Our Schools

 

Excellent schools do not happen by accident

Excellent public schools are a vital component of a vibrant and successful community. Goochland County Public Schools have been rated as the number one school division in the Richmond metro area for four consecutive years (Niche.com) thanks to the hard work and collaboration of excellent teachers and staff; collaboration between the supervisors and school board; division leadership; and community support. This did not happen by accident. Education provides the tools for each student to earn their piece of the American dream, as they define it, to lead productive and satisfying lives.

Our school division can be likened to a corporation with a FY22 budget of approximately $37 million, more than 300 employees, and 2,500 students. (Go to https://www.goochlandschools.org/page/fast-facts for details.)

In 2011, Goochland voters replaced the entire school board with candidates who brought a wide array of skills and experience to the job. This “new” school board also forged a mutually beneficial relationship with the board of supervisors, something almost unheard of elsewhere in the Commonwealth. They lived within their means crafting fiscally responsible budgets and the schools thrived. (See https://www.goochlandschools.org/page/school-board)

Covid shut down in person learning. Our schools worked very hard to continue to deliver some sort of education to all students remotely. Even students with access to broadband struggled to keep up with their lessons and test scores suffered. In August, most Goochland students returned to school for instruction and the associated interactions that are an important part of education. Superintendent of Goochland Schools Dr. Jeremy Raley recently said, “this is a very difficult time to be a public servant.”

In addition to statewide elections and the Goochland bond referendum questions (www.goochlandva.us/bonds), voters in District 2 will fill the school board seat vacated by the sudden and sad February passing of William Quarles, Jr.

Angela Allen of Sandy Hook is running for the District 2 School Board seat. (voteangelaallen.com) She and her husband are graduates of Goochland Schools where their daughter is a student.

“Our schools are excellent,” enthused Allen, but they can always be better; we’re not there yet.”

GOMM posed these questions to Allen:

What role does the school board play in the education of our children? The school board’s role is one of governance. It is a liaison between the schools and the citizens. Ideally the school board advocates for the schools with the community, and the community when crafting education policy and spending tax dollars. “If I do this right (being a member of the school board) it will be the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” said Allen.

 

How will you ensure good stewardship of tax dollars? “We have wonderful teachers and staff. We need to provide competitive compensation to retain and attract top talent. We also must be mindful that our schools are funded by local tax dollars and examine our expenditures carefully.” She questions a $20k line item in the budget for the proposed “balanced calendar” (a year-round school option) for canoes and similar recreational equipment. “Are we running a school system or a summer camp?” she wondered, contending that programs offered by the county’s parks and rec department, or the YMCA provide these activities with ample scholarships for economically challenged students.

What do you see as the most important challenge facing Goochland Schools today, especially in the aftermath of the Covid lockdowns? How would you address them? More counselors are needed at all levels to ensure that “maximize the potential of every learner” is reality rather than a catchy slogan. Allen believes that “all gifts have value” and that each student needs to explore a wide range of subject matter and career paths to discover and develop their unique talents. The number of slots in the Blue Ridge and Maggie L. Walker Governor’s school program must be increased so that more students can benefit from advanced educational opportunities. Allen is very enthusiastic about the addition of the solar power technician option to our excellent CTE program. Moving CTE to the GHS campus, she believes, will lead to even more student participation in the program. She would like to see code writing in early grades for data mining and analysis, skills needed for good paying jobs without a four-year degree. She is impressed with and proud of our Marine Junior ROTC program. “We need to make it clear to each of our kids that they can do hard things and attain their goals if they work hard.” Allen would like to see the school division develop a plan to train the best tech work-force-ready students.

 

How would you improve transparency and communication to inform parents and the entire community about policies, goals, and problems in our schools? “The school board talks to itself too much. It makes decisions with little or no public input. Board packets should be released earlier, and policies should be written in clear, easy to understand language.” Allen lamented the lack of dialog between the board and those who speak during public comment as was common a few years ago. Allen would like to see notices of school board committee meetings widely posted to encourage citizen attendance. “My job is to represent all 3,600 people in District 2, not just those with children in school. I want to know what all constituents expect from the school division,” she said. Community input, not just “group think” from the five school board members is needed to craft sound policies. She wondered if the school board’s tendency to vote unanimously on issues is the result of true consensus or a reluctance to make waves. Allen pledged to vote against things she does not believe are in the best interest of the students, schools, and community.

 

In Goochland, our school board and supervisors have a good relationship, a rarity in most jurisdictions. How would you enhance and preserve that? Allen believes that transparency is critical, especially between the school board and the supervisors. She will communicate often with the district 2 supervisor. Joint town halls are a good way for both boards to share their work with the community and each other. She would like to see more joint workshops between the two elected bodies and will hold her own District 2 town hall meetings on a regular basis to keep her constituents in the loop.

 

Do you believe that Goochland Schools provide a safe learning environment for all students? If not, why, and how would you work to change that? Bullying is an area of concern for Allen. She believes that it needs to be addressed in different ways depending on age groups. “Younger children need to be counseled and taught acceptable behavior.” For older students, she believes that there should be real consequences for their actions. Parental involvement for a successful resolution to bullying is key. Allen acknowledges that some of our students struggle because they lack a supportive home environment that enables them to come to school prepared to learn and excel. She that every effort must be made through community programs, to help every student succeed in school.

 

How would you respond to a policy or action recommended by the state board of education that diminishes local control of our schools that you believe is not in the best interest of the students and community? Allen believes that overreach from the Virginia Department of Education and other state and federal agencies imposing mandates on Goochland schools that do not reflect the needs of the community is a major challenge that needs to be addressed. These mandates tend to be unfunded forcing the school division to divert resources that could be better used. “The Virginia Constition guarantees local control over schools.” Allen believes that the school board should have the courage to push back on these mandates, using its attorneys, if need be, to ensure that policies and programs in our schools are appropriate for the community.  “When mandates come down from the state or federal government that we do not believe fit for Goochland, we have to be willing to say, ‘we’re not doing that, see you in court.’

The other candidate for this office did not respond to a request for an interview.

 Please vote. Go to https://www.goochlandva.us/359/Elections-and-Voter-Registration for complete information about voting in Goochland this year.