School Board Questionnaire: Joyce Rawlings

Patch School Board Candidate Questionnaire

District A Candidate Joyce Rawlings

Age: 62
Occupation: Program Coordinator, Family Resource Learning Center, Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA)
Incumbent or Non-incumbent: Non-incumbent
How long have you been an Alexandria resident? 34 years
Which neighborhood do you live in? Lynhaven
Website, Facebook page or other contact information: truefamilylove@yahoo.com

What unique perspective, experience or expertise would you bring to the School Board?

• Engaging underrepresented families in the minority and immigrant  populations.
• Single teenaged minority mother of three sons. Foster parent to eight children with special needs.
• Experience with socio-economically disadvantaged.

What are top challenges facing ACPS and how do you plan to engage the community to address them?

Student achievement — increased opportunities for parents as partners in their child’s education.

Diminishing, loss of funding streams — Careful stewardship of resources and policies that govern resources.

New schools to alleviate overcrowding — Give community clear solid facts to make informed decisions. 

What role do the members of the School Board play in ensuring transparency and accountability at the ACPS Central Office?

Staff and parents receive complete information early in policy development stage. Alerts to what is not working as well as what is working well moving forward with new initiatives.

What is your opinion of the superintendent’s job performance?

Not enough time passed to ascertain if recent accomplishments are stabilizing or sustainable, performance clouded with uncertainty.

System at low levels so any improvement or celebration looks wonderful and may not give complete, critical and total assessments.

How can a School Board member improve communication between ACPS and parents/caregivers?

Remember all families not technologically savvy, many illiterate in their own language. Creative in approaches. Respect understand differences.

What are some of your ACPS budget priorities? For example, do you favor spending more money to keep class sizes low or a longer school year or day? Are there certain areas that should be trimmed financially?

Class sizes low. Opportunities for strong academic enrichment during summer and after school. Review completed budget evaluate status of new initiatives to make informed decision about adjustments for the future.

The next School Board likely will need to address the possibility of boundary adjustments and attendance zone changes. What are your guiding principles regarding economic or racial segregation, neighborhood schools, magnet schools, class and school sizes, busing policies and other considerations?

No new school plans in vacuum without looking at future city planning. Guiding principle; parents first choice neighborhood school. Scattered site affordable housing creating diverse groups living together, housing costs prevents concept having best outcomes.

What role does a School Board member play in helping raise academic achievement for all students and close the achievement gap?

Ensure that policies and procedures are clear, fair, in place; that staff encourage and expect all students will reach their highest potential with necessary resources and support systems in place.