Norwalk City Schools board of education race

NORWALK — Four people are running for two seats on the Norwalk City Schools board of education next month. Running are incumbents Duane Moore and Eric Gonzales, along with challengers Kayla Burkett and Shaun Taylor. The Reflector asked each candidate a number of questions. This is the first of a two-part series. Here are their answers (edited for brevity): Shaun Taylor • Why are you running for the board? "I have a lot of stake in the school system. I have two children currently in the school and one starting next year. So I have quite a few years to invest in the schools. I would love the opportunity to serve the schools while my kids are in it. My entire adult life I have worked to protect the people, either in the Military or Law Enforcement. I would like to serve in a more personal level with the schools." • Tell us how your past experiences will benefit the board? "My past experiences in the military and law enforcement had made me learn how to problem solve and look at multiple different avenues of approach for any problem. I believe that I can bring that problem solving experience to the table and help look at other avenues of approach. Being a School Resource Officer has shown me what children need and they all need a different way to learn than the next student. Not everyone learns the same way." • What are your biggest concerns with the school district? What can you do to fix any concerns you have? "My biggest concern for the district is the age of the buildings that our children are learning in. No air conditioning? No one wants to sit and attempt to learn in the heat or cold. Our children need to be comfortable to engage in teaching strategies. I think the new building will be a great asset and the best way to start helping our students." DEWEY MOORE • Why are you running for the board? "We have a board that is unified and has a great relationship with the staff and administration. I wish to continue this relationship and want to make Norwalk Schools the best in the area. Also, I want to put the interests of the students above all when making important decisions enabling them to have the best experience at Norwalk and their future." • Tell us how your past experiences will benefit the board? "I have had 48 years in education teaching at all levels (jr. high, sr. high, college) and have had administrative experience being math coordinator at Firelands College. I also own degrees in Administration, Curriculum, Math and Computers. Also I have been on the NCSD and EHOVE boards for the past four years." • What are your biggest concerns with the school district? What can you do to fix any concerns you have? "The ESSER money is going to be running out, and I am concerned on how we can continue to finance the excellent quality staff and projects we have added. I am sure that there will be a discussion with the board and that we will come up with a solution to this possible problem. Also, the addition and completion of a new elementary (K-8) building. We can help by being transparent and have community involvement in making decisions in this process." Eric Gonzales • Why are you running for the board? "My purpose in running is three-fold. First, at my core, I believe I was created to serve. It is this belief that has guided me in my role as Chief Human Resources Officer with the Department of Veterans Affairs for the last 12 years. Serving those who served our country has been the privilege of my life. The experience I have gained in serving our soldiers I believe has positioned me well to serve our students. Second, I am running for a seat on the school board because I am passionate about students. This passion has led me to journeying alongside students as the Student Ministry Lead at the Chapel in Norwalk. Passion for students has led me to coach middle school basketball and support Teen Leadership Corp as a key contributor to several of their student led events as well as a host of other endeavors. Lastly, my purpose in running is deeply personal. As the product of two parents who did not graduate from high school, I know all too well the importance of education. In fact, every one of my uncles has been in jail or in prison. Moreover, as a middle school student my own father was sentenced to imprisonment. Statistics would suggest that given my background, I myself should be imprisoned. Yet, in large part due to my own educational experience, I have been able to enjoy a starkly different reality than those that came before me. A seat on Norwalk's School Board for me represents an opportunity for me to use my time, energy and experience to passionately serve our students in their pursuit of the best version of themselves." • Tell us how your past experiences will benefit the board? "It is my firm belief that both my professional and personal pursuits would lend themselves toward serving Norwalk City School District well. For the past 12 years I have worked as a Human Resources professional at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. For the last 6 years I have served as the Regional Chief Human Resources Officer responsible for more than 700 team members who provide the full spectrum of Human Resources services (i.e. Recruitment, Labor Relations, Benefits etc.) for the Veterans Affairs hospital systems in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. "Additionally, for the last 2 years I have served as a part-time Student Ministry Lead at The Chapel in Norwalk. The combination of these two roles has prepared me to make decisions in the best interests of both the District as a whole as well as the individual students." • What are your biggest concerns with the school district? What can you do to fix any concerns you have? "Among the highest priorities of the district is paving a pathway for a new school. The aging infrastructure of the district is an issue of increasing concern. Elementary schools in particular are not conducive to 22nd century education. The accounts of students and teachers falling ill due to the inadequate environmental conditions of our schools is heartbreaking to say the least. "In response to these concerns, I have joined the task force charged with exploring the feasibility of building a new school. In short, the goal of the task force is to bring a new elementary school building to fruition." Kayla Burkett • Why are you running for the board? "My motivation to run comes from my passion for education and my desire for my daughter to have an enriching experience that will prepare her for a successful future. I care deeply about the Norwalk community and school district. It is where I was born and raised. I graduated from Norwalk City School district and returned to live here after college. I want to pair my knowledge, skills, and experience with my love for this community to have a positive impact." • Tell us how your past experiences will benefit the board? "I earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with minors in Spanish and Biology from Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU). I also have my Master's and Ed.S. degrees in School Psychology. "Earning a minor in Spanish goes beyond learning the language; I learned about the various cultures of Spanish speakers, language acquisition, and characteristics of people who are bilingual. I find these traits to be valuable in a community that has a good-sized, Latino population. My degrees in School Psychology trained me in education law and ethics, best practices of school systems, and consultation and collaboration with school staff, families and community resources. "During college and graduate school I worked for Flat Rock Care Center as a direct support professional. My job was to care for and meet the needs of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. After graduating OWU, I was promoted to a supervisor position where I oversaw DSPs in real time as well as evaluated staff that worked directly under me. My experience at Flat Rock Care Center gave me experience in evaluating people's job performance based on their job description and the mission statement of the company, which is something board members are responsible for as they oversee the superintendent and treasurer. "Working with individuals who have a wide variety of needs strengthened my problem solving skills and allowed me to view situations from a variety of perspectives, rather than utilizing a 'one size fits all' mentality." • What are your biggest concerns with the school district? What can you do to fix any concerns you have? "Based on feedback I've gathered from the community, communication appears to be an area of weakness. This appears to be true across all directions of communication: within staff, between buildings, school district to families, school district to communities. Even the board minutes aren't posted in a timely manner. "Policies, followed by accountability needs to be put in place to ensure clear and timely communication. As a board member, I will actively encourage families and community members to be as involved as possible and provide feedback throughout the year."