Voters in Kent County will have the opportunity to elect two to the county’s public school Board of Education. Candidates appear on the presidential general election ballot. Early voting begins Oct. 24 and runs through Oct. 31. Voters also may cast their ballot in person on Election Day, Nov. 5.
The term of office for the top two vote winners is four years. The Kent County Board of Education has five elected members, and a student member from Kent County High School selected to serve for a one-year term. The Kent County News reached out to the candidates competing for the seats to ask questions about their campaigns.
PIERS HERIZ-SMITHPiers Heriz-Smith is a retired veteran and naturalized citizen. He is married to high-school sweetheart, Rebecca, and has two boys ages 13 and 16. He immigrated from England in 1975, spending his childhood in Appalachia, working on a horse farm and studying meteorology and climatology before serving 23 years in the Air Force Medical Service. He became a U.S. citizen after seeing good people risk their lives fleeing authoritarianism and violence for a chance to live the American Dream. Heriz-Smith retired as program manager, medical logistics, National Guard Bureau, responsible for ensuring National Guard units were equipped to accomplish their missions. The position involved analysis, deliberate planning and the validation of requirements.
PIERS HERIZ-SMITH
CONTRIBUTED
What are the top three challenges facing the school board and how would you seek to address those?
Public perception and the relationship between the BOE and the county executives. I would cultivate a policy of transparency in all interactions between the BOE, the county and the state. Declining enrollment. A significant amount of the students that could attend KCPS don’t. Despite significant wealth in our county, each of our schools meet the threshold to be designated as Title I schools. That reveals a disparity that is shocking. We are stuck in a positive feedback loop. Poor perception of KCPS leads to reduced enrollment, which results in reduced funding. Reduced funding leads to constrained resources. Constrained resources puts KCPS under duress, exacerbating issues. Additionally, reduced enrollment results in an increase in the ratio of administrative overhead to actual teaching costs, driving up the cost-per-student ratio. A superior school will attract families to Kent and entice back students who have left for private institutions reversing this trend. Resources. You cannot in good faith criticize an organization if they have not been provided the necessary resources to meet mission objectives. We must identify necessary requirements and ensure both public buy-in and the Commissioners’ commitment to a superior school district.
A good first step would be a countywide audit by a disinterested organization to find where efficiencies might exist and developing a strong relationship with the state to address shortfalls.
With mandates from the state’s Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, pillars are set in place to address early childhood education, high quality and diverse teachers, college and career readiness and resources to ensure all students are successful. Among those, how do you see KCPS implementing those pillars and growing on the policies already developed?
The Blueprint has provisions for the state to provide expert review teams to assist districts and schools implement the Blueprint. Information can be found at Blueprint-Maryland State Department of Education.
Furthermore, Dr. McComas, the new superintendent of schools, is both highly competent and trained as a school administrator. I have no doubt the BOE will support her plans to implement the Blueprint. In instances where resources are an issue I expect the BOE to work with the county commissioners and Annapolis to close those shortfalls.
What steps, if any, do you think KCPS needs to take to address school safety and creating a safe climate for staff and students?
I am going to treat this question as a query regarding school shootings, as they are still occurring. I believe that asking the same people and institutions that are having violent crime perpetrated against them to prevent the occurrence of violence, allows our state and federal legislators and voting citizens to sidestep their responsibility in solving a societal issue.
So what do we do here in Kent County?
The U.S. military has dramatically reduced the percentage of combat injuries on the battlefield that are fatal, in part through the fielding of next generation IFAKs (individual first aid kit). IFAKs contain QuickClot bandages to stop arterial hemorrhaging, and CATs (combat application tourniquet) to stop severe blood loss when QuickClot cannot reach the severed blood vessel. I would recommend IFAKs in every classroom, school bus and teacher’s desk. Every emergency response capability in the county should have a combat trauma mass casualty quick response package. IFAK training should be mandatory for all KCPS employees and available to volunteers.
Local law enforcement and first responders should train in joint tactics to ensure what happened in Uvalde, Texas, does not happen here: breach, clear, treat. We cannot allow our children to be shot and bleed out while responders wait for tactical advantage.
Continue to harden the exterior of buildings and use controlled entry points with vestibules.
What strategies would you implement to improve math and science proficiency among KCPS students?
This is a question that, like the Blueprint question, hits at a BOE that micromanages areas that are largely within the scope of the superintendent’s responsibilities. However, the Blueprint aims to improve the quality of teachers through pay incentives and national board certification. We as a community should hold up excellence in STEM studies as achievable and admirable goals.
Some school districts have enacted policies allowing transgender and gender nonconforming students to use their preferred pronouns while at the same time not informing those students’ parents about that decision. What is your opinion of such policies?
I am not aware of any such formal policy in Kent County, and there is a lot to unpack by begging the question.
First, I believe in an America that is based on three moral absolutes: liberty, equality and justice. What liberty means to me is that I neither have to agree with, nor like how my fellow citizens live their lives. It is none of my business until their liberty makes contact with my rights. Even then we decide which is the greater good. That is something worth keeping in mind when living with people very different from ourselves.
Trans/non-binary folks exist. That is a fact. Justice dictates that they are afforded the right to exist in public spaces and be afforded the dignity that accompanies that right. Minors also have rights, they are not property. Additionally the school district is charged with ensuring the safety of the students entrusted to their care. Any policy put in place must put the child’s safety at the fore. Communication with parents would be carried out accordingly. In any case I would defer to subject matter experts such as mental health providers and child psychologists.
To balance the FY24 budget, the district had to eliminate teaching and instructional assistant positions at each of the five district schools; eliminate a coordinator position with student services and four certified nursing assistant positions and eliminate a bus route — with increased demand for funding to support students, the state Blueprint and build a new middle school — how do you see those funds being generated?
One of the responsibilities of the BOE is to advise the county commissioners what resources are needed to operate the schools. It is not the BOE’s responsibility to manage county finances, it is the commissioners responsibility. The commissioners willing accepted that responsibility when they ran for office. The commissioners are paid 10 times what the BOE members make. I would suggest they are paid more because of greater responsibilities and expectations.
Let’s talk about the middle school. At least one survey determined that the building is so deteriorated that it is more economical to raze rather than repair the building. That is clear evidence of a district neglected by the county.
Imagine a county that had neglected its roads so thoroughly that they all need complete rebuilding. Would you expect the department of roads to determine how to overcome the fiscal burden of decades of neglect by the county commissioners? I don’t think the county executives should get off that easily.
Finally, In the past a grassroots organization in Kent petitioned Annapolis to assist KCPS. Annapolis agreed to help by matching funds the county committed over maintenance of effort. The county declined the invitation. I wonder if our reluctance to help ourselves affect the decisions made in Annapolis?
LAURA McKENZIELaura McKenzie is a proud KCPS parent for over 18 years. She has over 10 years of experience as a special education professional and over two years as a licensed mental health therapist. As a parent, she has advocated on behalf of her children to receive additional support from KCPS and the community, to help them through challenging moments. She is grateful for the support she received at their schools, at her local church and from mental health providers. She also served as a liaison between nonpublic schools in Maryland and MSDE to represent the needs of transitioning youth in nonpublic schools. McKenzie regularly attended statewide training for transition professionals and collaborated with a variety of state agencies, nonprofits and employment providers to connect students and their families to the supports needed to help students achieve their educational and employment goals.
LAURA MCKENZIE
CONTRIBUTED
What are the top three challenges facing the school board and how would you seek to address those?
I believe our top three challenges are the need to improve math and ELA proficiency for all students, declining enrollment and rebuilding trust within schools and in our community. Our schools need to be fully committed to not only listening to the ideas and suggestions for how to make our schools better but also applying those suggestions in a timely manner. We need to be receptive to concerns as they are presented and show due diligence on following through with those concerns, especially from our students and families. It’s not about making everyone happy but about building a culture of mutual respect.
School culture and academic progress impact the confidence that families have in our ability to effectively support their children. We need to be mindful of the options that families have when it comes to school choice and adjust our practices in a manner that demonstrates the value we place on the students and the families we serve. We need to build bridges in the community, especially with our caring retirement community members, who are willing and able to support the academic progress of our students.
Our new state superintendent, Dr. Carey Wright, is working to reform Maryland education policies to align with those that produced significant gains in ELA and math proficiency in Mississippi, which has the highest poverty rate in the United States. As those policies are approved in Maryland, KCPS needs to align our policies and procedures accordingly so that our own students experience the same gains.
Among those, how do you see KCPS implementing those pillars and growing on the policies already developed?
With respect to meeting the Blueprint mandates, our strengths lie in addressing early childhood education and college and career readiness. We’ve had universal pre-K for years now, there are Judy Centers in H.H. Garnet, Rock Hall and Galena Elementary schools, and we provide services to 3-year-olds with disabilities with plans to expand services to other 3-year-olds via private pre-K providers.
Efforts toward college and career readiness in KCPS are continually expanding to include Blueprint-mandated career counselors in both the middle and high schools and more CTE options within our already robust program such as the newly added marine services technician training.
For developing and retaining high-quality and diverse teachers, more KCPS teachers are pursuing national board certification, financial support and mentoring is available to instructional assistants and career changers to earn teaching certificates through Bowie State University and KCPS is collaborating with Washington College to enhance hiring practices to attract diverse staff.
KCPS is ensuring more resources to students in multiple ways including curriculum and instructional programs aligned to Maryland Career and College Readiness Standards, instruction in social emotional learning and increased engagement with students, families and the community. A specific example of a helpful resource that addresses the wellness needs of our students is the partnership with Choptank Community Health which offers in-school dental services at several schools and a school-based health center in Rock Hall Elementary School.
What steps, if any, do you think KCPS needs to take to address school safety and create a safe climate for staff and students?
I believe we can do a better job as a district educating our students about the dangers of human trafficking and how to identify the red flags for potential exploitative relationships or jobs. We need to teach our students about what strange or inappropriate behavior in others looks like, whether in person or online, and how to respond to keep themselves safe. Exploitation thrives on secrecy and we need to teach our children how to communicate and self-advocate when someone makes them feel uncomfortable.
First, students, parents/caregivers and staff should have an opportunity to provide their input on any ideas for improved school safety. Suggestions worth considering are clear backpacks, metal detectors and background checks for new students in the county who are legally old enough to work. Additionally, given the recent incident of a former MS-13 gang member from Venezuela being enrolled by Child Protective Services (CPS) in Baltimore County and Harford County public schools, is our need for improved communication with local CPS. We need to explore the development of a MOU between KCPS and our local CPS to ensure that the central office receives notification if a new student has a history of or is being investigated for a violent crime in order to make an informed decision about the least restrictive environment for that student.
What strategies would you implement to improve math and science proficiency among KCPS students?
With respect to mathematics, the strategies that I find intriguing are requiring all K-2 students to be assessed using an early numeracy screener, allocating one mathematics coach for every K-5 school and requiring the development of a math intervention plan for students in grades 3-8 who do not perform at or above grade level on the state assessment. ELA and mathematics are prioritized federally and within Maryland, so science needs to be elevated similarly to receive the support it deserves. Science teachers need more ongoing opportunities for professional learning. Standards-aligned science assessments should reflect the standards-aligned materials enabling us to monitor student performance locally and more frequently. Our schools regularly offer opportunities for after school instruction and assistance during lunchtimes, for a variety of subjects, including science. It’s important that we do more direct outreach to those families whose students are struggling to encourage them to take advantage of the quality support already in place.
Some school districts have enacted policies allowing transgender and gender nonconforming students to use their preferred pronouns while at the same time not informing those students’ parents about that decision. What is your opinion of such policies?
I support the guideline outlined in “The World Professional Association for Transgender Health” that “mental health professionals should help families to have an accepting and nurturing response to the concerns of their gender dysphoric child or adolescent. Families play an important role in the psychological health and well-being of youth. This also applies to peers and mentors from the community, who can be another source of social support.”
Since families play an important role in their child’s well-being and schools cannot guarantee confidentiality with the open use of preferred pronouns and names, I believe it is best to inform families before changes occur. Youth experiencing gender dysphoria often have co-occurring struggles like anxiety and depression and parents and/or caregivers are in the best position to ensure that all mental health needs are addressed.
With increased demand for funding to support students, the state Blueprint and build a new middle school — how do you see those funds being generated?
Many school districts around the state are forced to cut or eliminate critical services funded by the “foundation” portion of the operational budget. Prior to the Blueprint, school boards were given funds by the state, the county kicked in their portion, and superintendents and the board decided where best to use that funding. Boards had a significant level of local control and the state took that flexibility and local control away when they enacted the Blueprint. Now the Blueprint significantly restricts how most funds are spent. Boards have a much lower amount of discretionary funds in that “foundation” bucket and are forced to make cuts, especially in areas like transportation, support staff, nurses and instructional assistants.
The state has created an immense number of costly mandates without adequate funding. They are forcing county governments to raise taxes and divert existing local funds normally used for other county services like fire, police, libraries, etc. The problem is that local governments cannot keep raising taxes to fund extremely high price tags associated with a variety of costs mandated by the Blueprint. Counties cannot tax their way out of this predicament and the state is facing billions in deficits if the Blueprint is not changed soon.
I intend to continue the needed advocacy work with our state legislature to slow down the implementation of Blueprint mandates or eliminate those that lack realistic funding.
With respect to the funding of the new middle school, our former superintendent, Dr. Couch, with support from the county and the Maryland Stadium Authority, secured the funds needed to proceed with architectural and design planning. Once that process is completed, my goal would be to support our new superintendent with any advocacy work needed to secure more funds and keep the project moving forward.
JOHN QUEENJohn Queen, is a Kent County resident of 14 years, married to wife of seven years, Shamika Queen, and a proud father of two daughters currently enrolled in the Kent County Public Schools. With a decade of experience as a family advocate, youth leader and community organizer at Bayside H.O.Y.A.S. Inc. in Kent County, and Behavioral Student Advocate in Queen Anne’s and Anne Arundel County Public Schools Queen has a track record of implementing effective solutions to address the socio-economic issues that impact our public-school including poverty, inclusion and education. Combined with his longtime work supporting Kent County’s youth and families, Queen says he believes these qualities uniquely qualify him to serve as the next board of education member. His motivation to run stems from a desire to see our schools provide students and their families with a positive foundation for their future.
JOHN QUEEN
What are the top three challenges facing the school board and how would you seek to address those?
The first challenge is state representation. Our leadership in Annapolis has consistently forgotten about our rural communities. If elected, I would use my voice to facilitate responsiveness with our representation, proactively fighting for the future of KCPS. Another is the fulfillment of the KCPS vision statement which states that “KCPS students will graduate equipped to achieve their highest potential.” If we are serious, it’s critical that we prioritize college and career readiness for students. If elected, I would harness our resources to expand career readiness programs with specific attention to STEM and honor students. We must meet the needs of all students while incentivizing students to promote a culture of academic excellence for the next generation of Kent County’s leaders. Finally, I believe we are held back by a fear of change and complacency in KCPS. In my work as a community organizer, I’ve seen the power of positive change for children in Kent County, in the educational programs I’ve spearheaded, the initiatives I’ve led, and the partnerships I’ve forged. I come from a culture that believes in transformative change.
With mandates from the state’s Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, pillars are set in place to address early childhood education, high quality and diverse teachers, college and career readiness and resources to ensure all students are successful. Among those, how do you see KCPS implementing those pillars and growing on the policies already developed?
As a community leader, I agree with the intent of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, and I have worked with multiple public-school systems across the state of Maryland for 10-plus years and would like to shed light on the advantages offered by the Blueprint that our communities can take advantage of. The Blueprint brings our communities together. It creates community schools, which support student achievement by connecting community resources to our students, schools and families. This can include support with housing, food access and after-school learning. It can create financial literacy programs to help students understand financial management, investment and credit, budgeting, and debt and savings to help combat the deep poverty within our community and public school system.
Properly implementing the Blueprint can create innovative opportunities that can create new agricultural programs that connect local farmers with KCPS students to create service-learning hours, teach about food insecurities and food systems, and promote ag-based careers. The Blueprint creates college and career pathways for students to choose from which will support our local economy by increasing the earning potential of families from low and middle socioeconomic statuses. The Blueprint starts early, which is the best time to invest in education. The law ensures a pre-K seat for every 4-year-old in the county and every 3-year-old with specific needs, while increasing resources for families with young children. The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future recognizes that great schools require great teachers, and great teachers require great pay. The law increases starting salary for teachers to at least $60,000 a year, which becomes the first step in letting teachers know they’re valued. The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is a good thing for Kent County, and it can assist with guiding KCPS future to a place of prominence.
What steps, if any, do you think KCPS needs to take to address school safety and create a safe climate for staff and students?
We can address school safety by creating a safe climate for staff and students several ways. One suggestion would be conflict awareness programming to promote healthy social and emotional development for students. This type of program engages students in many activities, dialogue and self-expression while increasing students emotional and social literacy. In a safe and action-oriented context, students can identify healthy and unhealthy ideas about engaging in conflict. KCPS should focus on programs that bring students and staff together to unlock hostilities and biases, deconstruct unhealthy and unsafe habits of conflict, re-define habits of conflict to include a full range of expression and attitudes, build trust and respect, and restore hopeful futures and motivation. Another option would be to survey teachers and students on what the Board of Education could propose to create policies that nurture a safe learning environment. I believe the students and teachers who are there day-to-day know what they need. Ultimately, bringing more resources in, whether that’s improving bullying programs, more officers, restorative practices and mediators, training, mentors or regulations, our students and staff know what’s best for them.
What strategies would you implement to improve math and science proficiency among KCPS students?
To improve math and science proficiency among students we must first recruit and retain educators that meet the credentials of the Blueprint “high quality and diverse teachers and leaders”. These educators then can help prioritize deep understanding of core concepts rather than just memorizing procedures. Use collaborative settings to encourage students to work together in small groups to discuss, solve problems, and build on each other’s strengths and encourage students to explain reasoning behind their answers. I believe incorporating hands-on activities while focusing on conceptual understanding will help bolster confidence in our students. Using real-world applications that connect math and science concepts to everyday situations while demonstrating how these subjects are relevant to their lives and careers. We must foster a positive learning environment with encouragement and positive reinforcement. KCPS must connect with students where they are by teaching methods to meet individual student needs, providing extra support where necessary and challenging advanced learners.
Some school districts have enacted policies allowing transgender and gender nonconforming students to use their preferred pronouns while at the same time not informing those students’ parents about that decision. What is your opinion of such policies?
Our public school system must be inclusive and diverse with a safe environment for all students regardless of gender, race, religion and sexuality. While some students may feel comfortable discussing their identity with their families, others may not; however, their choices shouldn’t complicate KCPS communication. If withholding information applies to the safety of a student that information must be reported to the proper authorities immediately such as social services or law enforcement to allow due diligence with the claim. KCPS shall and should remain a secondary support system with therapeutic services and refrain from interfering with parental rights. When developing policies that support students the goal is to ensure that all students feel safe and supported in their school environments. In my opinion, I believe parents must be notified with transparency when information of the well-being of their child is involved and if elected, I promise that transparency and will respect the rights and authority of parents.
To balance the FY24 budget, the district had to eliminate teaching and instructional assistant positions at each of the five district schools; eliminate a coordinator position with student services and four certified nursing assistant positions and eliminate a bus route — with increased demand for funding to support students, the state Blueprint and build a new middle school — how do you see those funds being generated?
It’s unfortunate to lose staff and services due to lack of funds within our school district. I think we must fully understand how the funding is being used and conduct an outside audit to check for accountability and negligence within our finance department. Funding inequities in rural schools isn’t a new challenge. Rural schools often receive less Title 1 funding because the Title I funding formula focuses on the number of children living in poverty, rather than the percentage of students living in poverty.
We must continue to be proactive in applying for federal funding. For example, Secure Rural Schools (SRS) funding is not subject to strings attached, and it can help pay for a variety of expenses, including utilities, bus fuel and staff positions. Deepen our relationships with Chesapeake and Washington colleges who can partner with KCPS to provide educational platforms to alternative career pathways, while building a network of wraparound services to help students prepare for the workplace, trade school or college. KCPS can be at the forefront of expanding the county’s economics by creating more skilled students for the workforce. Our students can lead the charge of attracting new families, jobs and warehouses, affordable housing, and more.
The KCPS school district should consider an innovative approach to solving this issue by considering a KCPS university style layout in Worton. The benefits could pay huge dividends and save money. A campus-style layout often allows for separate buildings or areas for different subjects and activities. This can create a more diverse learning environment and encourage movement and exploration. The university setting can foster a sense of community and belonging among students, especially when different grade levels interact which can enhance social development and peer relationships. KCPS would be able to offer outdoor learning and group projects that enrich the educational experience. The addition of a campus-style setting can eliminate the middle school funding issues and create a culture that exceeds community expectations by creating innovative teaching with shared ideas and an environment that can help students be themselves and excel. KCPS has a long road ahead and I believe I have the vision to move KCPS and our county forward.
FRANCOISE SULLIVANFrancoise Sullivan is currently completing her first term on the KCPS Board of Education. She says she is proud of the work that our board has been able to accomplish but there is always more to do. She would like to have the opportunity to continue to work to move our schools forward and help our students succeed. Sullivan and her husband, Mark, moved to Worton in 2003. They have two children who have attended Kent County Public Schools since first grade. When not shuttling her kids around, Sullivan runs a website design business, working with local non-profits, artists and small businesses. Sullivan is proud to be a founding member of the school advocacy group Support Our Schools. She likes to be involved in the community and has helped organize the Chestertown Tea Party Festival, the HP Festival and serves on the Marketing Committee for the Garfield Center.
FRANCOISE SULLIVAN
What are the top three challenges facing the school board and how would you seek to address those?
Being a small, high poverty, rural school district is a challenge. Because Kent County is considered wealthy by the calculator used to determine school funding we end up shouldering the largest portion locally. Prior to the enactment of the Blueprint we had more say in how the funding was allocated but the Blueprint has strict requirements for where the funding must go. We are going to need to make some tough decisions about reallocating resources and possibly redistricting to better serve our students.
A priority of mine is the construction of a new middle school. A new middle school will not only benefit our middle school kids but by returning the fifth grade to the middle school we will alleviate some of the overpopulation issues in our elementary schools. I will continue to work with our local government and delegates to support legislation to secure the funding to make this happen.
Students see their teachers in school but also in the grocery store, at community events and places of worship. Families and schools are partners. The way to improve partnerships is by building trusting relationships. That takes time and commitment. Finding the time to attend PTA meetings or Title I nights can be difficult but participating is the best way to know what’s happening in our schools. We should continue to promote opportunities for parent and community engagement and come to families where they are.
Among those challenges, how do you see KCPS implementing those Blueprint pillars and growing on the policies already developed?
In many ways KCPS is ahead on the Blueprint pillars due to our small size and the investments that we have made in our schools over the years. KCPS has offered universal pre-K for over 10 years, many school districts are struggling to find the space to house these students. Kent County High School has a strong history of ranking No. 1 in the state for dual completers. Students are encouraged to enroll in dual credit courses at Washington College and Chesapeake College, allowing them to earn both high school and college credits upon successful completion of the coursework.
At the Oct. 14 board meeting our Blueprint coordinator Tom Porter shared the latest implementation update. Moving forward we will be expanding our Pre-K and 3-year-old programs. Our first teacher cohort to complete their National Board Certification will be getting their results later this year, and we are on track for increasing the starting teacher salary. Over 50% of our students are enrolled in one of our 11 CTE programs, and 23% of our students are taking AP courses.
As mentioned in a previous question — three of our five schools are designated community schools with access to additional resources, Galena Elementary School is most likely going to meet the requirements and receive access to those resources in the near future. Last year, we implemented a behavioral health screener and will be using that information to improve our student supports. We will continue to work with the strategic facilitators, offered at no cost to us, to make sure we are allocating our budget and resources effectively and continue to make progress towards full implementation of the Blueprint.
What steps, if any, do you think KCPS needs to take to address school safety and create a safe climate for staff and students?
School safety is also a major concern of mine. I believe that educating, not hardening, will have the strongest effect. All visitors must be buzzed into our schools and are stopped in a kiosk holding area before entering the school to provide proof of identification and their reason for being at the school. Our high school and middle school both have SROs that are always on school grounds. The Rock Hall Police Department regularly visits Rock Hall Elementary School and the Chestertown Police Department frequents Garnet Elementary School. Galena Elementary School gets regular visits from the Kent County Sheriff’s Office. We have been investing in providing mental health education and supports in all of our schools. We also spend time educating our students and families about how to protect kids at home and to know some of the danger signs of mental health and drug abuse issues. I have a magnet I got from school that reminds me to “lock up” my meds. I think we can use these same strategies to talk about gun safety. It is not political. We live in a community that hunts with many people who provide hunting safety education. Let’s make sure that we are reinforcing those safety precautions with our students and families to prevent access before our kids get to school.
What strategies would you implement to improve math and science proficiency among KCPS students?
All of our schools offer intervention and enrichment programs. Many of our schools offer after school tutoring. These services don’t wait for MCAP scores they happen daily for all students in need. KCPS implemented the Illustrative Mathematics curriculum in 2021. In some grades we are already seeing an upward trend in performance — third grade and Algebra 1 scores saw increases from 2022 to 2024. Likewise we are seeing small improvements in Grades 5 and HS science scores. Change doesn’t happen overnight. We want our students to succeed. We need to make sure our teachers are receiving the professional development they need and access to resources. Connecting math and science lessons to real-world problems can make the subjects more engaging. KCPS partners with Sultana and Echo Hill Outdoor School so students can use practical applications to learn about their environment. KCPS also offers computer science and engineering courses that use their knowledge of math to solve problems. I would like there to be more opportunities for partnerships and field trips that help show the importance and accessibility of math and science.
Our most recent state testing scores continue to show a disparity between student groups — especially our African-American and Hispanic students. I will continue to shine a light on these disparities and push to find resources to help bridge these gaps. I would also like us to do more to reach out to these communities to build relationships with families.
Some school districts have enacted policies allowing transgender and gender nonconforming students to use their preferred pronouns while at the same time not informing those students’ parents about that decision. What is your opinion of such policies?
Students, especially older adolescents, have the right to control how and when personal information, such as their gender identity, is disclosed. Forcing them to “come out” to their parents violates their privacy. Outing a student without their consent can lead to severe emotional and psychological distress, including anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts, especially in unsupportive environments. A policy that respects student confidentiality can help reduce these risks. When schools honor student confidentiality, they foster a more supportive and trusting relationship with students. This can create a safer learning environment where students feel accepted and are more likely to seek support if needed.
To balance the FY24 budget, the district had to eliminate teaching and instructional assistant positions at each of the five district schools; eliminate a coordinator position with student services and four certified nursing assistant positions and eliminate a bus route — with increased demand for funding to support students, the state Blueprint and build a new middle school — how do you see those funds being generated?
Every year balancing the budget is a struggle. In FY24, when the coordinator of student services retired the position title was changed to director of student services. Most other school districts in Maryland only have registered nurses to staff their nurse’s office. KCPS was one the few that had RNs and CNAs. It was determined that going to just RNs would be sufficient to meet the needs of our students. Also in 2024, KCPS partnered with Choptank Community Health to add a clinic to Rock Hall Elementary School to better serve that community. Transportation adjusts their needs each year based on enrollment.
In FY25, the ESSER grant came to an end. All personnel reductions were achieved through attrition and staff that filled positions covered by the ESSER grant were absorbed into our schools. This budget cycle we were also able to add two new teaching positions. A new teacher position was added to Rock Hall Elementary School and an additional math teacher position was added to Kent County High School.
To make sure we have enough funding to cover the resources that we need for our children to succeed we need to work with local and state governments. Last year, our delegates wrote a bill that would alter the local/state share of school construction based on criteria that only Kent County would meet. The bill did not pass, but it is being rewritten with the hope that it will pass this legislative session. We need to continue to seek grants that support our teachers and students and seek other opportunities that will help fund our schools at both the state and national levels. It is not going to be easy or painless. Maryland schools are not able to generate their own revenue so we are reliant on our local government to find ways to increase revenue to invest in our schools. Our students are the future of Kent County. They are our future employees, business owners and leaders, and we need to work together to ensure that they receive the best education to be successful in life.