Stephanie Smith

There is a cartoon floating around which shows three students of varying heights standing at a fence trying to watch a baseball game on the other side. Each student pictured in this first part are standing on the same size box to help them to be able to see over the fence. This part is labeled - Equality. Each student, whether they needed the box to stand on or not was given one. They were in fact treated "equally". In this case, the tallest student who didn't need a box to see was given one anyway and the shortest student still can't see over the fence because that one box that all were given isn't enough to allow them peer over the fence.

The next part of the picture shows those same three students given what they need for equal access to view the game. The tallest student can see just fine without extra enhancements, the middle student needs one box to see over while the shortest studnet needs several boxes in order to see the game. This side of the picture is labeled as "Equity".

Equity in fact is providing the supports needed to ensure that everyone has equal access. In this case it is the boxes to stand on which then allows each person to see over the fence and watch the game. If we are blinded by the principal that everyone must be treated "equally" then we are allocating resouces to those who don't need them while those that do are doing without. Focusing instead on "Equity" we can make sure that resources are allocated by need so that EVERYONE has equal access.

First and foremost the unit count and the resources that are derived from its results should be matched with the schools, programs, and students earning them. This is why the 91% rule is in place and was a source of pride for me when I was in charge of the Unit Count in the Seaford School District that I did not need to seek waivers each year as I broke down the units earned into the specifics are earning them and allocated them accordingly. There are times when establishing new programs, diversifying programming, or when needs are greater at specific schools. This most often happens with smaller high schools who need to maintain programming to be competative but who are not generating the funding to support these endeavors. It takes a critical eye and careful balancing of funding sources to help distribute resources equitably across a district. It is an area in which I have experience and I am hoping to contribute to as a board member.

I served twenty-nine years in schools and in all of my experiences I was part of schools or districts where our population of students were high poverty, very diverse, and with numerous students with disabilities, especially due to special progamming offered in our schools. I would not have it any other way. Quite simply as a school board member I would have the same approach I did as an educator...I would strive for equity in our schools where resources are allocated where needed to give all access to success in schools. I would seek resources to help end such biases if they were identified and look for solutions if the data indicates that such biases are reflected in our data.

I feel as though this is an area in which I have a great deal of insight as I served as a school administrator for seventeen years and had to do this very thing in my schools. I do believe that there are some actions which endanger students and staff which must be addressed in a manner that protects the safety of the majority. Schools should have plans in place to address lower level incidents in ways that will build relationships and skills. Many times as a disciplinarian I found that reteaching or positively reinforcing the right way to react to situations was half the battle. Once students learned a new way to respond they could make better choices. Making a better choice once, when reinforced positively, would give students the responsibility to react to situations and learn from their mistakes. I believe as a school board member we need to give schools the resources to practice these strategies but we must also be willing to take a stand when behavior escalates to a dangerous or persistantly disruptive situation.

Current trends in our country are quite honestly frightening. The call to ban books, discussions, and teaching is disturbing. Questions of course may be raised, but Boards must have a clear policy for reviewing questionable materials that allows for resolution through careful consideration & input from stakeholders. Such policies should recognize that the study of controversial issues is a pillar of creating independent thinkers of our students. However, those studies must be age appropriate & reflect the values of the community the board serves. Intellectual freedom must also be of prime consideration. By being a part of the adoption process from the start, boards can help ensure that materials meet district criteria & state guidelines. Clear steps must be provided to review materials questioned by parents so that there is a fair and balanced look & not a response to the “loudest voices”. Students have the right to read materials of differing viewpoints and draw their own conclusions. Limiting materials to those of one point of view as student resources leads to the very indoctrination that many are protesting.

Absolutely! As public educators we are called to take every student that comes to our doors and welcome them to our schools. That inclusiveness is what helps to make our schools the mini versions of society that they are and better prepares our students for the world in which they live. As a parent of four children, one of which who faced the challenges of a learning disability and another who is a lesbian, I would not want my own children discriminated against or treated differently because who they are may not conform to the norm for many. Schools should be places where children of all ages and backgrounds feel safe, secure, and valued.

As I shared in my previous answer, I am the mother of a LGBTQ+ daughter. I would absolutely support the rights and inclusion of staff and students who identify the same. I have worked in my career with both staff and students who do and have never had an issue respecting them as the individuals they are or standing up for their rights.

As a board member, the first thing I would do is review our current policies regrading bullying and discrimination. The Department of Education required school districts to develop these policies many years ago. I would look to see first if the current policies are being followed by our schools. If they are not then why? Do the policies need revision? Are there better ways to address the situations then were identified when the policies were adopted? I would also like to look at the data collected by our schools to see the specifics of how such incidents were reported and addressed by school staff.

Absolutely! As a school administrator for many years in Western Sussex County, I made sure that my communications were translated whether it was through the use of resources such as translation lines to call, document translation services, human translators - quite honestly whatever I could access! The challenge was often in finding the resources to use that were not out of our budget or human capital restraints. In the upper grades we found it especially helpful to identify students who could serve as translators to assist in emergency situations or when other individuals were not available to translate. Google Translate is an administrator's best friend in our schools today. Unfortunately these positions and resources are not ones funded by the unit count funding system and districts are left to determine their best path forward in communications with their parents and students.

The real question is - do we need more teachers and administrators? The answer there is a resounding YES! While we should always seek to make our applicant pools as diverse as possible to reflect the communities and students we serve, many of our schools do not have adequate staffing - period. There are schools in our state, including in Seaford, where there were not enough teachers to staff classrooms and students were forced to participate in online learning sytems with an adult in the room to supervise. While we should strive towards diversity, I am more concerned at this point that we have all of our needs covered at this point.

The health and safety of our students and staff is critical in our schools. In the Seaford School District, the initial rounds of testing indicated issues in two water sources at our middle school. Having served as the principal of that school for eight years I can attest that there are many challenges when using a building constructed in 1928 for educational purposes today. In the case of the lead issue, I believe after the notification debacle, that there is a collaborative effort underway to test all school water resources and ways for schools to apply for support in correcting issues that are identified. Consistent testing is important as well as the continued support to correct issues when discovered. I, as a member of the board would support those efforts as well as transparency in notifying affected staff and students if a problem is discovered. Safe drinking water in our schools is a basic need and should be treated as such.