THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 5, 1996 TAG: 9605060192
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 3 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: DECISION 96
ELECTION GUIDE
LENGTH: Long : 408 lines
Deborah G. Dupree
Age: 40
Years in city: 11
Education: B.A., elementary education
Occupation: Public school teacher
Official endorsements through April 14: None
Seminars, workshops, etc., televised and made available to the public.
None.
Looking at predicted budget and previous school budget in familiarizing myself with other School Board activities.
(1) Keep students first- and (2) be a woman of integrity.
This is a matter for the City Council.
Physical safety measures are -satisfactory. We can do more to get parental support and involvement for safe schools in developing a safe school plan.
A basic knowledge in all academic areas and exposure to all technological advances.
Begin computer literacy in kindergarten.
Allen H. Goode Jr.
Age: 68
Years in city: 40
Education: Norfolk State University, Virginia State University, Booker T. Washington High School.
Occupation: Retired Army major, retired federal employee, retired businessman
Official endorsements through April 14: Chesapeake Education Association, Chesapeake Men for Progress, Chesapeake Forward.
I will continue to work with tutorial groups, civic leagues and PTA organizations to ensure that our students' needs are being met.
None.
I would put forth effort toward helping to establish rapport among board members and working as a cohesive group.
I will continue to work actively with PTAs, civic groups and community projects.
We must work with members of the City Council and our state legislators to ensure that they understand our financial situation.
Safety is very necessary in all school operations. We want parents, teachers and students to feel that the schools are safe havens for learning. i think the efforts at this point are commensurate with the degree of the severity of the problem. However, security is an on-going process.
Every student leaving a Chesapeake high school should be a self-sufficient citizen. As such, he or she should be able to read, express himself or herself in writing or verbally and to think critically.
I would like to see the geography and history curriculums revamped so that they reflect relevancy to today's times.
Patrick ``P.J.'' Fenwick
Age: 37
Years in city: 27
Education: Indian River High School graduate; two years at ODU< Occupation: Retailer
Official endorsements through April 14: None
In addition to encouraging public participation at School Board meetings, I would attend various P.T.A. meetings to ask for volunteers to help with school reading programs and other school activities.
Yes. If a community wanted to name their new school after somebody, rather than a geographic name.
First, to find a willing school administrator at one of our primary schools to implement a school uniform policy. Second, to get a consensus among my fellow board members in regard to the need for planning for the implementation of this test program on school uniforms.
In addition to carrying out my responsibilities to the best of my ability, I will concentrate on improving ``parental participation'' and improving ``focus and discipline' in our classrooms. Citizens would know I am doing what I promised when they see the implementation of new policies and initiatives.
By joining James Wheaton's call for a top-to-bottom comprehensive review of our school system with an eye to improving efficiencies. I would also be very vocal about Virginia's ranking 43rd in spending for education. I would band together with other school boards to bring pressure to bear on our representatives in the General Assembly not to cut funding.
Simple ``values education'' in primary school is a start - not anything controversial, just universal truths such as the values of honesty, integrity, perseverance, and respect. I believe that a mandatory uniform policy would also be beneficial, for not only the reasons of reducing discipline problems and promoting focus and respect, but also because uniforms make it easy to identify outsiders.
To read at grade level, to write at a level that would allow them to pass a freshman composition course at a university, to be able to do basic computations with and without a computer as well as fundamental understanding in the areas of measurement, probability, data analysis and statistics. They must also be literate in the use of computers and the Internet.
I would add a required composition course to the graduation requirements for our high schools.
Thomas L. Mercer Sr.
Age: 40
Years in city: 37
Education: B.A., Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College), master of divinity degree, Duke University; advanced studies, Drew University
Occupation: Pastor, Hickory United Methodist Church
Official endorsements through April 14: Chesapeake Education Association; Chesapeake Fraternal Order of Police; Chesapeake Professional Fire Fighters.
I will be open to hearing from them and, when possible, will meet with them face to face, or if necessary, where the problem is located. I will be accessible. I will support town hall meetings on the vital issues facing education.
I will research issues coming before me for a vote. This includes listening to the opinions of others. The final decision will always be what I believe is in the best interest of the students of the Chesapeake Public Schools.
I would reduce our dependence on portable classrooms and ensure safety in our schools. I would see our students graduating from Chesapeake Public Schools able to compete competently in the world marketplace with rigorous academic preparation, including technology education.
I will be open to listen to their concerns. I will work with the other members of the School Board and the administration to ensure the best possible school system for the students of Chesapeake. I will communicate with them personally and through the available media.
While our school system does a good job with financial accountability, we must continue to look for areas where we can run our school system more cost efficiently.I will lobby vigorously our state representatives to fully fund their share of the educational needs of our students.
The school system has taken the right first steps in ensuring safety in our schools. We need to continue the installation of cameras on buses to ensure that our students are safe to and from school. Where necessary, security personnel need to be on duty in our schools. These measure are not inexpensive. To have one student protected from a harmful situation will make these costs worthwhile.
The student needs to be grounded in the basics. We need to realize that the basics as we approach the year 2000 are not exactly those of the 1900s. They include reading, writing and math. Yet, just as necessary are the technology skills for today and the next century.
I would increase the number of hands-on programs for students. These programs (apprenticeship, mentoring, shadowing) will give our student a practical look at the jobs available and help them formulate life work decisions.
Harry A. Murphy
Age: 39
Years in city: 11
Education: M.A., educational administration, ODU; B.A., U.S. Naval Academy
Occupaiton: Owner of A. Murphy Fence Co.; commander, U.S. Naval Reserve.
Official endorsements through April 14: The Republican Party of Chesapeake; The Chesapeake Education Association; Sen. Mark L. Earley; Sen. Fred Quayle; Del. J. Randy Forbes; City Treasurer Barbara O. Carraway; Commonwealth's Attorney David Williams.
The communications between school board members and citizens is critical. I will solicit their input and be readily available to listen. I have a voice mailbox set up for School Board issues, a fax number and an e-mail address. We must support the communities that support our schools and children.
As a School Board member, I represent all the citizens of Chesapeake. I will not let my personal beliefs obscure my vision of what a community wants. With the exception of mandates, the School Board should never force an issue upon a community that does not want it.
I would ensure a totally safe and warm learning environment for our children and strengthen the communication link between parents, teachers, administrators and students.
I promise to represent all Chesapeake's children equally. I have made no promises to special-interest groups which would keep me from objectively deciding an issue. I promise to be accessible, to listen to the citizens of Chesapeake and to ensure our tax dollars are spent efficiently and effectively.
As far as the Chesapeake Public School System is concerned, we currently receive less than one-fourth of 1 percent of the budget from the federal government. The state share of the operating budget is approximately 42 percent, and the rest comes from sales tax receipts and City Council.
Safety is a basic need that must be met before the educational process can take place. The safety of every child in our system is equally important. The school system's safety efforts have been a good start, however, we must now complete the task of providing the warm, safe environment for our children to learn.
A graduate from the Chesapeake Public Schools should be well versed in the basics of knowledge. The graduate should be able to communicate well, read, be computer literate and be mathematically competent. Our graduates should be immediately ready for the society in which they are entering.
I would ensure our curriculum in all grade levels and constantly emphasize the basic building blocks of knowledge, reading, writing, math and computer literacy.
James G. Thomson
Age: 44
Years in city: 13
Education: Associate's degree in liberal arts, University of the State of New York, 1987; B.A., secondary education, ODU; currently M.A. program, Virginia Commonwealth University.
Occupation: Retired chief petty officer, U.S. Navy; part-time bookseller at Waldenbooks, Military Circle.
Official endorsements through April 14: Republican Party of Chesapeake.
I will be available to discuss citizens' concerns about our schools, and I will support an atmosphere of openness of public information about our schools. I support the involvement of parents and citizens as in the Chamber of Commerce's "Character Counts'' program, and law enforcement's D.A.R.E. program, as well as student involvement in community affairs.
One recent example is the issue of naming Cedar Road Elementary School Clarke-Owens. While I appreciate the value of naming school buildings to commemorate individuals of historic events, for the board to do so over the objections of the residents the school will serve is counterproductive.-
I would remove or overcome the many barriers which impede home-school communication and reduce misunderstandings between parents and educators so they can work more effectively as a team.
I will always be honest and forthright and open to try new (but tested) ways of providing all of our children's quality education. I will encourage an attitude of openness, both in the discussions on our televised meetings, but also by ensuring that important documents are accessible to citizens through the libraries - subject to the constraints of law and good sense.
Chesapeake has the luxury of an increasing tax base, and the present majority on City Council has been generous in making up the difference The most significant challenge is for us to build wisely - in a way that incorporates 21st century technology while not over-building, so that taxpayers continue to get good value for their dollar. Council must continue to increase the tax base - particularly in the business sector - in order to support the demands that growth brings.
Where they have been employed the cameras have helped administrators and parents improve their efforts at discipline by creating irrefutable evidence of wrongdoing, which also removes a barrier to parent education and cooperation. The result is a safer school and both faculty and students can concentrate on learning, rather than worrying about being the victim of harassment or worse.
Every student should be able to read, write, compute and be familiar with our past and the world. They should be able to negotiate the freshman year of college without remedial instruction. They should also be able to enter the work force with the ability to read instructions become reliable, productive entry-level workers as well as knowledgeable and responsible citizens.
Complete implementation of the Virginia Standards of Learning, which received rave reviews recently at the 1996 Education Summit. This would both raise academic standards and give teachers a meaningful and measurable set of learning objectives, which carefully define the specific skills we all expect of our graduates.
James J. Wheaton
Age: 35
Years in city: 22
Education: B.A., mathematical economics, Wake Forest University; law degree, University of Virginia School of Law; Great Bridge High School graduate, 1978.
Occupation: Lawyer, Willcox & Savage, P.C.
Official endorsements through April 14: Chesapeake Education Association.
I will continue to insist on open and televised school board meetings and on community and parental involvement in the school improvement planning process. I believe we can increase parental involvement in a number of ways, including routine voice mail and e-mail connections between parents, teachers and administrators.
As a School Board member, I will always cast votes based on an informed assessment of the issues involved. In order to reach that point, I will do everything possible to seek out parental, employee and other community viewpoints. In the end, I believe it is my duty to vote in accordance with what I believe to be the right decision, even if that vote is not politically expedient.
I would implement a comprehensive review of the way we do business, using representatives of the business community and the community at large. I would also ask that we accelerate our efforts to provide the training to teachers necessary to enable them to use computers as an adjunct to our curriculum.
I promise to support a comprehensive study of the way we do business and to continue to work to improve Chesapeake's below-average test scores. I would continue to ask for comprehensive reports of school board meetings, ask for more direct reporting from the schools to parents and use available technology such as the Internet to make the information available to those who are able to find it there.
We can compensate for the reductions in funding we will see at all levels by aggressively seeking out possible inefficiencies such as duplications of services. We should also pursue the possibility that the budget contains a number of line items that are over-budgeted each year. I would not be willing to cut already scarce classroom resources.
Our first responsibility is to make sure that every student returns home safely each day and that our schools are safe havens, free of disruptions and violence. We should expand the security concerns to middle schools, continue the efforts we have already begun to increase the number of cameras available on school buses, and fund the portions of next year's budget calling for an additional safety monitor at each middle and high school.
Every student who leaves a Chesapeake school should have a solid foundation in the basics: They must know how to read and write, to apply mathematics, to think for themselves and be prepared for the next century's challenges using available technology.
I would work to ensure that our software selection process and teacher training emphasize the proper role of computers in the classrooms: as instructional aids that need to be matched closely with a basic skills curriculum.
Patricia P. Willis
Age: 40
Years in city: 7.
Education: B.A., the College of William and Mary
Occupation: Lawyer, homemaker, former public school teacher.
Official endorsements through April 14: Republican Party of Chesapeake, the Young Republicans, the Central Chesapeake Republican Women's Club, the Chesapeake Fraternal Order of Police, Sen. Mark L. Earley, Sen. Fred Quayle, Del. J. Randy Forbes, City Treasurer Barbara O. Carraway, Commonwealth's Attorney David Williams and City Councilman John de Triquet.
I support our superintendent's action teams working on seven areas of needs of improvement as well as his Standards of Quality Advisory Committee. I support having regular ``town meetings'' to be rotated around to the different burroughs of the city, where the citizens can come and express their positive and negative comments about their school system.
There may be some issues on which I would vote against my personal beliefs if the public disagreed. An example would be that I might prefer that the children in the first few years of school receive grades on report cards. However, if a survey were taken of the parents and teachers and comments were given showing that the majority wanted ungraded/mastery report cards, I could abide by the community's wishes.
I would like for the School Board to pass a resolution setting regular times throughout the year to go to different areas of the city to have ``town meetings'' to listen to the citizens of an area to allow them to ask the board questions. I would like to ensure that our superintendent, Dr. Nichols, will continue to lead our schools for as long as possible.
I promise I will be responsible, diligent and reasonable in my pursuit of continued excellence in our schools. I will be open and honest with the students, parents, teachers, administrators and the community and welcome their input into making me a more effective school board member. I will keep the citizens informed of my progress on my promises.
I will continue to lobby the legislature and especially encourage our local delegation to support Gov. George Allen's attempts to get lottery fund money and literary fund money to be used by the local school systems. By maintaining schools of the highest quality, we will attract new companies and businesses to the area whose taxes will help pay for local services.
The school system is doing a good job of taking a pro-active stand on safety. We must always evaluate each expenditure to determine if the intended results have taken place and to make sure the funds are being wisely spent. It appears, until further information, that sufficient funds are being spend for safety in the high schools. We now need to survey the middle schools and lower schools in order to find out if there are problems that need to be addressed.
All students should have the skills to lead a productive and successful life to the highest levels of their abilities. Both students going directly into the job market and those going to the most prestigious universities should have mastered the new Standards of Learning. In addition, computer literacy has now become a basic ability in the job and higher education market.
The curriculum change about which I am the most excited is the adoption of the new Standards of Learning.
Michael James Woods
Age: 30
Years in city: 25.
Education: Law degree, University of Dayton School of Law; B.A., sociology, St. Leo College; associate's degree, Tidewater Community College.
Occupation: Lawyer, Wilcox & Woods, P.C.
Official endorsements through April 14: Chesapeake Fraternal Order of Police
Communication is the key to any successful organization. I would suggest that School Board meetings be moved around to different boroughs so more people can participate and that town hall meetings be conducted periodically to discuss school issues. I support the establishment of a parent task force at each school.
As an elected School Board member, I represent the will of the people, not my will. My vote will reflect the consensus of the community.
See to it that all students are housed under one roof in a safe environment and that each student is assigned a computer for his or her use while attending school.
I promise to be an effective advocate who will listen to the concerns of all citizens. I promise to work toward stricter enforcement of city ordinances and state laws, increased security around our school sites with the use of monitoring devices and assigning police officers in the schools to remove disruptive and dangerous students.
Funding is an essential element to provide our children with the tools for learning. We need to encourage our legislators to have the state share the cost of school construction and lift the burden off the citizens of Chesapeake, which now is 100 percent. We need to return lottery proceeds back to our locality for use in building and renovating our schools.
I would like to see the increased use of cameras to monitor buses, particularly in our middle schools. Further, we need to encourage the positive role of police officers in the schools.
It is important that our children have the requisite skills to attend college or be prepared to enter the job market. Students need to be taught the fundamental building blocks of learning: reading, mathematics, English grammar and computer skills that will be necessary to compete in the global marketplace.
I would provide S.A.T. preparatory classes for high school students going to college. ILLUSTRATION: [Photos of all the candidates]
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