School Board Candidates In Waynesboro’s Ward D Asked About Key Educational Issues

School Board Candidates In Waynesboro's Ward D Asked About Key Educational Issues

Voters leave Westminster Presbyterian Church, Precinct D, on Election Day in Winnsboro, November 2019. © William Ramsey / The News Leader Voters leave Westminster Presbyterian Church, Precinct D, November 2019, at the end of election day in Winnsboro.

Election day is Tuesday. The host asked local parents and educators what they wanted to know about their candidates for the Waynesboro School Board. We've selected eight questions that applicants can email below.

In Department D, Kathy Moneyvale is in her fifth term on the board of directors, but is being challenged by Amber Lipscomb, a consultant but new to the political scene. This is the only school board competition in Waynesboro.

pink d

Kathy Manival

MORE: Maniwal credits experience during his fifth term on the Waynesboro school board as important.

What are your plans to increase the number of teachers and eliminate teacher burnout?

“Our faculty and staff are our most valuable assets, and we are grateful to our faculty and staff for their dedication, commitment and hard work, especially during the pandemic. I'm proud of the awards and earnings I've been able to maintain over the past two years, and I'm looking forward to working to increase my award in the future."

“We added teacher work days to the calendar to give them more time to plan lessons and added some resources to meet the needs of students and reduce the workload on teachers and staff. We have begun to provide additional compensation to teachers who substitute other classes in their planning. The entire system is designed to support teachers and help reduce teacher burnout.

How much time did I spend volunteering, observing, meeting with teachers, and/or completing the WPS? “For 22 years, I have held various positions in Winnsboro Public Schools. My volunteer work includes treasurer at the Westwood Hills PTO (10 years); Treasurer Keith Collins PTO; WHS Supporters Treasurer; Classroom assistant; organization of fundraising events; and assistance with country meetings and musical events.

“As a student council member, I visited schools and classrooms and helped organize community events such as Back to School Bash, Stuff the Bus and Walk to School Week. I also made a lasting impact on the PTO (Berkeley Glenn, Westwood and William Perry) and Kate Collins by helping them obtain IRS tax exempt status. (Note: Student Council members may not substitute for each other in class.)

What does diversity, equality and inclusion mean to you? "It all comes down to respect. We respect each other's differences and consider the individual needs of each student so that all of our students can be successful.”

What will be your budget priorities if elected? Operating budget. Human resources are the most important expenditure item of our budget. I will continue to support competitive wages and benefits for all of our employees. Capital Improvements Budget: After completing the currently funded capital projects, my priorities will be the second phase of the Waynesboro High School renovation and major improvements to the Shenandoah Valley Center of Excellence, including the Career and Technology Center and Tech Center. . Shenandoah Valley Governor's School.

If the governor were to put in place standard rules for dealing with transgender students, how would you react to a teacher who refused to follow them because he believed it would harm the students? “Regardless of the model policies, because they are not laws, I think we have lost sight of the fact that non-discrimination is the law and our policy. School Board, Department of Schools Pursuant to current legislation, the School Board is responsible for this

How should school departments provide mental health resources to support students in crisis? “Students have easy access to school counselors and school psychologists, and our teachers are trained to recognize the mental health needs of their students. WPS has recently hired additional counselors and psychologists to help meet the mental health needs of our students. Also, Waynesboro has a time and place for community counselors. Provides. Visiting students during the school day. If a student's mental health needs are beyond the training or certification of our staff, the student/family will be referred to another facility."

How should the history of race and ethnicity be addressed in US schools? “The best approach is to make sure that what we teach is unbiased and really accurate. The way we teach must take into account the needs of our students.'

What are the benefits of being a member of the WPS Student Council? “I am passionate about and invested in Winnsboro Public Schools; So much so that I entrusted the education of my four children K-12 to WPS where they received a quality education. When I was first elected to the school board in 2006, I brought my background in education and accounting, which was especially valuable during budget season. I now also bring 16 years of knowledge and experience as a student council member, which is vital to our student council as we navigate post-pandemic challenges. Our students and the face of our school department."

Amber lipstick

MORE: Lipscomb wants open communication between Waynesboro schools, staff and parents

Lipscomb responded to The News Leader but said he was too busy to answer questions. Applicants were given a narrow window to respond, with applications due by Sunday 30 October and responses requested by the end of Wednesday 2 November.

MORE: Staunton, Augusta and Waynesboro counties see steady stream of early voting

MORE: Polling locations: Everything you need to know before you go to the polls

Patrick Haight is the News Leader's education journalist. Ideas and suggestions for stories are always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/she/him) at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Follow us at newsleader.com.

This article originally appeared on the Staunton News Leader: School board candidates question Winsboro Ward D on key education issues.

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