Park View, D.C.

E. Gail Anderson Holness, Candidate for Ward 1 State Board of Education (image from campaign Web site)

Today, our featured candidate for Ward 1 State Board of Education is E. Gail Anderson Holness. You can learn more about the candidate at her campaign Web site here.

Here are the questions each candidate received along with E. Gail’s answers:

Q: Which Ward 1 neighborhood do you live in?

A: Pleasant Plains-Columbia Heights

Q: How long have you lived in D.C.?

A: Off and on for 36 years. I have lived in Ward One the majority of the time having lived in my present location over 11 years. Ali, my daughter, was born and raised in this community 26 years ago.

Q: Why did you decide to become a candidate for the Ward 1 Member of the State Board of Education?

A: I decided to become a candidate for Ward One Member of the State Board of Education based on my concern and passion for the future of our children. I have served as a substitute teacher in DCPS primarily in Ward One – Cardozo and Banneker. Several Ward One residents encouraged me to run based upon my history of advocacy and active engagement in the Ward One community.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish on the State Board of Education?

A: It is critical that our education system in the District undergo basic reform inclusive of the following:

• Teacher evaluation – I recommend a comprehensive review of all aspects of the Master Teacher evaluation;
• Truancy– chronic truancy creates a student who becomes chronically behind in learning;
• Testing – While there have been some gains the DCPS system continues to have the nation’s widest achievement gaps between white and black students and white and Hispanic students according to the study which shows that poor black children in the District continue to score lower than average than their counterparts;
• Training for life – It is imperative that our education system prepares our children for college but for those who do not want to attend college can have alternative workforce development opportunities through the UDC Community College; and,
• Transparency and coordination – Teachers, parents, and students have complained about changes in process and procedures within the school system without properly notifying the stakeholders.

Transparency is needed in the school system and the Board of Education. As the Ward One Member of the State Board of Education, I will:

• Advocate for the higher performance standards for teachers and students;
• Push for services that will strengthen our schools, encourage our teachers, and inspire our students to learn and attend school;
• Engage the entire community – parents, community organizations, and the faith community – to actively participate in the development of our school children;
• Work with the Ward One Councilmember and the Ward One ANCs to establish a Ward One Education Committee to specially deal with issues affecting our community that may also have a positive effect on the wider DC community.  Parents, teachers, and community residents would be invited to be an integral part of the Ward One Education Committee.

Q: How does your professional and/or life experience make you a good candidate for the State Board of Education, and how will it help you be a successful Member of the Board?

A: I have served as a community and human rights activist most of my youth and all of my adult life. I have worked in the field of Education as a College Administrator, Professor, and Lecturer. My teaching career that began at Pensacola, Florida Community College and expanded to University of Alaska at Anchorage; Coppin State College Baltimore, MD; Benedict College and Allen University Columbia, SC; Howard University, and the University of the District of Columbia. At UDC, I served as Special Assistant to three UDC Presidents, hosted a TV program (10 years) UDC Forum, and was Executive Director of Student Outreach and Leadership Development.

I also served on the committee that wrote the proposal for the legislation for UDC to initiate the Community College. As a trained lawyer, I have a deep understanding of the legislative and regulatory processes and have been successful in developing good polices.

In 1989, I proposed a bill before the Board of Education to require students to wear uniforms in DCPS. During those days, students were literally killing each other over clothes and sneakers. The bill failed but was implemented in 2009.

I believe my training as a lawyer and 25 years in the Education field coupled with my community outreach efforts will contribute immensely to my success as a Member of the State Board of Education.

Q: Is this your first bid for elected office? If not, please describe other elected positions you’ve held, briefly note your accomplishments, and describe how the community benefited by your advocacy.

A: I am a three term Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for ANC 1B11. During my tenure, was elected by the Commission to serve as Secretary, Vice Chairperson, and Chairperson for ANC 1B.  I also served as Vice President of Ward One Democrats, the Mayor’s Commission for Women, and the Mayor’s Interfaith Commission.

My successes as Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for 1B11 include:

1. Increased Security for LeDroit Senior Building
2. Speed bumps on 4^th Street between V and W Streets
3. Started Saturday Empowerment Academy every third Saturday
4. Book drive for youth in the community
5. Collaborated with local businesses to provide incentive awards to students in Ward One DCPS who excelled academically or athletically.
6. Advocated for more parking spaces for residents in my SMD that was provided on two streets
7. Convened the Ward One Church and Community Summit to address Education, Parking, and Crime issues.

Q: Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?

A: I am a mother, educator, community organizer, and human rights activist who believe in the inherent rights of all children, regardless of their race, creed, color, nationality, or sexual orientation. I know that all children can learn and should have the opportunity for quality schools, quality teaches, and a quality education. Ward One is one of the most diverse areas in DC and I am glad to represent all residents and live in this peaceful, comfortable, and safe environment.

David Do, Candidate for Ward 1 State Board of Education (image provided by candidate)

To kick off our review of the Ward 1 Candidates for State Board of Education, today’s feature is David Do. You can learn more about David at his campaign Web site here.

Here are the questions each candidate received along with David’s answers:

Q: Which Ward 1 neighborhood do you live in?

A: I am a homeowner in Park View and have lived here for four years. I bought my home in the neighborhood a little over three years ago.

Q: How long have you lived in D.C.?

A: I have lived in D.C. for over five years.

Q: Why did you decide to become a candidate for the Ward 1 Member of the State Board of Education?

A: I decided to run for the Ward 1 Member of the State Board of Education because it was an opportunity to bring my background and life experience to Ward 1 students who are struggling to succeed in our schools. My parents were refugees of the Vietnam War and came to the U.S. with nothing. They were fast food workers, earning an honest living to make sure that I could have good education. This is what I want for our kids in Ward 1. I am running because of the encouragement and support of our community and neighborhood parents. The encouragement came because of my tireless work and tremendous accomplishments at Bruce Monroe at Park View Elementary, the Park View Recreation Center, and our community as a whole. I will bring the same record of accomplishment and energy for Park View to the Board of Education.

I am also running because tests like the DC CAS said I was basic or below proficient, the SAT said I should have never went to college, and my first semester of college grades put me on the verge of academic probation. But, I never let the possibility of failure hold me back. What changed in my academic career was a mentor. My introductory economics professor helped me develop my interest in economics. Once I discovered my talent and interest in economics, I exceled tremendously and graduated from college with honors and received the University’s Legacy Award. Tests should never be the end all and be all of education. We need to help our children develop their own special talents and help them learn the true meeting of education. It has worked for me and I believe it will work for our community.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish on the State Board of Education?

A: Ward 1 needs a strong advocate who understands what our children are going through. I was an English Language Learner and a daily recipient of free and reduced meals. I lived in poverty. In Ward 1, many of our children are living what I lived. They too are living in poverty. I want to bring that perspective to the board of education. I want to uplift all of our children.

I also want to bring my experience working for our local neighborhood school Bruce Monroe @ Park View Elementary to the board. We have seen tremendous improvements when different groups work together to create a collaborative and community approach to improving education. A top-down approach where collaboration was not part of the equation has not worked in the last seven years of corporate education reform. We need to take a different tack to reform. I will advocate for a more supportive and respectful process that includes all stakeholders.

Finally, I want to be a part of the Parental and Home Engagement Committee on the State Board of Education. It is a committee that I personally feel will best suit my background and experience. There is a lot of research to support the benefits of family engagement in our schools. That is why I will work within my role on the Board of Education to consider all point of views in establishing an effective and implementable plan for parental and home engagement in our schools.

Q: How does your professional and/or life experience make you a good candidate for the State Board of Education, and how will it help you be a successful Member of the Board?

A: I have worked in the Park View community for a few years. I held several events and started a block association. I have also been a consistent volunteer at Bruce Monroe @ Park View Elementary working with our teachers, community leaders, and parents to make sure our school continues its success as a great community school. That is why there are so many parents at the elementary school supporting my candidacy for the State Board of Education including Sarah Sorscher, Gabriel Sobarzo, and Jessica Sobarzo.

I have personally mentored two DC public school students throughout their high school career. They are now graduating seniors at Pennsylvania State University. I was also in charge of the Mayor’s internship initiative for the correspondence unit. I developed workshops for our interns so that they could improve their resumes, cover letters, business wardrobes, and interview skills.

Finally, I have a record of getting safety improvements for our schools including a crosswalk on Georgia Avenue between E.L. Haynes Public Charter School and the Ward 1 Senior Wellness Center. I did this so that all residents can safely cross Georgia Avenue, one of the busiest corridors in Washington D.C.

Q: Is this your first bid for elected office? If not, please describe other elected positions you’ve held, briefly note your accomplishments, and describe how the community benefited by your advocacy.

A: I have held the position of Director of Academic Affairs at the University of California, Merced, where I was one of the executives in charge of implementation of a $200,000 budget. During my tenure I introduced and implemented a bill called the Fellowship and Undergraduate Research Symposium Act. This program received initial funding of $5,000 to make sure that undergraduate students were able to present their research at conferences across the country. This program has been extremely successfully and now has an annual budget of $10,000.

Moreover, I provided resources for students who needed extra help in math, writing, chemistry, and economics. These students received free tutoring services that my office funded. I also made sure that students stayed focused on learning by providing them with meals, snacks, and other stress-relieving opportunities during final exams.

I was also an advocate for our students. I made sure that student groups received enough funding to hold major educational conferences where I helped write the grant to fund the African Black Coalition Conference. The conference received $15,000 in grant funding. I have also advocated for individual students by seeing the passage of a bill to allow students to earn a triple major if they chose.

Through my work as Director of Academic Affairs, I received a front-page story in the Merced Sun-Star praising my aspirations and work as Director of Academic Affairs. The Associate Vice Chancellor at the University of California, Merced said that I, “worked tirelessly to support student success in their academic pursuits, in their professional development, and in their self-efficacy.”

I will bring this record of achievement to the DC Board of Education.

Q: Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?

A: Park View is where I call home. I bought my row house three years ago and have been active in our community for many years. I have seen Park View grow tremendously and I am glad to have played an active role in its success. Here are just some of my accomplishments in Park View.

• Fought for safety improvements for our school-aged children including a signaled crosswalk for E.L. Haynes Public Charter School on Georgia Avenue.
• Volunteered at Bruce Monroe at Park View for many years and have been featured on this blog multiple times.
• Hosted crime meetings with public officials like Chief Lanier to make sure our community is safe and secure.
• Hosted elected officials and candidates at community meet and greets in Park View to make sure our neighborhood has options when deciding who should represent them.
• I have the support of Sarah Sorscher, who is a mother in Park View and actively participates at Bruce Monroe @ Park View Elementary. I also have the support of many other BMPV parents.

I am very excited at the prospect of representing Ward 1 and Park View as the next Ward 1 Member of the DC State Board of Education.