I am predisposed to think technology can help learning. Special education teachers are in high demand everywhere. This is exacerbated by the increasing shortage of teachers overall. In an effort to ensure that the core courses are integrated, too many students with IEPs are assigned to a single section, or grade level….
APS needs to work together as a school system to improve the process of identification, education and welfare of students with disabilities. Parents should not have to fight for the right placement for their child. I graduated from James Madison University in with a degree in History. Through coaching basketball, baseball, and soccer, I also have an appreciation of the rich sports programs available to our children.
As part of my commitment to all parents and children in Arlington, I am privileged to serve on various local committees and organizations see list below. This has given me greater insight into the concerns of the Arlington community as a whole. We need to provide proper facilities, the finest academic curriculum and the best environment for all of our children…Equity must be a driving factor in the future success of Arlington Public Schools…Proactive planning and projections need to take place in order to address the capacity issues facing our schools, teachers and students…We need to be open and honest with the community and those most impacted by the changes coming throughout APS…A teamwork approach is needed to carry out the long-term plan and vision for Arlington.
We have to have high expectations for them…Second, we need to make sure teachers understand that each child learns differently. We need to ensure proper training towards this so that it sets the teachers up for success on how to manage an inclusive classroom. Lastly, we need to work on inclusion.. APS needs to disseminate the message and understanding that every child learns in a different way. One of the many terrific aspects of our county is how Arlington is filled with such an array of small businesses.
We should constantly review our policies and regulations in order to ensure that Arlington is small business friendly. Would you support putting strong incentives in place to encourage homeowners, businesses, and county facilities to install permeable pavement and other measures to prevent runoff of water? I strongly support promoting environmental measures which are designed to prevent the run off of water, when economically feasible.
Funding this, and other similar projects, is one of the reasons it is so critical that Arlington County is run as efficiently as possible. When the county orders the height of new residential buildings near Metro reduced in the name of aesthetics, what benefits do Arlingtonians see, and does that benefit offset the resulting reduced availability of housing? The benefits of aesthetics to Arlingtonians are real. They create more desirable neighborhoods which increases demand for housing in those neighborhoods, ultimately increasing tax revenues.
It was a good formula, striking a balance between commercial and residential needs. The task for the County Board is to develop policies which are consistently applied across neighborhoods in Arlington. Residents and investors should be able to understand and anticipate the decisions and the decision making process. These policies, of course, would include consideration of the effect of height restrictions on available housing.
It encompasses transparency and community dialogue, and a process giving the time to encompass both. I would certainly embrace the benefits of both transparency and community dialogue as a member of the County Board. Do you believe Arlington has the best possible process for determining which new capital projects to undertake and which to defer? If you believe this process could be improved, which specific improvements do you recommend and why? The Capital Improvement Program as outlined by the Department of Management and Finance provides a strong framework for new capital projects.
As with any set of guidelines, Arlington County should update and improve the framework, as required. Certainly, choosing which capital improvement projects we undertake is a significant decision requiring careful consideration of the associated costs and benefits, as well as how those costs and benefits align with our recognized priorities.
What is your vision for the optimal Arlington County in the short term 5 years or less , medium term years and long term 20 years and out? How would you go about achieving that vision? Let me state that I believe Arlington County is one of the best places to live in the country. We do an awful lot right. Yet, I do believe we can make it an even better place to live, work and raise a family.
As mentioned previously, the next five years will be a critical juncture for our schools as we must rise to the challenge of creating an estimated 3, additional seats for students. We must ensure that, if the school year begins before we are able to open the school doors, that teachers are adequately prepared and resourced to teach and that our students are as well.
In broad terms, what is your assessment of the priorities expressed by the recent APS budgets and, if you would recommend changes, what are they and how would you fund them? APS is a non-taxing authority; thus, it relies on Arlington County government for its budget dollars. Despite that authority, APS still must serve as wards of our tax dollars. The APS budget process that occurs at the beginning of every calendar year functions much more as a short-term activity than an actual process.
That reality no longer exists and will not for the foreseeable future. Said budget must forecast out five years and include every requirement for all schools and departments, even if none are needed for the budget year. Executing a budget in this manner enables the superintendent to build a budget strategically and clearly outline priority and funding timelines.
Having an annual long budget process enables those building the budget to properly research the needs and costs of potential budget requests, from paperclips to salaries to field trips. Implementing an annual long budget process will require the schools and departments to communicate amongst themselves, which will then foster collaboration, operational efficiencies, and potential cost savings throughout APS.
Q: Much is spoken about the need for close collaboration between the School and County Boards. How would you evaluate the current state of that collaboration in actual practice and, if you see room for improvements, what would you do to achieve them?
There are several operational functions where APS and Arlington County government can partner where doing so will maximize our tax dollars and save both entities money.
Contracting is at the top of the list: i.
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