a not for profit corporation called the Consortium Partnership Network which will be governed by its own appointed board and whose purpose will be to govern the lowest performing schools. Meramec and Ashland elementary schools have been assigned to the CPN for the 2019-2020 school year. The CPN will be empowered to contract with private not-for-profit companies 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 would need more information about this before forming a substantive opinion.
Do you have any ideas to improve public confidence in SLPS and improve enrollment?
The candidate did not answer this question.
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 our school district. How will you respond to these challenging developments?
I think it’s important for schools to quickly implement what’s working in other successful schools in the city, be they charter or traditional public schools. I also believe that building out the resources that neighborhood schools can provide families as hubs for healthcare, job-training, networking can be leveraged to attract new enrollees.
What do you think about the MAP tests and standardized tests in general?
I think it’s important that assessments are able to be used by teachers to inform their instruction. It’s unacceptable that schools get standardized tests back months later, given modern technology. That being said, tests let teachers and parents know that children are learning what they are teaching. If designed well, they provide a road map for future growth.
The candidate did not answer any more questions.
