2022 Virginia Beach Elections: Questions for candidates in School Board District 8

THE INDEPENDENT NEWS

Ed. — The following are responses to questions posed by The Independent News to candidates in the election for the District 8 seat on the Virginia Beach School Board. Answers to our questions in this series generally are not edited, aside from obvious punctuation issues, spacing and formatting, or for clarity. The print edition containing our full voter guide is now on stands through this coming weekend.

News coverage about races in Virginia Beach is at this link.
News coverage about voting system changes is at this link.
Please reach John Doucette, the editor, with any questions or concerns via email.
Find the main page for the complete 2022 voter guide at this link.

DAVID CULPEPPER

Residence: Little Neck
Age: 52
Occupation: Commercial Pilot
Military Service/Education: US Naval Academy – BS Aeronautical Engineering, TOPGUN instructor, Commanding Officer – Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Endorsements: State Sen. Jen Kiggans, Virginia Beach School Board Member Carolyn Weems and Students First VA
Website: chiliculpepper.com
Phone: (757) 559-8359
Email: david@chiliculpepper.com
Social Media: @culpepper4va on Facebook

What are your specific qualifications for this office? It’s time for new leadership on School Board, and I know a little bit about leadership. I spent most of the last 35 years wearing a Navy uniform. First at the Naval Academy, graduating with a BS in Aeronautical Engineering, then as a Naval Aviator. I was stationed in Virginia Beach where I learned to fly the F-14 Tomcat. I left Virginia Beach to be a TOPGUN instructor in Fallon, NV. I’m taller than Tom Cruise, but he’s richer.

While serving alongside some of the smartest and most talented people the Navy has to offer, I learned how a pinnacle organization functions and maintains it high standards.I served as Commanding Officer at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. No, I never got to say, “You can’t handle the truth.”

I have served and I have led. And I’ve signed up for a new mission – Students are our mission.

What is the most important issue facing the city schools, and how will you address it in office? Students First, Parents Always – this phrase comes from a Navy saying: Safety first, mission always. These coexist as the single most important thing we must do. After all, what is the purpose of a military unit if it can’t or won’t accomplish its mission? But failing to be conscious of safety puts people and equipment at risk before we take the first step. Although a school is full of great and caring people, parents’ relationship to their own children is a powerful bond of unadulterated love and responsibility that no amount of altruistic caring from a third party can match.

What are your three main policy priorities for Virginia Beach schools?

Goal 1 is to preserve, protect and defend the rights of parents. When Terry McAuliffe said, “Parents shouldn’t be telling schools what they should teach,” it shocked me. I knew how wrong that is. Parents are and should be a student’s number one advocate. School Boards should listen to parents and welcome their participation. I will make sure of it when I’m elected.
Goal 2 is to restore high standards of academic performance. Lowering the bar doesn’t help anyone achieve success. Lowering the bar is the national trend and that’s not something we need here in Virginia Beach. I want to encourage and reward excellence and help students achieve their best.
That means if we’re going to honor teacher of the year, and we should, we are also going to bring back valedictorians and tell students that excellent performance will be recognized and honored.
Goal 3 is fiscal accountability. The school board needs transparency and openness in its budgeting process. We spend over a billion dollars each year on education in Virginia Beach and we need to make sure effective oversight is the rule and not the exception and any waste, fraud or abuse is held to account.

How can the city schools address concerns about equality and inclusion? The best way to address concerns about equality is to actually practice equality. Standards should be consistent, and expectations should not be lowered to make some feel more successful than they actually are. That helps no one. All students have value and are equally important in our mission of learning, and inclusion of all students should be an obvious standard.

Is the district doing enough to address school security and discipline? Virginia Beach used to be on the forefront of school safety. More resource officers help, especially in elementary school. Limiting points of entry help. Addressing the problem of bullying, both in person and online, can help. Following through on discipline can help. This all takes leadership.

How will you help the School Board prioritize the significant challenge of teacher retention and recruitment? The fact that retaining and recruiting teachers is a major challenge is reason one to elect new members to the school board. The failed leadership of the board has made the classroom overtly political and the job undesirable for many of our most experienced teachers. We should eliminate the politics, red tape and cumbersome paperwork and allow teachers to teach in a safe environment.

How do you plan to work effectively and fairly on a sometimes divided board? I believe in open debate and listening to all sides when deciding the best course of action. Some fundamental ideas can’t be compromised, like putting students and parents first and empowering teachers to teach in safe classroom settings. On other policies, adults should be able to disagree professionally and come to a conclusion that moves the school system forward. I’ll lead in that effort.

Should the School Board take a more active role than it has in the past in coming discussions about our local voting system following the recent appeals court decision in Holloway v. Virginia Beach? Certainly the board should have a more active role since the current board had no role at all, but understand that the City Council is the only body that has a vote in this matter, so other than voicing our opinion to Council, the board really has no decision-making authority in a voting system.

CAROLYN RYE

Residence: Middle Plantation
Age: 67
Occupation: Former: Corporate Trainer and Management Consultant; Secondary Teacher/Tutor. Present: Virginia Beach School Board Chair
Military Service/Education: College of William & Mary: BA Government; Concentrations: Mathematics; History. Fairleigh Dickinson University, Silberman School of Business: MBA
Endorsement: Virginia Beach Education Association PACE
Website: carolynrye.com
Phone: (757) 777-8249
Email: carolyn4schoolbd@gmail.com
Social Media: @ryeforschoolboard on Facebook

What are your specific qualifications for this office? I have demonstrated during my past eight years of service on the Virginia Beach School Board a thoughtful approach to student achievement and more recently, School Board leadership. Through my record of commitment, dependability and accountability, I have sought to ensure that every student, within the context of an inclusive and welcoming learning environment, has access to the quality instruction and resources they need to prepare for whatever paths they may choose upon graduation. I’ve relied on my experience as a parent of successful graduates of VBCPS, in Fortune 500 business training and management consulting, on non-profit governing boards and as a classroom instructor to offer the steady leadership required to work in partnership with all our stakeholders to raise up all students.

The concept of family-school partnership resonates deeply with me, as evidenced by my 15 years of PTA Board and PTA President experience. I have served in multiple volunteer positions in service to W&M, and with my Little Neck church parish St. Nicholas. In concert with my daughter Dana, an early age onset colon cancer survivor, I have advocated on both the local level and in the halls of Congress in support of awareness and fund-raising.(Please refer to the “About Me” link of my website.)

What is the most important issue facing the city schools, and how will you address it in office? Even as we celebrate yet again full accreditation for all 82 school testing sites, and SOL scores that exceed regional and state average results, our primary focus must remain on learning recovery as we continue to challenge and support all students to excel academically (Compass to 2025 Goal 1). VBCPS has taken a deliberate approach to raise student levels of achievement through robust summer school opportunities (and record student attendance), a particular focus on elementary literacy and numeracy instruction, comprehensive tutoring plans, and strategic use of technology and virtual learning. Comprehensive assessment plans continue to help identify the unique needs of ever learner in our schools.

What are your three main policy priorities for Virginia Beach schools?

Student Wellness: Never has this matter garnered more attention or scrutiny on a national level. A major pillar of our VPCPS Strategic Plan, the physical, mental and social-emotional health of our students is key to academic success. Behavioral and mental health needs are particular areas of concern. I support the work of the Superintendent Mental Health Task Force, which continues progress on its ten areas of focus, and await with anticipation a Fall workshop discussion on the issue of student behavior.
School Safety: In order to achieve at an optimal level, all students and parents seek assurance that VBCPS is prepared to effectively prevent, mitigate and respond to all emergencies that might affect students and staff. (Please refer to “Security” below.)
Teacher Recruitment and Retention: I strongly supported the Compensation Study commissioned by VBCPS and look forward to the report and recommendations from Segal Consultancy this Fall. Much progress was made this year with a total salary increase of 6% for all employees, step upgrades for many of our Unified Pay Scale support staff, and health insurance employee contribution savings of 43-53%. All that said, salary compression remains an issue of major concern. I would like to see the division look for more ways to reward longevity through, for example, targeted increases at incremental, five-year step scale milestones. (Please refer to “Recruitment and Retention” below.)

Is the district doing enough to address school security and discipline? While school security has always been a priority for me, recent tragic events keep focused attention on what VBCPS is doing to keep our schools safe. The recommendations of the community Blue Ribbon Panel convened by the Superintendent in 2018, and approved by the School Board, continue to guide the work of the Office of Security & Emergency Management. VBCPS safety protocols, emergency preparedness and response, infrastructure and personnel, and behavioral mental health are all subject to ongoing oversight and reassessment.

With respect to discipline, all students are expected to honor the Code of Student Conduct. Escalated, targeted intervention before student behavior escalates to the level of discipline referral is critical. As noted above, the Superintendent has committed to a Fall workshop for further discussion on this subject.

How can the city schools address concerns about equality and inclusion? School Board Educational Equity Policy 5-4, approved by the School Board in 2020, was an important step forward in affirming a renewed commitment to a barrier-free and welcoming learning environment that offers the opportunity for all students to rise through rigorous coursework, cultural competence and inclusive practices. I continue to promote the ongoing work of the Equity Planning Committee, tasked with developing an Equity Plan as a outgrowth of this policy. Tentative draft proposals connected to our six Strategic Plan Compass goals were recently shared, with a final adoption to be recommended in late Fall.

How will you help the School Board prioritize the significant challenge of teacher retention and recruitment? In addition to the compensation piece shared above, a positive work environment and employee engagement remain priority components for me. Teacher workload, student behaviors and respect from stakeholders were key issues communicated in a recent staff survey. To that end, I have advocated in my leadership role for an elevated level of face-to-face employee input and communication to supplement the engagement tools already in place. A workgroup tasked by me presented at the July retreat, with more specific details of such meetings to follow. I also support building on previous recruitment successes with respect to a new recruitment marketing plan.

How do you plan to work effectively and fairly on a sometimes divided board? As I have over the past eight years, I would continue to seek a spirit of collaboration with my School Board colleagues. I would continue to promote a culture of respect and civility for the VBCPS community and broader citizenry to model. I would further strive to lead by example in honoring our School Board Code of Ethical & Professional Conduct and serve with integrity and fairness.

Should the School Board take a more active role than it has in the past in coming discussions about our local voting system following the recent appeals court decision in Holloway v. Virginia Beach? The School Board was not a party to the previous litigation in Holloway v. Virginia Beach, and is bound by the actions of the City Council. However, the School Board will continue to monitor future developments and provide input as appropriate.