THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 14, 1996 TAG: 9604130229
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: Decision '96\
LENGTH: Long : 338 lines
In ``community conversations'' sponsored by The Virginian-Pilot, two groups of city residents identified several issues of importance to those who call Suffolk home.
School-related issues ranked near the top of the list.
Among the residents' key concerns: Enrollment growth, school safety and academic achievement levels.
The newspaper asked the six School Board candidates to share their views on some of the issues residents identified as important - and also to describe how they would tackle them if elected.
The candidates' responses are listed below.
Suffolk's second School Board election is May 7. Three of the board's seven seats are up for grabs: those representing the Nansemond, Whaleyville and Sleepy Hole boroughs.
The Rev. Mark Croston, the Whaleyville incumbent, is running unopposed.
Borough: Nansemond
Arthur D. Smith
Age: 51
Education: Bachelor's degree, Frederick College; master's in education - counseling, the College of William and Mary
Employment: 1994-Present, Tidewater Community College, Associate Dean for Student Enrollment Services/College Registrar
Personal: Suffolk resident for 24 years. Married; two adult children.
1. What are your top TWO priorities for city schools, and how would you address them if elected to the board?
The number one priority and reason for existence of public schools is student achievement - educating all students for successful, productive citizenship. This is a period of change requiring careful monitoring with the implementation of new Standards of Learning, the adoption of textbooks that correlate to and support those (standards), and subsequently, the establishment of new state assessment instruments.
Related to these are staff development and the development of technologies and their effective application for student learning.
Another priority is planning for and accommodating growth with curriculum enhancements to meet student needs.
2. How would you increase citizen involvement in setting the school district's direction and solving problems?
I would continue to endorse the current practice of formulating advisory committees that make recommendations to the School Board on operational as well as philosophical issues.
Personal accessibility furthers this goal by maintaining a high profile and by encouraging citizens to contact me regarding any concerns they may have regarding the school system.
3. What is one thing you would do to make schools safer?
(Maintain the position of) zero tolerance toward disruptive student behavior and any violation of the Student Code of Conduct. I support principals taking swift and appropriate action in disciplining students to communicate behavioral requirements so that the behavior of a small percentage of students cannot impact the availability of a quality education for the majority.
I support the high school security resource personnel, periodic and random searches of school property when reasonable suspicion warrants, and the use of drug-sniffing dogs and metal detectors. I would support supplementing the night-alternative program with a daytime alternative program.
4. What is one thing you would do to improve academic achievement among city students?
I support further reduction of class size and would attempt to implement a lower teacher/student ratio at upper grade levels. I encourage and support the acquisition of the latest edition of textbooks and the integration of technology into the classroom as an instructional strategy. I would support funding for tutorial, homework and test-taking assistance programs.
5. What one curriculum change would you make, if you could?
The curriculum could be made more academically demanding with increased participation in college preparatory writing, math, science and foreign language coursework. For students not inclined to pursue traditional post-secondary educational opportunities, I would integrate vocational-technical education with traditional academic courses to prepare students for the world of work or the continuance of their education in their chosen vocational field.
Also: I would require computer literacy skills for all graduates.
6. What growth-related issues are you most concerned about? And, in your opinion, what growth-related issues are not being addressed, or adequately addressed, at this time?
I currently think the school division is addressing the enrollment growth issues. What will ultimately determine adequacy is receipt of necessary and adequate state and local funding.
Borough: Nansemond
John R. Riddick Sr.
Age: 68
Education: Attended Hampton Institute; served in the U.S. Air Force
Employment: Retired from the paint department of Newport News Shipbuilding
Personal: Suffolk native; married; three adult children
1. What are your top TWO priorities for city schools, and how would you address them if elected to the board?
The 10-year, capital-improvements plan and the updating of the curriculum.
2. How would you increase citizen involvement in setting the school district's direction and solving problems?
Through community civic leagues, church groups, community leaders and frequent school visits.
3. What is one thing you would do to make schools safer?
I would strongly urge the board to establish a student honor and discipline code and a student-to-student committee or club. Give students extra grade points plus permission to take advanced subjects beyond his or her present grade.
4. What is one thing you would do to improve academic achievement among city students?
Establish a program whereby a student can attend summer school and, upon passing, may skip a grade.
5. What one curriculum change would you make, if you could?
The School Board should appoint a special committee to study and evaluate the school curriculum.
6. What growth-related issues are you most concerned about? And, in your opinion, what growth-related issues are not being addressed, or adequately addressed, at this time?
Inner-city growth and the problems of downtown and what's causing the plight of citizens from the inner-city.
Borough: Nansemond
Bruce T. Benn
Age: 29
Education: Now enrolled in doctoral program in educational administration, Virginia Tech; master's degree in educational administration from Old Dominion University; bachelor's degree in political science/history, Tuskegee University.
Employment: 1995-Present, Assistant principal, Bayside High School in Virginia Beach
Personal: Single; the son of former Suffolk Superintendent Mack Benn Jr.
1. What are your top TWO priorities for city schools, and how would you address them if elected to the board?
Provide a safe school environment for our students and faculty. Refine and maintain academic excellence.
2. How would you increase citizen involvement in setting the school district's direction and solving problems?
Involving parents in more meaningful ways through structured systems of goal-setting and communication. Encouraging participation in School Board meetings and school-related activities.
3. What is one thing you would do to make schools safer?
Foster a positive school climate to include. . . high expectations; and fair and consistent discipline procedures. Hold all students accountable for their interactions with fellow students, staff members and school officials.
4. What is one thing you would do to improve academic achievement among city students?
To improve parental involvement, especially in the middle and high schools, where I believe we allow our children all too often the freedom to make adult decisions without the aid or direction of an adult.
5. What one curriculum change would you make, if you could?
I would encourage and establish an ROTC program in at least one or both of the high schools to encourage another positive alternative for life after high school.
6. What growth-related issues are you most concerned about? And, in your opinion, what growth-related issues are not being addressed, or adequately addressed, at this time?
School building accommodations need to be addressed to allow adequate housing for our students.
Also, with our continued growth, our teacher/student ratio will have to be adequately addressed to make sure our high academic standards are not compromised.
Borough: Sleepy Hole
James E. Perkinson Jr.
Age: 51
Education: Bachelor's degree, East Carolina University; master's in education, Old Dominion University
Employment: Building manager at Tidewater Community College.
Personal: Suffolk resident for 25 years. Married with three adult children.
1. What are your top TWO priorities for city schools, and how would you address them if elected to the board?
My two main priorities for city schools are to improve the educational experience of the students and increase community involvement. These priorities can be accomplished through the recruitment and the retention of the best qualified teachers, adequate support for materials, equipment, supplies and facilities, and by the establishment of school/community advisory committees.
2. How would you increase citizen involvement in setting the school district's direction and solving problems?
I plan to discuss school issues and concerns at civic league meetings, club meetings and with other organizations. I plan to utilize members of the community on school advisory committees, thus giving more citizens the opportunity to become involved with the schools and their problems and concerns. I plan to hold community forums to discuss school issues.
3. What is one thing you would do to make schools safer?
Hold the students responsible for their behavior. Not only should school policy on misbehavior be enforced, but if criminal laws are broken, prosecutions should result. Disruptive students should not be tolerated. All students should feel and be safe at school.
4. What is one thing you would do to improve academic achievement among city students?
The one thing I feel would do the most to improve academic achievement is to increase the students' critical thinking ability. Increasing reasoning ability will help all students better apply information from any course. In-service training sessions can be held for the teachers.
5. What one curriculum change would you make, if you could?
I would place greater emphasis on communications - reading and writing. In my 27 years of working as an educator, I have found that weakness in this area is the common thread among the students who are experiencing difficulty or failure, even in math and math-related courses.
6. What growth-related issues are you most concerned about? And, in your opinion, what growth-related issues are not being addressed, or adequately addressed, at this time?
The most important growth-related issue for the Sleepy Hole Borough is adequate schools. The growing needs at the middle school level must be addressed quickly. More classroom space is needed and mobil units are not the answer. Lead time is needed to plan, design and construct a school. We need to act quickly to meet this growing demand.
Borough: Sleepy Hole
Robert M. Brooks Jr.
Age: 42
Education: Attended Christopher Newport College; law enforcement certificate, Paul D. Camp Community College
Employment: Agent with the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
Personal: He settled in Suffolk in May 1983. Married; two boys, both enrolled in district schools.
1. What are your top TWO priorities for city schools, and how would you address them if elected to the board?
To begin a study program for students who do not meet the expected results (on the Literacy Passport Test). . . and to further determine what, if any, changes are needed to better prepare sixth-grade students to take the test and obtain better scores.
I would like to start some dialogue with the City Council and Planning commission so that when new developments are planned they will know up front what to expect in terms of school growth. . . and to hopefully begin an aggressive building program of schools and not wait until it's too late.
2. How would you increase citizen involvement in setting the school district's direction and solving problems?
I intend to stay active in both PTAs in the schools that my boys attend and also plan to seek the other board members' approval to hold at least four meetings per year outside of the regular sites. . . . I feel that members have to be active in the area that they are elected from and become associated with the people in the schools.
3. What is one thing you would do to make schools safer?
I am not aware of any safety concerns that have developed in any of our schools, and feel that each principal is responsible for creating a safe environment, and does so very well.
4. What is one thing you would do to improve academic achievement among city students?
I would like to implement a study program for students who are having difficulty with learning, such as afterschool and summer programs. I realize some of this is already in place and perhaps is working quite well. However, we have to encourage students to want to do better. I feel that all students are capable of doing better, and perhaps just need the extra push. This can also be (addressed) by lowering the classroom population to a level that the teacher can teach and help more students on an individual basis.
5. What one curriculum change would you make, if you could?
(No response.)
6. What growth-related issues are you most concerned about? And, in your opinion, what growth-related issues are not being addressed, or adequately addressed, at this time?
We must be aware that in the next 10 years, we will be past the critical stages if we do not address building new schools now to prepare for the future. If it means a tax increase, then I would hope that the citizens would support a building program so we could continue to decrease the class sizes and try to play catch up. I feel that the School Board is quite aware of the growth problems and many of the council members are also.
Borough: Whaleyville
Mark A. Croston
Age: 37 cq
Education: Doctor of Ministry, Virginia Union University; master of divinity, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; bachelor's degree in engineering, University of Pennsylvania.
Employment: 1987-Present - Pastor, East End Baptist Church, Suffolk
Personal: Married; two children, one of whom is school-age and attends Booker T. Washington Elementary
1. What are your top TWO priorities for city schools, and how would you address them if elected to the board?
I will work to keep academic achievement in our minds and at the top of our agenda. To do this, we must attract and keep the best qualified teachers, provide proper support, materials and facilities, and continue to develop strategies for education that will help each of our students learn.
2. How would you increase citizen involvement in setting the school district's direction and solving problems?
I believe we must form citizen committees when appropriate, continue to work to get parents involved and continue to grow our business-partnership programs.
3. What is one thing you would do to make schools safer?
I believe in the positive aspects of the human spirit. We can enhance these by keeping our facilities clean and in good repair; by giving our faculty training to be certain they know how to relate effectively with the diverse community they serve; through sports in the lower levels, even if they are inter-mural; motivational speakers; more money for trips so (students') horizons can be broadened; maybe even (student) uniforms so they won't feel the need to compete as much among themselves.
4. What is one thing you would do to improve academic achievement among city students?
We must continue to make the instruction relevant. You cannot be what you cannot see. I was at a restaurant not long ago in Chesapeake and a group of Suffolk students came in with their teachers. They were all very well-behaved. One of their teachers came over and spoke to me and informed me that for many of these fourth- and fifth-grade students, this was their first trip outside of the city of Suffolk. We take it for granted that people travel because we do. . . . Academic achievement begins by creating the hope for a bigger world and brighter future.
5. What one curriculum change would you make, if you could?
Give children more opportunities to experience why what they are learning is important.
6. What growth-related issues are you most concerned about? And, in your opinion, what growth-related issues are not being addressed, or adequately addressed, at this time?
(His concern:) That our instructional budget not be negatively impacted by the demand for greater resources and capital improvements that growth requires. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo on cover by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
Suffolk's school children
Photos
Arthur D. Smith
John R. Riddick Sr.
Bruce T. Benn
James E. Perkinson Jr.
Robert M. Brooks Jr.
Mark A. Croston
KEYWORDS: SUFFOLK SCHOOL BOARD RACE CANDIDATE ELECTION by CNB