2022 Virginia Beach Elections: Questions for candidates in School Board District 4

THE INDEPENDENT NEWS

Ed. — The following are responses to questions posed by The Independent News to candidates in the election for the District 4 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.

KEN LUBECK

Residence: Aragona
Age: 59
Occupation: Sr. Busness Systems Analyst IT
Military Service/Education: HM3, four years, honorably discharged; masters degree
Endorsements: Students First
Website: kenlubeckvb.com
Email: kenlub@gmail.com
Social Media: @kenlubeckvbsb on Facebook

What are your specific qualifications for this office? I have a Masters Degree. After receiving my masters degree I moved into Campostella Square and ran an after school program with the local church. I worked for ten years at the Pines Residential Center for Adolescents. Helping at-risk youth. I also helped develop the after school program for a local non-profit that taught digital music and video production and marketing. I have two daughters in VB Public High Schools. I have over 23 years of Information Technology experience building applications and fixing bugs. I have always worked with diverse teams of people solving problems. Identifing root causes, developing a solution and then building the solution is my expertise. Teachers dissatisfaction with their job, students reading below reading level, mental health issues with students are all problems to solve.

What is the most important issue facing the city schools, and how will you address it in office? A shrinking number of our students are prepared for their future. Too many students are reading below their reading level. Vocational training is lacking. Teachers don’t have the needed resources to help the students prepare for their future.

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

Keeping students and staff safe: Children are priceless and school buildings should be protected like airports and courthouses. All schools should have a highly trained law enforcement officer to protect them from intruders with a single point of entry.
Vocational education: Vocational careers must be valued, celebrated and encouraged. Students should be given more opportunities at earlier ages to learn about vocational careers and be provided the tools to explore and be prepared for entering the workforce after high school.
Parental rights: School Administration should encourage parental input in the education of their children. Curriculum, books, topics, classroom exercises should all be transparent to the parent. Parents should be a key partner with school administration and teachers. No child should be given R rated materials without parents giving permission. There should also be full transparency on any policy changes with the opportunity for parents and the public to provide input.

How can the city schools address concerns about equality and inclusion? Make sure we give teachers the necessary resources to make sure students are included in equal opportunities.

Is the district doing enough to address school security and discipline? All schools should have a resources officer on location during school hours. The discipline policy needs to be adjusted. Teachers feel like no one has their back when there are issues.

How will you help the School Board prioritize the significant challenge of teacher retention and recruitment? Support teachers need for a workable discipline policy. More resources need to be spent in the classroom and less on Administration. This would included increased pay.

How do you plan to work effectively and fairly on a sometimes divided board? I would work on problems and solving identified problems. I’m not interested in bickering.

STACI R. MARTIN

Residence: Kempsville Heights-East
Age: 51
Occupation: Partnership Marketing Grants Manager/Virginia Tourism Corporation
Military Service/Education: B.G.S. Radford; M.A. Old Dominion University; PLP UVA Sorensen Institute
Endorsements: Virginia Beach School Board Member Beverly Anderson, Virginia Beach Education Association (VBEA-PACE); Former Virginia Beach City Councilmember Amelia Ross-Hammond
Website: votestacimartin.com
Phone: (757) 567-9745
Email: stacimartin@votestacimartin.com
Social Media: @votestacimartin on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

What are your specific qualifications for this office? I am an educator at Old Dominion University having served as Adjunct Faculty in the English Department for over 16 years. I have over 20 years’ experience in public policy, concurrently working full-time while teaching part-time. I have public policy experience in workforce development, natural resources, and community and economic development. I have experience managing state and federal grant programs, budgeting and allocating tax revenue, and developing policy based on legislation. I have been a VBCPS parent since 2004 and my youngest will graduate in 202. As my career allowed, I have volunteered in PTAs at my children’s schools and am a National PTA member. If elected, I will be one of the only School Board members with a child in the school system.

What is the most important issue facing the city schools, and how will you address it in office? Our failing infrastructure is the most important issue. Many schools are infested with cockroaches, rats, mold, and mildew. Teachers, staff, and students in dilapidated schools are suffering from health issues caused by these vectors. Investing in our students and staff via healthy buildings will lead to better learning outcomes and better working environments. We must maintain the school replacement schedule in order to meet the needs of a 21st-century workforce and to attract new residents and new businesses to Virginia Beach. The economic throughput of building these new schools will create an exponential return on investment.

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

I would focus on a 100% completion rate for our students. High schools that are zoned for D4 students have the following completion rates: 93.7% Bayside; 93.3% Kempsville; and 96.5% Princess Ann. We must support programs for students who are not completing their degree requirements by the end of senior year and make sure they can graduate or take the GED before age 20 so that they have a clear path forward to embrace a career that considers their abilities and interests.
I would also focus on the dual enrollment policy to allow for workforce and career studies certificates to count for dual enrollment credit. College credit courses should not be the only courses receiving tuition abatement. I would also exempt the high school study block requirements for students who are taking dual enrollment classes or who are working part-time jobs.
I would focus on resources to support literacy and critical thinking. Programs that engage students in problem-solving and critical analysis are key. Emotional intelligence is the #1 in-demand soft skill and reading and critical thinking help students develop the skills needed to be successful in any career path.

How can the city schools address concerns about equality and inclusion? I support VBCPS’ DEIJ initiatives and training for all staff members so that they become aware of implicit and unconscious bias and take steps to personally reduce their own propensity to jump to conclusions about our diverse student body. In my full-time state job, I have been required to attend three different DEIJ trainings and have found them to be insightful and helpful in recognizing and rectifying implicit bias. Beyond DEIJ trainings, VBCPS must provide a learning environment that embraces the truth and allows students space to share their own lived experiences.

Is the district doing enough to address school security and discipline? Double door entries, so visitors cannot access the main part of the school until they have been screened and searched, is a critical security need and should be the highest priority. In terms of student discipline, PBIS may be too resource-heavy for VBCPS to fully implement considering our budget challenges. Teachers should not have to manage discipline during instructional time. A simple phone call to the office should result in a staff member removing the offending student from class and working through disciplinary measures outside of that classroom so that other students can continue to engage with the curriculum.

How will you help the School Board prioritize the significant challenge of teacher retention and recruitment? Teacher retention and recruitment have been recognized as a workforce challenge for the last 10 years. I would work to address the pay scale, pay compression, and work environment. VBCPS must also create a path for paraprofessionals, bus drivers, and custodians to pursue their degrees and teaching credentials. These employees have already committed to careers in public schools.

We must also create a long-term strategic plan for teacher recruitment that begins when students are in middle school. A grade 6-12 elective course, focused on the challenges and rewards of becoming a teacher, should be developed and implemented by VDOE and VBCPS.

How do you plan to work effectively and fairly on a sometimes divided board? I plan to treat all board members with respect and to listen to their concerns and viewpoints. I have a wide array of experiences related to education and public policy. I will share my own experiences and viewpoints as well as the viewpoints from constituents in District 4 in order to help the board take a holistic approach to policy and regulations so that all the voices of our vibrant community are heard and so compromises can be reached to maximize every student’s potential. Education is an ecosystem, not a hierarchy.

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? I support the district voting system as a matter of social, economic, and racial equity and will advocate for a district voting system as a resident of Virginia Beach. As a middle-class working mother with a limited budget, the district voting system made it possible for me to step up and run for office. City Council should be consulting with the School Board regarding the appeal in the Holloway case and they should work together within the confines of the appeals ruling and state law for the benefit of all Virginia Beach residents who deserve to have their voices heard.