Earlier this summer, the Post asked our readers what issues you wanted to hear candidates running for Gardner Edgerton Board of Education to address leading up to the Nov. 4 election.
Based on that feedback, we developed a five-item questionnaire centering the issues most important to the Gardner Edgerton community.
Each day this week, we’re publishing the candidates’ responses to one question.
Today, we’re publishing candidates’ responses to the following question:
Student achievement: Monitoring student achievement and enacting policies and programs that drive that achievement is one of the main responsibilities of a school board. What do you see as the most urgent area for academic growth in your district? And how would you tackle it if elected?
Below are the answers the Post received from candidates on this issue:
Member 1 (two-year unexpired term)
Julie Aldridge
Many students have not recovered post-pandemic learning loss in core subjects. It is critical to address these foundational skills and leverage the use of technology to engage learning. I would support digital literacy and thoughtful and equity focused instruction, foundational skill recovery supported by transparent, data-driven accountability. It is important to focus on data informed, multifaceted strategies that support all students’ academic growth and close achievement gaps. As a school board candidate addressing student achievement in schools, it is important to focus on data-informed, multifaceted strategies that support all students’ academic growth and close achievement gaps. Ensure policies support high standards and equitable access to resources, including access to highly qualified teachers and administrators with skills to meet diverse learners’ needs. School board policy should align with the district vision and focus on closing achievement gaps using academic and environmental factors. Invest in professional development and teacher mentorship programs to support continuous growth of educators, which directly correlates with student success. Building a positive school culture and training teachers in social-emotional learning strategies also enhance student outcomes. Engage families and the community as partners in students’ education, creating robust networks for support that improve achievement, especially for historically marginalized communities. Develop clear goals and a strategic framework for student achievement, continuously use data to monitor progress, and involve key stakeholders in shaping and supporting these goals. By championing comprehensive policies that focus on curriculum, instruction, resource allocation, teacher quality, and community partnership, we can effectively address student achievement for all students in the district.
Matthew Harlow
Did not provide the Post with a response.
Melissa Hershey
As Dr. Boothe and our educators discussed at the August board meeting, we are strengthening our curriculum to ensure consistency and quality across all schools. After the academic setbacks caused by COVID, our focus must remain on improving academic achievement so that our students not only recover but exceed pre-pandemic performance. The basics and foundations are the most important and reading and reading comprehension is the tool to unlock success in all other areas of academics. I plan to support data based evaluation of our teaching resources and the collaborative feed back from our teachers that use the tools each day.
Member 4
Sam Dominguez
One of the most urgent areas for academic growth in our district is reading and reading comprehension. This concern has been echoed by many parents, and as a parent myself, I understand the frustration of wanting to support your child but not always knowing the best way to do so. We need to be proactive in addressing this issue by creating district sponsored literacy nights and similar events at all grade levels. These events can spark excitement around reading for students while equipping parents with tools and strategies to support literacy at home. When educators and professionals engage directly with families, we strengthen the bridge between home and school, and that leads to better outcomes for students.
We also need to adapt more quickly to educational technology that can support academic growth. To do this effectively, I propose creating a committee of parents, teachers, and tech experts to evaluate and implement the most effective tools across all grade levels. This collaborative approach ensures that the technology we adopt truly meets the needs of our students and teachers.
Finally, we must be more intentional in how we support our English Language Learner (ELL) students. Current data shows that this group is being underserved. Instead of stretching existing resources thin, we should invest in additional targeted support for ELL students to ensure they are not left behind. Every student in our district deserves access to the tools, instruction, and support they need to succeed, no matter their background.
Lana Sutton (incumbent)
Did not provide the Post with a response.
Member 6
Greg Chapman (incumbent)
Did not provide the Post with a response.
Keith Davenport
K-12 education is the only setting in which standardized testing is considered the primary evaluation of achievement or success. While they do effectively track progress year over year, they have many other well-documented issues. A more effective way to evaluate the success of a school district is to track students’ success post graduation: college or vocational school acceptance rates, college completion, gainful employment, etc. If we shift the focus of our success measurements to practical real-life applications we would inherently shift curriculum to be even more effective at preparing our students for adulthood (instead of standardized tests).
