We should consider age, social and emotional development, intellectual level, interest level, and reading level.
Building strong relationships, understand their unique needs, provide individualized support, create a culturally sensitive learning environment, and actively engage.
Recruit diverse educators who understand the specific needs of their community. A direct path to certification! Create teacher apprenticeships that allow teacher apprentices to earn a good wage while on the job- training.
My first priority is to improve the performance of our schools! Evaluate the superintendent performance and hold him accountable ! Stop wasteful spent! Bring a customer service/ friendly environment!
Campaign Phone
8032161906
Campaign Email
info@devineforrichlandone.com
Education
Benedict College, 1999
Qualifications
Current Board member 2008-current. SCSBA Level 6 Board member, 100 Black Men Mentoring mentor, NCBA Business Assoc member
The official process to select textbooks and school library books include: Involvement of professional staff members who use the curriculum/textbooks/library books.
Input from community stakeholders whose expertise will serve to strengthen the curriculum/books.
Correlation to state standards and/or national standards.
Alignment to state and national testing program objectives.
Thorough review of instructional resources to determine those which best support standards and district goals.
Implementation of a comprehensive assessment system to monitor student growth and to inform instructional decisions.
Ensure work(textbook) is aligned to standards and district goals.
1. Continue to attend community/neighborhood meetings to inform as well as get input around what may be needed.
2. Continue to advocate for community resources to place in underserve communities such as Prisma Health, Serve and Connect , United Way, faith based partnerships and Harvest Hope.
3. Continue to support equity initiatives across the Richland One footprint.
1. I will continue to support competitive teacher pay.
2. Continue to support relocation incentives, partnering with local financial institutions for home closing costs, advocate for rent reduction, and tuition reimbursement.
3. Continue to support teacher leadership initiatives such as Richland One's Teacher Think Tank, teacher professional development and training opportunities.
1. Ensure Student Safety
2. Prioritize Student Achievement
3. Expand Public School Choice
4. Support Teachers and Staff
5. Continue to be financially efficient and effective in the education of students.
Campaign Phone
8038736540
Campaign Email
Diaz4Richlandcountyschools@gmail.com
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration
Qualifications
Financial Advisor - Human Resources Director
The school board should actively engage teachers, parents, and, when appropriate, students in the decision-making process for textbook approval. It’s essential that the administration thoroughly considers the unique needs of local students when presenting options. Additionally, librarians should be granted the autonomy to select library books, ensuring their choices align with developmentally appropriate guidelines and board-approved policies. Importantly, there should always be avenues for parental feedback and processes in place to challenge selections. Whenever feasible, the curriculum should also include alternative choices to cater to diverse student needs.
I will promote collaboration among educators, administrators, and families to foster an inclusive environment that prioritizes equity in education. By actively engaging the community in these discussions, we can create a shared commitment to student success, ensuring that every child has the support they need to thrive academically and personally. Together, we can build a stronger foundation for our students' futures. To support this vision, I will advocate for transparent data collection and feedback from each school, showcasing the resources and opportunities available to all students. This will help us identify any gaps in instruction and ensure that effective teaching practices are being implemented consistently.
We are fortunate to have some of the highest-paid teachers in the state, supported by a substantial budget. However, before we can effectively address retention, we must first stop the turnover crisis. Meaningful recruitment and retention strategies cannot thrive amid a revolving door of staff.
To tackle this, we need to conduct thorough exit interviews and analyze their findings to identify underlying issues. Hosting teacher town halls will also provide invaluable insights into the climate experienced by our educators. Additionally, it’s crucial to pinpoint the specific areas where teacher departures are most prevalent, as a vague statistic on turnover does little to reveal the root causes.
This information should be shared with the school board, empowering us to implement meaningful changes. Only after we have stabilized our current staff can we shift our focus toward recruitment.
First, we must urgently address the significant teacher vacancies caused by ineffective leadership. Classrooms without teachers severely impact both staff morale and student learning. Second, I am committed to fiscal responsibility. I propose forming a volunteer committee of community members to oversee our finances. A forensic audit of our financial practices, including procurement and P-Card usage, is essential. Despite our high budget, our test scores and student preparedness do not reflect this investment, especially compared to neighboring counties with smaller budgets. Finally, I will closely examine our human resources department, as many challenges originate here. Identifying areas for improvement is essential, and we may need to enlist a third-party expert to drive meaningful change. Together, we can create a more effective and supportive educational environment.
Campaign Phone
8033780182
Campaign Email
Christaforschoolboard@gmail.com
Education
BA- Business Administration / Political Science , MA - Organizational Leadership
If elected as a Commissioner for District One, I would work to inspire local communities (parents, teachers, and students) to take back control of our District. I believe that parents and teachers should have an equal voice regarding our student's quality of education. We want ensure that we are not allowing politicians to use the argument of book selection in schools to enrich select curriculum companies. As a Commissioner, I would work with our families in the District to ensure that all parties involved are comfortable with the curriculum/books that are offered in the District. I want ensure that our students are getting the best education and trade skills so that our schools are gateways to success and not pipelines to prison.
I am an advocate everyday for underserved students in our District. There are schools in my neighborhood and other areas of the District that have below average grades, the lowest grading range, based on the SC Department of Education grading scale. I believe that our communities must take back control of the District to ensure that each student have a chance at success in our schools. We want to continue preparing our students for college through college prep curriculum, but the other layer that we must add back to our school curriculum is trade skills. I believe every student should
learn a trade throughout their four years of high school. When we empower our youth with skills to build up the community, WE CANNOT LOSE, WE WIN BIG TIME!
Richland District One has a budget of approximately $409 Million, that is a little more than the budget that the entire City of Columbia operates off of.
There is more than enough money in the budget to improve our schools, work to engage our parents, and establish public and private partnerships with a track record of success. We have to establish community partners to work with our families to rally support for our students so that they enter the classroom ready to learn and not dealing with trauma at school. Students with trauma can create overwhelming and uncomfortable days for our teachers. Also, I would also work with the Administration and the General Assembly to ensure that we are teacher morale driven and teacher pay is competitive.
If elected as a Commissioner, my priorities will be student, teacher, and family focused. I want to ensure that we exercise Fiscal Management of the funds that the District receives. The $409 million budget should be used to improve the lives of students and our school system and not be used as a politician "personal lawsuit" fund or be used as a social club "cookie jar" to fund non-profits profits and groups that have personal ties to politicians. If we invest more in our students, we can retain our teachers, have healthier and thriving communities. Ensuring that every student graduates with a trade skill will prepare them for entrepreneurship, college, the military, and their skills will be an asset to their families and households.
