Position/philosophy statement
Committed to Our Students. Focusing on Their Future.
Current Occupation
Retired
My 34 years of experience serving Dare County Schools and my lifelong connection to this community. I understand our schools and the challenges faced. My experience has taught me the importance of listening, accountability, collaboration, responsible decision-making, and using resources wisely. With a degree in Business Administration and Organizational Management, I also bring leadership and organizational skills that can help ensure our schools remain focused on what matters most=student success. As a Dare County native, I have a personal investment in the future of our schools. I understand that every student deserves the opportunity to learn, feel safe, be supported, and graduate prepared for college, career, the workforce, and life.
The most important responsibility of a school board member is to keep students at the center of every decision. Board members must provide strong oversight and accountability, ensure resources are used responsibly, support teachers and staff, and help create safe, welcoming schools where every student has the opportunity to succeed. A school board member should listen to students, parents and educators to make informed decisions. They must work collaboratively with fellow board members and leadership. Most importantly, the board must focus on preparing every student for college, career, the workforce, and life beyond graduation while maintaining transparency and accountability.
Support and retaining highly qualified teachers and staff, providing strong academic and career preparation, addressing student mental health and support services, and ensuring that every student has access to the resources they need to succeed. I would prioritize spending based on student impact and essential needs. Protect classroom instruction and support teachers and staff with the resources they need to be successful. Invest in programs that improve student achievement, graduation readiness, career and workforce preparation, and student support services. Carefully evaluate existing programs and expenditures, pursue grants and partnerships, and make decisions based on data and measurable outcomes.
Recruiting and retaining qualified teachers starts with making sure educators feel valued, supported, and respected. After 34 years in Dare County Schools, I understand the importance of providing teachers with the resources and support they need to be successful. Focus on meaningful professional development, strong mentoring for new teachers, and access to quality instructional resources. Continue to explore more housing partnerships and other incentives that can help educators afford to live and work in Dare County. Educator preparation programs creating opportunities for local students and community members to pursue careers in education and return to serve our schools. We must also listen to our staff members.
I believe a strong Pre-Kindergarten program is an important investment in our students and our community. Quality Pre-K helps children build the academic, social, and emotional skills they need to enter kindergarten ready to learn. I support expanding access to high-quality Pre-K opportunities while ensuring programs are developmentally appropriate, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of Dare County families.
At the heart of every decision should be our students. I am committed to listening to families, supporting our teachers and staff, and making thoughtful, accountable decisions that strengthen Dare County Schools. Together, we can ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed and our schools remain a source of pride for our community.
Position/philosophy statement
I taught in Dare County Schools for twenty years, and I want to put my experience to work for the students, teachers, administrators, parents, and citizens of Dare County.
Current Occupation
Retired Teacher
Age (optional)
63
Campaign Phone
2524238849
Campaign Youtube URL
I spent more than twenty years in the classroom, twenty of those as a teacher at MHS. I have served as wrestling coach, assistant theater director, Department Chair, a member of the School Improvement Team and of the AVID Team, and I sponsored four clubs. I was Manteo High School and then Dare County Teacher of the Year for 2010-2011.
Since retiring, I have been volunteering for the Dare Education Foundation, and I am now a member of the Programs Committee, awarding grants to teachers and scholarships to students. I also work as a substitute teacher for DCS.
I have also been a banker, a plumber, a retail manager, and a waiter. I have been a tradesman and a businessman, blue collar and white collar, and I know the value of all work.
When I started this journey, I committed to read the policies of the Board of Education. One thing I have learned from doing so is that the Board of Education is a policy board, not an operations board. The Board sets policy for the school district and then gives these policies to the Superintendent to carry out on a day-to-day basis.
The second thing I learned is that members have no authority to act individually. The Board may act only as a body, so my personal priorities must be considered with those of the other members.
Therefore, my most important responsibilities would be to act as an effective advocate for the issues I believe in, and at the same time to work well with the rest of the team in order to accomplish our goals.
I would like to shine a spotlight on three areas that might not get the attention they deserve.
The first is the mental health and addiction issues that many of our students are facing. We are taking steps to address these problems, and I would like to work to broaden and intensify these efforts.
Second, I think we need to find the proper role of technology in our schools. Technology has its place in the classroom, but so do paper books, writing essays using paper and pencil, learning cursive, calculating by hand, and paper homework assignments.
Finally, as a longtime assistant director for the theatre productions at Manteo High School, I believe strongly in the importance of arts education in all our schools.
The Board of Education has been working with the Dare Education Foundation and the Dare Housing Foundation to provide affordable housing to teachers, and I would continue to support their efforts.
I strongly believe in empowering building-level teachers and administrators to make decisions regarding curriculum, discipline, allocation of funds, and other issues in the day-to-day management of a school. When school personnel feel empowered, they are more likely to be effective and thereby to find satisfaction in their work.
I would also encourage our county commissioners to continue their history of generosity to Dare County Schools and to do as much as possible to enhance the local teacher supplement.
The losses during COVID showed us how vital early training in reading skills is to later success. There are so many more distractions from traditional education now that encouraging positive habits as early as possible can only help to improve kids' academic performance.
I know that no matter what my plans and expectations might be, the world has a habit of surprising us all, and that I must expect the unexpected. There is no way to prepare for everything, but a calm mind, a steady hand, intelligence, and experience to draw on can help me face whatever does come down the pike next.
I have been blessed with a great wife and a great life in one of the most beautiful places in the world. I appreciate the opportunities that retirement have given me to give back to the community, as I believe that serving others is the highest calling. I loved the decades I spent as a teacher in Dare County, and I find the the work I do for the Dare Education Foundation greatly rewarding. I now hope to continue my service to the community as a member of the Dare County Board of Education in District 1.
Thank you for your time reading my profile, and I would very much appreciate your vote.
