I take this School Board responsibility very seriously.  I try to be accessible and available to the citizens as they call upon me and to perform my duties by attending and coming to my meetings briefed and prepared.  I constantly read informational items, articles, policies, legislation, laws, proposals, and budget information provided by the Superintendent, School Administration, the VSBA, and the SBOE.

I'd like to thank Dr.Cox, his staff, the School administrators, faculty, students, and parents that team to make the Colonial Heights School system as good as it is. They make School Board responsibilities easier with the quality work they do.

I am a native of Colonial Heights and our School System.  I attended Richard Bland College prior to receiving my BS from VA State in 1984.  I continue to be married since 1981 and have three daughters. Our plan is for them to graduate from Colonial Heights with the Class of 2003, 2008, and 2012 respectively.  So I have a vested interest in the continuing quality of public education in our city just as the generations before me provided when I attended here.

Some highlights of my tenure on the School Board since 1996, include:

- I supported restructuring of the Teacher Step and Paraprofessional pay scales - I supported not setting a GPA to participate in sport; feeling the VHSL "take 5 pass 5" policy is sufficient, since we have a higher grading scale than surrounding school systems. - I supported and assisted the Parents and PTO Board representatives from each school that organized the "Parents Concerned About School Safety Group" after the Colorado Columbine High School shooting - I advocate having video cameras on School Buses for student and driver safety and protection from questionable incidents and situations - I advocate getting School Bus communications equipment for drivers so no one has to leave the bus to call for help in case of emergencies - I support vocational courses, academic and business partnerships, honors, gifted, and AP courses with testing, and the continuing incorporation of technology in the class room with supporting staff development. - I supported withdrawing from the Richmond Governor's School and the creation and participation in the Appomattox Regional Governor's School - I oppose SOL test scores as the sole criteria but support them as one of multiple criteria that include student classroom grades for remediation, promotion, and graduation - I supported re-evaluating the 1999 proposed policy of students having to pass all SOL tests to be promoted.  As a result, I was invited by the Superintendent (then Dr. Ruffa) to serve on a committee to revise that proposal. - I instigated alternative remediation to Summer School for students with good grades but for whatever reason performed poorly on an SOL test.  (I am very proud of the High School staff and administration for devising and our Superintendent for approving this program this year that provides not only remediation but intervention for students deemed by faculty as being at risk of not passing an upcoming SOL.  This program provides a 45 minute period, one day a week per subject, after school but before any extracurricular activities, for student tutelage and assistance by faculty, at no cost.) - I have attended and spoken at public forums and corresponded with the DOE, SBOE, and the State Superintendents Office regarding SOL and SOA issues, concerns, and recommendations. - I encourage and support a VHSL compliant track at the High School for the Track Team, PE classes, and public use in addition to long term maintenance and future renovation of the facilities at the football field. -I participated in the unanimous school Board decision to hire Dr. Joseph Cox in 2001. - I support keeping staff and administration salaries and benefits competitive suffiecient to keep the best personnel in Colonial Heights. - I encourage and support use of survalliance cameras in appropriate areas of school facilities and properties that promote student and staff safety. - I support fair and equitable support of all City schools and school programs and activities as I am aware.

LOOKING AHEAD ?

I feel the Colonial Heights School System is one of the major assets that attracts families to live in Colonial Heights.

I see Colonial Heights being, if not the first, one of the first VA school systems to achieve SOL scores worthy of State Accreditation.

As discussions of tax credits and school vouchers continue to surface, I will work to keep Colonial Heights as a location I feel more parents will move to rather than away from.

I see more housing developments and successful efforts to attract business to the area which means gradual growth in student body, staff, and facilities.

I see the approach to education evolving with the continuing incorporation of accountability standards and technology in curriculum, teaching techniques, and communications.

All of this means change, and people willing to make decisions that "set the pace, not complacent to wait and see what other school systems are going to do.

We do not need to play follow the leader, just lead.

We have the schools, personnel, students, parents and community to succeed.

I truly believe and am committed to our motto:

"The City of Colonial Heights, Where Quality Education is a Step Ahead."