Question 1) In light of recent events, what steps would you take to ensure the safety of students and staff within the schools?
Answer- Any candidate seeking the office of Superintendent in our current day and age should have school safety as their top priority. Furthermore, a candidate seeking the office should be able to display experience in this all-important area. Providing a safe and secure environment has been my job and focus as a Dean of Students, an Assistant Principal, a Principal, and now the current Director of School Safety and Security for the Suwannee County School District. As the only candidate with extensive work experience in school safety, I can positively assert that our school district’s security is not just strong, but successful. We provide security through a multi-tiered approach: physical security denying access to our campuses, technological advancements in door/lock access control, live cameras on each campus, and single secure points of entry at each school site. Each school has a School Resource Deputy from the SCSO. I oversee, direct and maintain our School Guardian program. The program places many highly trained and confidential armed personnel in our facilities. During my time as the district Safety Director, Suwannee County has become a state leader and model for many districts around the state. As your Superintendent, we will maintain good order and discipline and provide safe and secure schools for all students and staff.
Question 2) What strategies do you plan on implementing to attract and retain high-quality teachers who will stay long-term?
Answer- One of the most significant issues facing all school districts today is the acquisition and retention of talent in the classroom. This question is often raised as a concern, and like all districts, we have a teacher recruitment team, and they meet monthly to address these issues. I would like to see an attempt to "Grow Your Own" and provide tuition reimbursement and contract incentives to drive this initiative with our graduating seniors. Couple that with in-house personnel and the now allowable bridge programs; this can be a real positive. Equally important is identifying future school-based leaders for development and mentoring. We are already in the planning stages of this program. The key to the success of any recruiting and retention program is finding the practical (not ideological) approach, one that can be measured for its ability to produce results.
Question 3) What will you do differently to improve unity and morale among board members, teachers, staff and students?
Answer- As the only candidate with experience leading schools, students, faculty and staff, I believe that staff morale can be summarized as feeling valued, empowered, and supported. I believe this currently exists in our district, but it is an area that must constantly be engaged with. When speaking with board members, teachers, staff and students, and considering my own almost 30 years of experience, I can state unequivocally two areas that stand out as having negative impacts on morale. One is the constant overburdening of mundane tasks that have little effect on actual student learning and achievement handed down from state and/or federal agencies. Removing these barriers and taking unneeded burdens off the plates of our outstanding faculty and staff will be a priority. Next, schools must maintain environments with good order and discipline. Any cursory search of why qualified individuals leave the education profession will show negative student behaviors and the lack of adequate attention to address these behaviors. Supporting teachers' efforts in classroom management is vital. In summation, working diligently to remove unneeded burdens and supporting teachers in the classroom significantly impacts morale and, ultimately, student achievement. At the end of the day, "Culture trumps Strategy." Building an organizational culture that is conducive to student success and provides high levels of job satisfaction to faculty and staff is not just a goal, but a commitment I have experience with, and I will be able to give this district as Superintendent.
Political advertisement paid for and approved by Ronnie Gray, Republican, for Suwannee County Superintendent of Schools.