In addition, we need to be actively working (lobbying, working with county commissioners, grants) to secure funding so that we can make sure all our educators and staff are compensated appropriately. Home. I believe we need to give classroom educators more automony in deciding how best to deliver the content, while still making sure all standards are covered; relieve them of unnecessary professional development; and give them the support staff they need so they can focus on the educational needs of every student. It is up to the Administrators in each school to ensure that they are not breeding a culture of hate in their schools by allowing things like racism and gender discrimination to happen without being addressed., She also said that schools should be accepting of students identities, and supporting of various school clubs like cultural clubs, bible study clubs, anime clubs, and gender inclusivity clubs.. That means setting an expectation of excellence and respect throughout the district. My platform brings peace and stability to the teachers and staff so that they can focus on the students. I want our teachers to have the authority to discipline children that are a disruption to the rest of the class. After the new board was sworn in, Deanna Kaplan was voted board chair and Alex Bohannon was voted vice chair. Published 3:01 pm Sunday, November 6, 2022. This protected planning time should not include cafeteria, bus or hallway duty. Republican voters may choose four candidates from the ballot. I have served Forsyth County public education for over 32 years. On Tuesday, Tabitha Hackett of Winston-Salem filed to run as a Republican . 2. N.C. Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools' employees . That said, until such time as there are no public schools that provide less than a quality education, there has to be choice. Kaplan is currently the chair of the WS/FCS Board of Education and was elected in 2018. Brown-Gaither recalled a couple of instances from her time as a teacher, where she recognized signs of mental illness or emotional problems in her students and learned to step in to support them. It appears with school board operations a lack of checks and balances. Even for my weekend reading and to stay informed and knowledgeable of current N.C. laws and state affairs, I subscribe to K-12 Education Office of Government and Community Affairs publication. I believe the WSFCS Board should consider single member Board districts for the election of Board members in order to enhance communication with parents, bring governance of schools closer to the taxpaying voter, and simplify the voting process. Although public school may have its flaws and issues, especially on the tail-end of a pandemic, public schools still have some of the best options for most children in our district. I have lobbied for public schools in the N.C. General Assembly. Assisting in the selection of books, equipment and other instructionalmaterials.j. Among the five candidates on the ballot to represent District 2 on the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education is the name of Stan Elrod, who died unexpectedly on Oct. 25, just four days . Retention bonuses would also help build a deeper bench of young teachers. 3) Utilize as much as possible the support and the volunteer efforts of WS/FCS retired school personnel. Alex Bohannon and Malishai Woodbury, who has chosen to run for the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners instead of another term on the school board, currently represent the district. As a life long educator and advocate for public education, I feel it is our responsibility to provide all students with a quality education in our public school system. f***@wsfcs.k12.nc.us. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. When Marc Raye envisioned his barber studio, he wanted people to not just get a haircut, but also wanted them to have an experience. Many of our teachers have been feeling unappreciated and our school system has not treated them as professionals. . Yesterday, the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board of Education passed a resolution pledging to integrate environmental sustainability into Liked by John Noble When birds thrive, we thrive! In a crowded school board election, how do you stand out among candidates? My decisions are based on not only the data but the source of the data. I have read and responded to hundreds and hundreds of emails and have advocated for numerous students and staff. NEWS. AMY DIAZ/WFDD. I've worked in the case management field for over 10 years, which has given me insight into the community resources that already exist and the policies in place that prevent individuals and families from being able to reach their fullest potential. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze. Candidates answers to these questions can be found here. Richard Watts, At-Large, Democrat 1) Describe any experience you have in a public school environment, whether that be as a teacher, administrator, coach, staff member, current member of the school board, substitute teacher, PTA involvement, etc. The school districts website explains what social-emotional learning looks like in schools, offering a definition from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. Students cannot learn if they are not in school; but no student can learn in a chaotic environment. Those stories are lost and a lot of what is reported is negative. On the day to day operations, what can we take off the plate of teachers so that they can teach with creativity and enthusiasm? Early voting for the election will be held from Oct. 20 to Nov. 5. Incentivize and reward teachers for achievement in the classroom. I am running as an educator for education. And I have seen where staff members have stepped up and stepped out and helped other students, and helped students along the way, she said. What can be done to alleviate the daily pressures of the classroom teacher, the classified staff, bus drivers, cafeteria staff, maintenance workers. Decrease unnecessary assessments that inhibit teachers from having time to teach. Find the District you live in at demnc.co/distr. Were just trying to find time in the day to create relationships and time for teachers to interact with students to help them along their journey in life, Watts said. Working with local and federal governmental agencies. I believe our public schools are the best place to send every child whereas they can receive a quality education. I also attend Board of Education committee meetings and general meetings. At a school board meeting in February, Garner was among the public speakers who attempted to file a lawsuit against the school district for, among other things, practicing medicine without a license, committing child abuse because of masking and violating the states obscenity law by keeping in school libraries materials with obscene and inappropriate images.. Whenever I hear concerns, they will be immediately communicated to the superintendent with a follow up conversation about the outcome. My passion for students and the teaching profession has no bounds. Every Friday, I take the day off to call all my creditors and ask them how much I owe. By Marc Pruitt. Restore high expectations. Our school system should mirror the makeup of our society and be inclusive of all people regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, faith beliefs and more, she wrote. Board of Education; Archived Board Meeting Agendas; Archived Board Meeting Minutes 2022-2023. Share News Tips with WFDDCall 336-758-3083Submit Online, Eleven of the 14 Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education candidates gathered at the R.J. Reynolds High School Auditorium for a forum on Oct. 12, 2022. As a board member I would like to meet with different students to hear their stories and struggles so I will be aware of current issues and prejudices that may be occurring in order to provide students with protections from bullying, Barr wrote. I was selected Principal of the Year twice by my peers. Three of the remaining board members, Democrats Deanna Kaplan and Alex Bohannon and Republican Leah Crowley garnered enough . Three incumbent members and six new members were sworn in by retired District Court Judge Denise Hartsfield while standing in front of a packed auditorium last Thursday evening, officially starting the term for the newly elected board. I have familiarity with the school system, substituting, PTA parent liaison, and working on impact committees/boards allows me to bring advocacy and a well-rounded educational perspective. c. Working in coordination with other basic education teachers and other departments in planning and developing the basic program. You can cancel at any time. Comments (-1) Popular Entertainer B Daht Visits East Forsyth High School For Real Talk. how to solve trig functions without a calculatorhow to open otterbox ipad case Navigation. policy) with a minor in history; paralegal certificate with a concentration in civil litigation; graduate of City of Winston-Salem University; certified notary, OCCUPATION: Neighbors for Better Neighborhoods community residential leader/liaison. About. EDUCATION: Master's in education, Wake Forest University; Bachelor's in education, Winston-Salem State University. Job Details. Lack of accountability and transparency. Crowley explained that when students are suspended for bad behavior, they miss school, and typically spend time around bad influences. When they return to school in a couple weeks, she said the cycle repeats. My "back to basics" platform achieves that directly. It may be difficult not to feel marginalized if you identify with a group that is small in number. Schools should be inclusive of all types of people and help others to better understand and tolerate differences, even if we dont identify with them. We must continue to find ways to decrease and close achievement gaps. I also received my master's degree from Appalachian State University and a bachelor's degree from Wake Forest University. Parts of our recommendations are now part of the new WSFCS mission and vision. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, School safety, classroom equity among priorities for candidates in Winston-Salem/Forsyth school board's District 1 race, At-large race may hold key to partisan control of school board in Winston-Salem/Forsyth, Wide range of school board priorities, concerns among District 2 candidates for WS/FCS Board of Education. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. The district hopes to reduce the number of out-of-school suspensions with this code, but that is still an option as a consequence for higher-level offenses. Teachers have carried a tremendous burden over the last two years. Absher is a nurse and mother of two children. At-large Libertarian candidate Regina Garner is a stay-at-home mom, and part-time cosmetologist. Working as a paralegal for Litigation Attorneys has taught me to be fast paced and a critical thinker. There needs to be discussion between the community and with the board of education. Oct 16, 2022, The District 1 race for two seats on the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools board likely was settled in the May Democratic primary with incu, The political bent of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools board appears likely to come down to which candidates win at-large seats in the, The main question involving the District 2 race for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is whether a lone Democratic challenger can secure on. When it comes to teachers/educators and supporting them through these tough times, I think the answer is simple, ASK TEACHERS/EDUCATORS WHAT THEY NEED in order to be successful. It is classified as a mid-sized city school district by the National Center for Education Statistics. I will be a steadfast champion for students, teachers, and parents, dedicated to making our public schools the best in NC. In a written response, she wrote that all students should feel welcome at school regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation or any identity., I've become alarmed by the number of students I've talked to who feel they must keep their political and religious beliefs to themselves. Neither can perform at their best while this is the case. 5 talking about this. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Titans, Mustangs to square off Friday night, Western Forsyth Post 522 Blue advances to second round of Area 3 Tournament, Willow Run, Shallowford Lakes pick up wins last week. Save job - Click to add the job to your shortlist. I taught third through fifth grades at Moore Elementary; sixth-seventh grades at Paisley Middle; seventh grade at Kernersville Middle School, and served as curriculum coordinator at Atkins Middle School.