Q&A With Dr. Moore
My Educational Philosophy & My Impact
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Philosophy:
Education is about relationships. You can feed large numbers of children, you can house large numbers of children, and you can transport large numbers of children, but children are educated one on one. For a student to learn something it must be important to them or important to someone they care about. They care about people who care about them. It is this phenomenon that causes teachers to have such an enormous influence on student achievement. This also applies to all the adults in the child’s classroom and school environments. That relationship that makes the difference to a child can be a parent, a teacher, a staff member or an administrator. Schools must make a conscious effort to ensure that each student has such a relationship. This means that we need to put as many adults in the building as we can. Adults who hold students to high expectations regardless of what personal resources the students bring with them. Adults that are committed to letting students know that they understand their circumstances and they will help them to deal with any negative aspects, but that the expectation that they can succeed never wavers. Our use of resources should reflect that. Then the administration at the school level needs to provide those adults with a wide variety of tools and the resources needed to use those tools including materials, time and money. District efforts that are not focused on providing safe, nurturing, challenging and effective classrooms for students and teachers should be considered secondary. I believe that such a focus will result in higher student achievement
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Impact:
My impact as a board member, when elected, will be to use my expertise, experience, and unwavering commitment to review and establish policies that prioritize student achievement in every school and for every student. I will hold our administration accountable for following policy. I will hold the administration accountable for providing support in recruiting and retaining building level administrators, teachers and other staff members that can foster the type of classrooms described above. I will hold the administration accountable for managing the facilities and finances of the district in a way that supports those classrooms. This includes regular, consistent and fair evaluations of programs, schools and personnel from the classroom level through the superintendent. I am a fair and balanced voice, committed to asking hard questions and I believe that I can help make a difference.
A compilation of answers to various questionnaires to which the Dr. Moore has responded
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Why are you running for the school board?
I have a lifelong commitment to this district and the students in it. I feel an obligation to offer whatever expertise I must make sure that all students and teachers are in safe, nurturing, challenging, effective environments in schools where the leadership knows how to create such an atmosphere. I think we can do a better job than we are doing for all our students and teachers.
How would you describe an effective school board member?
An effective board member is one that seeks to ensure that all district policies have the students’ best interests at heart and that the administration stays true to that commitment and those policies. An effective board member seeks out and makes use of feedback from all groups in the district. He or she listens and hears and responds appropriately. An effective board member works with the administration and other board members to reach consensus on what is best for students but is willing to stand firm on putting the first thing first – ensuring that all students have the tools they need to become productive citizens and the opportunities to develop and practice those skills.
Please critique the district’s actions regarding the Vince Ford Early Learning Center?
I would describe the district's actions as irresponsible and misleading. There was more advance work that needed to be done, and the administration should have taken full responsibility and cooperated fully with any investigations. I will immediately familiarize myself with all the pertinent information on this issue. As I look at it now, I believe the board needs to take whatever steps are needed to put this behind us with the least amount of additional cost. We do need to work to alleviate any problem the site is causing neighboring properties. In my opinion, the early Learning Center is not needed when all of our elementary schools already have four-year programs and three-year-old children are served in Montessori programs and special needs programs. We need to look at how to achieve the goal of supporting families with the facilities we have currently. More information (which has been difficult to get) could cause me to re-evaluate my stand on this.
Should Craig Witherspoon remain as the district superintendent? Why or why not?
In addition to my commitment to this district, I am running because I do not feel that the current board and administration have been successful. My top priority is student achievement. First steps would be to review all pertinent data to determine what changes need to be made in the administration in order to promote an atmosphere of collaboration, transparency and efficiency. In addition to student achievement, the exodus of teachers from the district and the financial difficulties that exist are both further evidence that things are not as they should be. Dr. Witherspoon has been with the district for 7+ years and, in that time, has not been successful in establishing such an atmosphere and, as a result, student achievement is not what it could be in every school for every student. The majority of the current board members have consistently supported him in his actions and decisions and do not seem amenable to holding him and his administration accountable for these issues. In order to release Dr. Witherspoon, the school board has to change.
Richland County Council has twice said it will not allow the district to increase tax revenue. What new financial strategies should the district adopt?
The first thing is the resolution of the current financial concerns, including the issues surrounding the Vince Ford Early Learning Center. The district must demonstrate a willingness to confront the areas of concern and improve our record there. We must then review current spending and budgets to ensure that all available resources are focused on student achievement. A major part of that would be to determine what funds, if any, can be re-directed to the development of safe, nurturing, challenging and effective classrooms in every school. Once we can demonstrate through our budgetary policies and practices that student achievement is our top concern and that we have everything in place to handle our finances responsibly, then the school board and the administration can present their budgetary needs to the council with strong documentation that is accurate, transparent and convincing.
How should textbooks and school library books be selected?
Using input from teachers, parents and, in some cases, possibly students, the school board should consider the options presented by the administration when approving textbooks. The administration should consider the needs of the students at the local level. Librarians should have some autonomy in selecting library books with consideration to developmentally appropriate guidelines and board approved policies. In all instances, there should be provisions for parental input and opportunities to challenge selections. Whenever possible there should be alternative choices built into the curricula.
How would you advocate for underserved students in your district?
As I board member, I will push for a review of policies to ensure that they are consistent with high expectations for every student. District goals set with those policies in mind must represent those high expectations in all of our schools regardless of a student's personal resources or previous experiences. I would then insist that data and input be presented from every school that will demonstrate that there are opportunities and provisions for all students that result in effective instruction and student achievement.
How would you boost student learning and test assessments?
I will use my expertise and experience as an effective school leader to ensure that the board policies and practices support creating safe, nurturing, challenging and effective learning environments for all of our teachers in all of our schools. As stated earlier, that requires teachers and administrators that can create those environments in our schools. In addition, we need to have the administration ensure that our curricula and our practices and materials support good results in the classroom and on state and national assessments. There has to be an alignment between what is taught and what is assessed. We also need to ensure that there are plans in every school that include developing strong relationships between students and adults who want them and encourage them to do well. That may be parents or guardians, teachers or other staff members or volunteers, but every student needs a relationship like that, and we need to be intentional about providing that. To build those relationships we must put all possible resources into administrators, teachers and staff members that understand the power of those relationships. We need to commit to getting as many of those quality adults into the schools with the students as possible. Finally, the board needs to spend more time getting reports and reviewing the efforts of the administration to boost student achievement. This sends a clear message to the administration and the public that student achievement is our number one priority and that there is no need to discuss and waste time and resources on anything that is not directly related to that effort.
How would you address soaring teacher turnover and vacancies?
I will ask that the administration review our current recruitment, hiring and retention data and practices to identify areas that need improvement. This includes specific information on exit interviews and concerns expressed. I would then ask that those areas be addressed right away. The hiring process needs to be effective and selective but streamlined in order to ensure that we start every year ready to make the most of the time we have with our students. Our pay schedules and benefits packages need to be competitive with surrounding districts, but that is not enough. We need to make sure teachers feel safe, supported, challenged and heard. School level leadership is key. Include parents and staff in finding principals. Once identified, the administration must have programs in place to provide them support in their efforts. Teachers that feel good about the environment in which they work do not leave and they encourage other teachers to come to work there.
How would you improve financial management and transparency?
I will routinely ask that complete, accurate information be provided by the administration. As a board member, I will not be able to make good decisions or effectively review programs and data without that information. I will also support other members of the board who may need information that I do not or more information than what I may need. Every board member is different, and the administration has an obligation to give the board member what he or she needs to be effective. All members should demand that the administration provide that information to everyone on the board and to the public as appropriate. There is also a need to carefully review whatever is brought to the board and make every effort to ensure that policies and procedures are followed. Finally, I will take steps to see to it that the administration is accountable for these things and be ready to make changes in the administration when it does not act responsibly, and effectively.
How can the board be accessible to the community- particularly persons of all political parties?
This office is non-partisan and should be. We need to listen to everyone with an interest in the effectiveness of the district and consistently provide opportunities for feedback. When that feedback is given, there needs to be a speedy, accurate transparent response that answers questions and addresses concerns directly. It may not always be what a person wants to hear, but if we listen and thoughtfully respond with some with a rationale based on district policy and commitment, it goes a long way towards building trust.
What can be done to improve student achievement and ensure everyone who graduates is college and/or career ready?
First and foremost, we must ensure that every school has the best possible staff and administration in place. Teachers are the key to student success and administrators must know how to create the best possible learning environment for students and teachers. Secondly, we must do everything we can to make sure that each student has a relationship with someone that they know cares about their success and challenges them to be better. That might be a parent or guardian, or it might be a teacher or other staff member or a volunteer. To build those relationships we must put all possible resources into administrators, teachers and staff members that understand the power of those relationships. We need to commit to making as many of those quality adults into the schools with the students as possible, at all levels.
What is the role of schools in teaching children about controversial topics such as: sex education, LGBTQ issues, and social justice?
As a district we must listen to the concerns of teachers and parents, adopt developmentally appropriate curricula and practices, inform parents and provide alternatives and respect the individuality of each employee, family and student involved. We should not be in the censorship or indoctrination business; we are in the business of providing tools and opportunities for success.
Parents across Richland County routinely mention school safety and bullying as critical issues impacting learning environments. What will you do to address these issues?
We must provide safe environments that protect the physical and mental well-being of our students. That includes metal detectors, SRO’s, social media monitoring, emergency procedures and drills and excellent facility maintenance. It also includes having the relationships with students that Are nurturing and encourage students to talk with adults about their concerns and experiences. That means adults (all adults that interact with students in the schools) must be available in sufficient numbers and have ample support to build those relationships as well as to deliver effective instruction.
Do you support measures to boost school choice and public charter schools? Why or why not?
I believe that the purpose of public schools is to ensure that EVERY student is given the opportunity to develop the skills they need to be an effectively functioning adult and a productive member of society, regardless of their personal pool of resources. Every member of the community benefits directly or indirectly in that situation and all should be willing to support such a effort as a part of our larger society, That being said, I am also a great respecter of parents as a part having choices and alternatives available when the system is not successful with their child(ren) or when there are special circumstances that call for those alternatives. This includes various types of environments that are based on students’ needs and styles of learning. I would support such choices, but not at the expense of any of our other schools.
Why should voters choose you over your opponent/s in this election?
My two main competitors are the incumbents holding the at-large-seats. They have consistently supported the current administration. Based on the data and the issues that have arisen over the last few years and the inconsistent student performance, change is needed, and I will help provide that change. It is never effective to keep doing the same thing over and over when it is not producing the desired result.