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FOR  IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Banning the “N” Word from the Mouths of Our Babies!  Children’s Book Discusses and Discourages the Use of the ‘N’ Word!  

St. Louis, MO June 2007  -- Author/ Freelance Writer Zekita Tucker brings you the new and more powerful revised edition of her highly controversial children’s book titled “Don’t Call Me N!gga”.  This daring and critically honest book has kept both children and adults in amazement at the shockingly open display of emotions and the realistic language used by this books’ characters.   

Already, “Don’t Call Me N!gga” has generated an enormous buzz across the country throughout many African American communities.  Since its first publication in March 2006, “Don’t Call Me N!gga” has been featured by ABC World News on the very popular news site ABCnews.com, has made cover stories in African American newspapers and websites.  Zekita Tucker has been interviewed by a Black Enterprise reporter for her courageous work on “Don’t Call Me N!gga” as well as the very popular The Ave. Magazine, and she has also been a guest on the Roland S. Martin Show, who is a CNN News commentator (Chicago) and The  Intersection w/ Rebecca Roberts (DC).   

Teaching your children about the affects of language is a great way to help them conquer some unforeseen battles in their lives.  “Don’t Call Me Nigga” now published and reprinted by Zeniam Publications, written by Zekita  and illustrated by Matthew Schultz, is a perfect tool for parents who want to combat the use of the ‘N’ word with their children but may not have other effective tools or resources. It is a perfect tool for children of all ages and is recommended for 8 years old and up.   

The story focuses on the history of the so called ‘N’ word, its negative connotations, and its impact on the African American community.  In this book the two main characters are faced with two very common dilemmas- conflict and self respect. This is the first children’s book that has ever addressed such a powerful issue in the African American community. Your children will be able to enjoy and learn from a story about children who look like them, use the same language codes, and may have similar viewpoints on the world.  This book is a must read for all!  It tackles responsibility for actions and the power of language.  Zekita Tucker serves the community as an author and freelance writer.  She is the Founder and CEO of Zeniam Publications, a company that offers literary services to both independent authors/ writers as well as businesses.  

She has written many controversial articles about the problems in African American communities for newspapers across the country.  Some of her many insightful works have appeared in the ABCnews.com Website, Award Winning St. Louis American Newspaper, Black Star News, Emerging Minds, Westside Gazette, The Indianapolis Recorder, The Black Suburban Journal (NJ Ed.), Gambia.net, The Jackson Advocate, Black Britain Magazine, and the very popular black British website Tytecurl.com and Timbooktu.   

“Don’t Call Me N!gga” will be available for order in June 21, 2007 through publisher/ author, by call in order through Barnes& Noble (if it is not already on local shelf), and available at  Amazon.com.   

Don’t Call Me N!gga (Revised Edition)  -  ISBN#  978-1-60402-249-0 

For more information or for interviews with author contact:   

• Zeniam Publications

• PO Box 142446

• St. Louis, MO 63114

• zekita@zeniampublications.com

• www.zeniampublications.com

 

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SEPTEMBER 7, 2006 

The Committed Advocates for Revitalizing Schools (CARS) published two very timely and significant documents today. 

1. CARS “Review of Candidates for the 2006 Prince George’s County School Board Election.”

2.  CARS Report Card of Highly Qualified Prince George’s County School Board Candidates. 

CARS, formed in April 2006, is a small group of educators, parents, community activists and concerned citizens who have come together in order to observe and assess each candidate.  The second part of our goal is to provide the voters with a published guide so that they may become familiar with the views, experiences and contributions of those candidates running for school board positions. TO VIEW THE GUIDE CLICK ONTO WWW.HOMEWORKHELPPAGE.COM OR CLICK ONTO CARS UNDER PRINCE GEORGE’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS.   

CARS members have attended all forums and thoroughly interviewed 29 candidates focusing on their credentials, experience and vision on key issuing facing the PGCPS.  CARS ranking of the highly qualified candidates in alphabetical order are as follows: 

At-Large:

•           Donna Hathaway Beck            

•           Dr. Alicia Darensbourg            

•           Howard Stone                           

•           Nate Thomas                  

•           Dr. Ronald Watson        

 District 1:

•           Robin Barnes Shell, Esquire

Page 2.  CARS Press Release 

District 2:

•           None-Amber Waller was rated as qualified 

District 3:

•           Judy Mickens-Murray                  

District 4:

•           Steve Morris

•           G. Jerome Smith

•           Zeno St. Cyr II

•           Linda T. Thomas

District 5:

•           Katie Costello, Esquire

•           Owen Johnson

For more information contact Edward E. Smith H/O 301-894-9410,

(Mobile) 301-751-8139 or felliesmith@aol.com. 

Click Here To View Each Summary Report

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 Candidates for the Board of Education 

CARS invited each candidate to sit for an interview and respond to a series of questions pertaining to key issues facing the PGCPS.  Additional requests were sent to those who did not initially respond. In all, Twenty-Nine of the initial Forty-Seven candidates were interviewed. Of course, some candidates we know have dropped from the race or have not actively run a campaign. CARS would like to thank all candidates for sacrificing their time and energy and for their commitment to helping the children of Prince George’s County. For that, all candidates are to be commended. We especially would like to express our sincerest gratitude to those candidates who took an evening from their campaign to sit down and discuss a topic they all are sincerely concerned about—the education of our children.   

The following is an overview of the candidates for each District and the at-large candidates. 

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Click Here For District Summary Statement Reports

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CARS Candidate Report Card Methodology

CARS approached the entire process in putting together a candidate report card deeply concerned with due process and sound methodology in mind.  The underling principle that drove the process was to produce an assessment piece that was as accurate and unbiased as possible.  CARS adhered strictly to a strategic process for developing questions, answers and an evaluation tool.  Throughout the entire process evaluations and assessments were the product of consensus and not one’s sole opinion.  Lastly, it should be noted that CARS is not affiliated with any candidate nor does it endorse any candidate—it simply wishes to help voters make well-informed decisions.  An overview of the methodology employed in the development of the report card and candidate assessment follows.  If you have any questions, please contact CARS.   

The Process included the following steps: 

Step 1: Question Development and Means of Evaluation

o        The CARS Committee generated a list of key issues that face School Boards, School Board Members and school systems in general.  These topics were derived from a number of sources—including but not limited to education related literature, dialogue with education experts and a workshop on School Board Membership held at the University of Maryland in January.  This process began in May.   

o        Once the topics were determined, CARS produced a series of questions for each topic. Again, a number of sources were employed in this step, including but not limited to research from other school systems as well as those sources stated above. Additionally, a number of educators were asked to submit questions.  Lastly, CARS members’ proposed questions as well.  Each topic and its related questions were debated until a final list was generated. 

o        Once the final list of questions was developed, CARS set about to establish an answer for each question that would demonstrate a level of understanding.  To accomplish this a set of “keywords” for each question was compiled.  The keywords were gleaned from a “brainstorming” session with two former Board members and a number of former/current teachers and administrators.   

o        The final step in developing the matrix for assessing answers was to determine what the degree of a “quality answer” and the depth of the “level of knowledge.” The matrix was generated through dialogue amongst the CARS Committee. Once completed an evaluation sheet was developed to serve as a means of reporting, organizing and assessing candidate responses.   

Step 2:  Interview Invitations and Completion

o        Each candidate, as identified by the Prince George’s County Board of Education was conducted via letter and email and asked to interview on one of three dates, each held at a different site.  Candidates were asked to sign up for time slots.  A second invitation was sent to those who did not initially respond. The CARS Candidate Guide has a list of those who did not participate in the interviews.   

o        District-based candidates were asked nine questions while at-large candidates were asked an additional question. The actual questions are attached as an appendix.  Each candidate was granted three minutes per question.  In most cases, two interviewers were present.  

Step 3: Candidate Assessment and Production of the Report Card

Candidate assessments were based on the following criteria:

1)     Relevant experience

o        One of the first actions of CARS was to obtain the stated duties of members of the Board of Education.  From there, a list of relevant experiences that would come into play as a School Board Member was determined and divided into three categories (education, administration and finance).  CARS viewed those three areas germane to the duties the stated duties of a Board member.  This category was further sub-divided to account for a candidate’s educational and occupational experience.  

o        A second consideration was the candidates involvement in schools, their history of community activism and their experience as a leader.  To determine this, CARS collected candidate campaign literature and biographical sketches. Additionally, candidates were asked to discuss all experience relevant to Board membership. 

2)     Interview Responses

o        Each candidate who participated sat for a face-to-face interview.  Candidates were not permitted to use notes and no prepared responses were used nor were they allowed.  Unlike some of the other paper  interviews conducted which asked candidates to submit written responses, the nature of the CARS inquiry necessitated that candidates speak “from the mind and the heart” and be able to articulate their answers and demonstrate their knowledge on the spot, much like they might be expected to during a Board meeting.   

o        Candidate responses were noted, summarized and answers were graded on the basis of Quality of Answer and Level of Knowledge.  Two steps were taken to help reduce subjectivity—first, the establishment of the aforementioned list of “keywords” that were deemed to comprise a “quality” answer.  Secondly, after the interviews, the interviewers shared their evaluations of each candidate and a consensus was formed as to the quality of answer and level of knowledge demonstrated during the interview only.  Only responses during the interview were included in the assessment of the response.   

3)     Summary Statement and Final Assessment

o        After the completion of the three rounds of interviews, CARS convened in order to allocate a final assessment of each candidate and to collaborate on the Summary Statement for each candidate. 

o        The Summary Statement contained an overview of the candidate and focused on three areas:

1)     a candidates experiences—educational, occupational, activism, school involvement and leadership—that CARS concluded were important to membership on the Board of Education. 

2)     The second component of the summary statement focused on the candidates stated responses from the interview and a general overview of select policy views and an assessment of their policy-related strength(s) and if applicable, weakness(es). 

3)     Lastly, each summary statement discusses the candidate in his or her entirety, focusing on their assets and potential contributions to the Board. 

o        The Final Assessment was based on two factors: One, the candidates background and experiences; and two, the candidates knowledge of key policy issues as indicated by their interview.  Each candidate was brought before the CARS Committee, their merits, experiences, interview responses, assets and potential as a Board Member discussed before a general consensus was reached as to their ranking as highly qualified, qualified, minimally qualified or not qualified. 
 

Appendix A: List of Questions

(Two categories: Board-related and Policy Issues) 

A. The Candidate as a (potential) Board Member

EXPERIENCE:

What educational and practical experience do you have which would qualify you to perform the duties of a school board member?   

VISION

A) What is your vision for the PGCPS?

B) What is the role of the school board in developing a vision for the school system? 

SCHOOL BOARD AS EMPLOYER:

How do you as a school board member plan to keep abreast of current educational trends, issues, etc.? 

ETHICS:

What should happen to board members and executive staff members who engage in unethical behavior and bring dishonor to the school board or cause parents and citizens to be concerned about their fitness to represent them? 

AT LARGE CANDIDATES ONLY:

A) What does it mean to you to be an at-large school board member?

B) How do you plan to address the needs of individual schools?   

B. Policy Issues

STANDARDS:

A) How do you determine whether the schools are succeeding?

B) Where should we place the responsibility for school success? 

COLLABORATION:

A) Who do you see as key stakeholders who have the ability to make contributions to the PGCPS?

B) How can they contribute and how will you enlist their support? 

CLIMATE:

Teacher retention and recruitment continue to be issues for the PGCPS. Why do these challenges persist and how would you address these issues? 

SCHOOL BOUNDARY POLICY:

What impact does school boundary planning have on the future effectiveness of the school system? 

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT:

A) What is your assessment of the current level of parental involvement?

B) What kind of plan do you have for strategic parental involvement?

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At-Large: (13 of 17 candidates interviewed)

            Four candidates from the field will represent the county on the Board of Education. This is a crowded field comprising several worthy candidates. CARS’ rankings of the Candidates are as follows (listed by assessment, alphabetically):  

Did not interview: Deborah C. Driver; Tony Lee; Larry C. Reid  

The District Races               

District 1: (3 of 4 candidates interviewed)

            One candidate from the four will be elected to the Board. In our estimation, this is a competitive race between three candidates. CARS’ rankings of the Candidates are as follows (listed by assessment, alphabetically):

Did not interview:  George Gates

District 2: (1 Candidate, Amber Waller, of 4 interviewed)

            One candidate from the five will be elected to represent District 2 on the School Board.  CARS views this as a two-horse race between Amber Waller and Heather Illiff. Ms. Heather Illiff (District 2) was not able to interview but did send CARS literature concerning her candidacy. She appears to be a solid candidate but was not evaluated by CARS given that she did not interview. On the whole, this District offers the least promising pool of candidates.  CARS’ rankings of the Candidates are as follows (listed by assessment, alphabetically):

Did not interview: Heather Illiff, Fred Nordhorn, Jacques Chevalier 

District 3: (2 of 5 candidates interviewed)

            One candidate of the five will represent District 3 on the School Board. This race should be competitive. CARS’ rankings of the Candidates are as follows (listed by assessment, alphabetically):

Did not interview: James Duncan; Pat Fletcher; Regina L. Williams 

District 4: (7 of 9 candidates interviewed)

            One candidate of the nine will represent District 4 on the School Board. District 4 contains the strongest field of candidates among the district races. The race should be highly contested among the several candidates. CARS’ rankings of the Candidates are as follows (listed by assessment, alphabetically):

Mr. Steve Thompson sat for an interview, which was cut short due to time constraints and did not return for a follow-up interview.   

Did not interview: JoAnn Fisher; Sue Ellen McGinnis 

District 5: (4 of 9 interviewed)

            One candidate from the field of nine will represent District 5 on the Board of Education. This representation, from CARS’ vantage point, is a two-candidate race, though several of the candidates were not interviewed. CARS’ rankings of the Candidates are as follows (listed by assessment, alphabetically):

Did not interview: David N. Bass; Sharon Howard; Emerson DeWitt Ruth; Belinda J. Smith 

For more information, please contact Edward E. Smith H/O 301-894-9410, (Mobile) 301-751-8139 or felliesmith@aol.com.

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Summary Statement Reports for District 1

Summary Statement for Ms. Rosalind Johnson

Ms. Rosalind Johnson is a retired teacher who taught in the PGCPS for over thirty years. Along the way, Ms. Johnson held the position of President of the Prince George’s County Federation of Teachers and is a current member of the Citizens Advisory Committee for the County Re-Development Authority. She also has been actively involved in a number of civic associations. 

Ms. Johnson has a well-developed platform that focuses on building relationships within the school system and restoring trust at all levels. As a teacher and president, she has demonstrated her ability to work effectively with others and will bring that trait to the Board.   

As she noted during her interview, part of her vision builds on this notion of relationships and trust as she seeks to incorporate community-based school plans and increase parental involvement.  Ms. Johnson wants to establish one standard of measurement to determine achievement and was miffed that teachers were only minimally involved in the development of current measures. With her vast knowledge of the classroom and the issues teachers face, Ms. Johnson is very familiar with the issue of teacher recruitment and retention. Her primary concern is that PGCPS hire certified teachers and that once hired, teachers receive support to learn the craft and gain certification (if necessary). Her understanding of boundary policy confirms that she has done her homework on the issues. While not overwhelming, her responses to the collaboration and parental involvement were consistent in her stance that the PGCPS must reach out to all parties who have a stake in the success of our children. 

As a candidate Ms. Johnson brings an inside knowledge of the PGCPS, a proven record of educational and community engagement, and key insight into the classroom experience facing both teachers and students. Those assets outweigh her one shortcoming—developing a greater level of expertise in select policy areas.  Nevertheless, her track record suggests that as a board member her eagerness to serve and willingness to learn will lead to the required knowledge base within a short period of time. Ms. Johnson fulfills the criteria set forth by CARS and is viewed as a qualified candidate.   

Website: http://www.homepage.mac.com/rjohn826771/personal20.html

Assessment: Qualified

Summary Statement for Ms. Robin Barnes Shell 

An attorney, a mother, an Ombudsman and a mediator, Ms. Barnes Shell has worn a number of hats that have fostered a skill set that is conducive to serving on the School Board. As an attorney she has served as a mediator for the District Court and has engaged in pro-bono work for children with special needs. In her present work as Ombudsman for the Howard County School System she knows firsthand the policies and processes that govern the educational arena. Her unique skills set would offer the Board a degree of expertise across a number of salient areas.             

Ms. Barnes Shell’s campaign slogan, “Children matter,” resounded in her articulation of her vision for PGCPS. She promotes a safe and nurturing learning environment, smaller classrooms, teacher retention and recruitment, and investment in both teachers and students as elements essential to building a successful school system. Ms. Barnes Shell clearly understands the duties of the Board and seeks to support the CEO and the faculty and staff of PGCPS.  Across all policy areas, Ms. Barnes Shell demonstrated keen insight into policy issues and solutions. She discussed a strategic plan for parental involvement and will work to build consensus among stakeholders.            

Ms. Barnes Shell brings a unique and bountiful set of skills, along with a refreshing and positive attitude as a candidate. But it is quite clear that Ms. Barnes Shell has a passion for children and sincerely holds true to her campaign motto. Given her strong record, unique skill set and passion for children, CARS sees Ms. Robin Barnes Shell as a highly qualified candidate for the school board.  

Website: http://www.RobinShell.com

Assessment: Highly Qualified

Summary Statement for Dennis Whitley

Attorney Dennis Whitely is the parent of two county students and a product of county schools himself.  As one of the younger candidates running, Whitley offers himself as a person with fresh ideas for looking at and approaching problem issues. One such key issue addressed was the need for more creative approaches to encourage parental involvement.   

Whitley brought up the need to emphasize teacher retention, truancy and student discipline.  He mentions withholding a driver’s license as a means of exercising leverage in order to encourage proper conduct, etc. 

Mr. Whitley said that too much emphasis is being placed on teaching to the test.  He did not, however, offer an alternative approach. He also offers his legal skills as being available to craft legislation and provide mediation.   

The interviewers were unclear as to how well Mr. Whitley understood the boundary issues, or standards issues such as alternative approaches to “high stakes” testing.  

We rate Mr. Whitely as a qualified candidate for the county board of education.   

Assessment: Qualified

Summary Statement Reports for District 2

Summary Statement for Ms. Amber Waller 

Ms. Amber Waller touts herself as a “proven leader who cares.” Based on her record of parental involvement and community activism, there appears to be a degree of truth to her proclamation. An executive administrator by trade, Ms. Waller has actively engaged her community, serving as president for both the PTA and the 8^th Precinct Civic Association, and being elected to the Democratic Central Committee. She is also a member of the Prince George’s County Multicultural Alliance.   

Her record, notwithstanding her familiarity with substantive issues, proved lacking during her interview. Her stated platform lists policymaking, accountability, decision making, raising test scores, public safety as key components of her candidacy. While those seem reasonable, there was no clear indication of a plan to make good on her vision. Her responses in the standards, collaboration, and boundary policy areas suggested a limited knowledge of the areas. Her strengths clearly lie in what she knows and has lived—parental involvement. Her insight into the workings of the PTA was impressive and offers a unique asset to the board of education. 

The consensus was that Ms. Waller would make an excellent candidate for the state PTA, but concerns over policy familiarity raise questions that cast a shadow over whether the same can be said regarding school board membership. Given that she was the only candidate from District 2 that interviewed (CARS did receive written correspondence from fellow candidate Heather Illiff), it is difficult to judge Ms. Waller against her peers. With her experience for PTA and her strong record of community activism ranking by far as her strongest attributes, but her knowledge-base on key issues being somewhat limited, CARS views Ms. Waller as a qualified candidate for the school board.

Website: http://www.amberwaller.com

Assessment: Qualified

Summary Statement Reports for District 3

Summary Statement for Judy Mickens-Murray 

Judy Mickens-Murray is a candidate for the seat on the School Board for the 3^rd District.  Presently she serves as an appointed member of the school board. Mickens-Murray does not possess a college degree. She does have a strong management/accounting background based on her career as a federal government employee. Presently she works as an administrative officer for the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. Mickens-Murray has a strong record of work with the PTA. On the Board, she serves as chair of the Master Plan Committee and implemented the Parent Teaching Assistance Program.   

Ms. Mickens-Murray interview with CARS illustrates the familiarity with key issues that has developed with her experience in the PTA and on the current appointed board. Her strongest responses were tied to collaboration and boundary policy. Mickens-Murray wants to continue to build partnerships with business and parents and is adamant that the PGCPS system must reach out to potential stakeholders. She is very comfortable with the nuances of boundary policy and maintains that ethical violations must be dealt with severely. Her vision promotes a need for quality education for all students and she lists resources and policy as key components of fulfilling that objective. 

Ms. Mickens-Murray blends experience as a parent activist with a solid understanding of the policy issues and processes that characterize membership on the Board. Clearly her present tenure as an appointed board member has buoyed her candidacy for a seat on the forthcoming elected Board.  Her lack of formal training aside, CARS views Ms. Mickens-Murray as a highly qualified candidate for the school board. 

Website: http://www.mickensmurray.com 

Assessment: Highly Qualified

Summary Statement for Fred Price

Fred Price is a long-time county resident, a parent and grandparent of children who have graduated or are presently attending PGCPS. Retired from the federal government, where he worked for the Department of the Treasury, Mr. Price holds a degree in social work from Bowie State University. This District 3 candidate has an extensive record of community activism and school involvement. Mr. Price has worked with the PTA at a number of schools, been an active member of civic associations and the Town Council of Cheverly. As he says, he has years of service and of “getting it done.”  

Mr. Price views himself as a candidate of the people. His interview with CARS displayed his commitment to community and parent involvement. As stated above, Mr. Price’s work with PTA’s and with schools such as Fairmont Heights has generated a great deal of knowledge on the workings of the system. In his remarks he demonstrated a command of the duties of the Board and stated that he envisions his role as a Board Member as supporting the CEO. A disciple of the Comer process, Mr. Price produced strong answers across many policy areas, especially parental involvement, standards, collaboration and teacher retention and recruitment. His responses were well thought out and centered on community involvement. He advocates school-based management, building partnerships with stakeholders and “total community involvement” as fundamental to improving PGCPS. Mr. Price was able to speak to the issues at hand; his answers were excellent in quality and moderate to strong in level of knowledge. 

Mr. Price does not portend to be an expert in all issues salient to educating our children, he stated as much during his interview. His strengths lie in his passion for educating children and desire, backed up by years of activism, to get parents and the larger community to participate in the education of the county’s children. His presence on the Board would serve as a voice of the people and would also represent an “Old School” flavor. Mr. Price is a consensus builder with a history of activism. While he does not claim to be an expert on education, he demonstrated a laudable but not expert-level knowledge base on key policy issues. Mr. Price offers a much needed voice on the Board of Education. CARS views Mr. Price as a qualified candidate for the Board of Education based on his record as a community activist. 

Assessment: Qualified

Summary Statement Reports for District 4

Summary Statement for Mr. Steve Morris

Mr. Steve Morris is a candidate for the board in education in District 4. Mr. Morris, a retired teacher and administrator, currently is program director for FOCUS (For Our Children’s Unity School). His experience in the field of education goes back 30 years and covers a broad range of capacities. His years of service give him an insider’s view of the PGCPS, especially on issues pertaining to teaching. His activities outside the classroom are somewhat limited. 

Mr. Morris displayed a solid understanding of the duties of the board during his interview.  He hit on a number of educational buzz words when expressing his vision—discipline and safety, reducing class size, preparing for HSA’s and increasing parental involvement. His strongest responses related to teacher retention/recruitment—a subject he clearly displays mastery of—and parental involvement, where he spoke to the reasons why parents were not involved and offered a strategic plan to reverse the pattern. On both ethics and his plan for staying informed of key issues, Mr. Morris indicated that he is steadfast in his commitment to ethics and that he, as a lifelong educator, has a history of learning and will continue to do so.   

With his background in education as both a teacher and administrator, Mr. Morris possesses keen insight into the challenges of educating our children here in PGCPS. His experience, combined with a solid understanding of policy issues, especially in the important areas of teacher retention/recruitment and parental involvement, suggests that he would be an asset to the board.   

As such, CARS views Mr. Morris as a highly qualified candidate for the school board.   

Assessment: Highly Qualified

Summary Statement for Mr. Timothy Pollard

Timothy Pollard, Sr. is a candidate from the 4^th District for the school board. Mr. Pollard states that he has earned an Associate’s Degree and that he currently works as a liaison officer for Vinnell Arabia. Mr. Pollard is also a veteran. He has a track record of school involvement and community activism in District 4, particularly via his work with the PTA. Mr. Pollard is a certified trainer for the national PTA, one of a handful in the state of Maryland. He is also the father of 2 PGCPS students.   

Mr. Pollard’s expressed vision was narrow, as he only mentioned that he wants a “competitive” school system and for students to matriculate to college. A common theme throughout his interview was the difficulty articulating the knowledge he possesses. His answers did not always speak to the question and he did not follow up with a strategic plan to improve upon policy issues, for example, stakeholder collaboration. That Mr. Pollard is committed to students and has a moderate understanding of the policy issues is not in question—instead it is the absence of a thoroughly constructed platform and plan of implementation that raises concerns. Even with his experience with PTA’s, he did not reveal a strategic plan to increase parental involvement nor stakeholder participation. His strongest response came in the form of boundary policy, where Mr. Pollard’s work on the issue in the past translated into both a sound grasp of the issue and the solutions needed to deal responsibly with the policy.    

Mr. Pollard’s sole asset is his experience in parental involvement. Yet, it is unclear how that experience will play out as a member of the Board. He clearly is to be commended for his work with PGCPS. At this time CARS views Mr. Pollard as a minimally qualified candidate for the school board.   

Assessment: Minimally Qualified

Summary Statement for Ms. Minerva Sanders

Minerva M. Sanders is a candidate in the 4th district. Ms. Sanders resides in Clinton, and is a federal government employee. She has attended several colleges, but does not claim a degree. 

Ms. Sanders was well known in educational circles when she served as chair of the County Council of PTAs. She is currently vice president of the newly formed Potomac Charter School. 

This was not an impressive interview because it was difficult to get answers that were directed to the responsibilities of the school board. While she responded cogently to the questions related to collaboration, she did not give an informative response to our queries of her vision for the future of the school system. She also did not provide much detail on how to go about achieving school success. Surprisingly, we did not find her responses regarding parental involvement to be especially well thought out. 

As a citizen, Ms. Sanders has spent a significant amount of time in the educational arena. She was not, however, very well prepared to present compelling explanations of  the responsibilities of the school board. 

We rate Ms. Sanders as a minimally qualified candidate. 

Assessment: Minimally Qualified

Summary Statement for Dr. G. Jerome Smith

Dr. G. Jerome Smith is a semi-retired dentist who formerly worked as an accountant and auditor.  He has served on the county Revenue Authority.  He offers these financial skills as a unique asset for school board membership. His civic involvement includes serving as a president of his civic association and a five-year tenure as treasurer of the National Dental Association. 

He has a grown child and is a widower. The relevance here is to his assertion that he has time to spare and is willing to give a lot of time to school board work. He said he sees the board position as a full time job and the availability of a member as a major issue. 

Dr. Smith appears low-key and affable. He demonstrated that he has done a lot of research on school system issues as evidenced by his discussion of the laws and policies that school systems must live by. He was very conversant with the No Child Left Behind mandates.   

Smith places emphasis on the proper raising of children by their parents. He spoke to the need to engage parents and also deal effectively with discipline and truancy. With his unique skill set and knowledge of policy, CARS views Dr. G. Jerome Smith as a highly qualified candidate.  

Assessment: Highly Qualified

 

Summary Statement for Mr. Zeno St. Cyr

Mr. St. Cyr is an extremely active father of a county high school student and the president of his homeowner’s association. He has worked on lots of boards and is very much involved with bringing the business community into collaboration with the schools. Much of his professional experience is as a health care administrator. He currently works as a Congressional liaison. 

Mr. St. Cyr says that his interest in education is rooted in the fact that he comes from a family of educators. He does not believe that the county is attacking the truancy issue. He says the county must try harder to engage parents. His major focus is to find new and better ways to improve parental involvement. He sees better use of technology as key to out of the box thinking.  He would also urge using homeowners associations to help get information to parents.    

Mr. St. Cyr cites many situations that he has been in that required groups of people to come together in a collaborative manner. 

Mr. St. Cyr meets all of CARS’ key criteria; therefore, we consider him highly qualified as a school board candidate. 

Assessment: Highly Qualified

Summary Statement for Linda Thomas

Ms. Linda Thomas is a candidate for the School Board in District 4. She is a lifelong educator who has been both a teacher and principal in a number of school systems, including here in Prince George’s County. She has meshed her professional experiences as an educator with a strong record of school involvement and community activism. In addition, Ms. Thomas is a member of professional associations, including the National Association for the Education of Young Children.   

Ms. Thomas’ over twenty years’ time in the classroom and in an administrative capacity were on display during her interviews. Her responses to the questions demonstrated both a thorough understanding of the issue and a well thought out plan of action. Her answers were viewed as moderate to excellent across all policy areas in both quality of answer and level of knowledge. On occasion, for example with climate, her level of knowledge surpassed the quality of her answer, yet it is clear that she is very informed across a number of policy issues. Her areas of “expertise” appear to lie in parental involvement, stakeholder collaboration and boundary policy.  Her service in the classroom and in administration suggests that standards and teacher retention/recruitment are also potential strengths.   

Ms. Thomas has as strong an educational background as any candidate, a testament to her career as an educator. The move from the classroom to the principal’s office promises that Ms. Thomas understands the myriad issues at play in the school building. Her expertise would serve the Board well in areas such as standards and teacher retention and recruitment.  

With her track record in education and knowledge of policy and process, CARS declares Ms. Thomas a highly qualified candidate for the school board. 

Assessment: Highly Qualified

Summary Statement Reports for District 5

Summary Statement for Katie Costello

Attorney Katie Costello is a 48 year resident of Prince George’s County. She completed her B.A. degree in Para-legal studies and her law degree at the University of Maryland. She worked in the Prince George’s Office of law for eight years including a stint as an Associate County Attorney. For the last nine years, she has been an attorney for the federal government. She has extensive mediation experience, which she offers as a value added for school board work. 

Her community service includes volunteering in county middle and high schools through various bar association programs and participating in the Principal for a Day program. She has worked in the schools with Moot Court t raining. She comes from a large family and speaks about school climate and related matters through her experiences in assisting younger family members. 

Costello expressed a clear vision for the schools involving cleanliness, discipline, proper preparation for college, vocational training for those going to work after high school, Additionally, her experience as a former county official has heightened her awareness of how things work in the county. She presents “C’s to Success” which constitutes seven topical areas running from Comprehensive educational program through Character development. 

Ms. Costello was comfortable answering all of our questions cogently with a thoughtful response based on systematic approaches such as researching best practices in whatever endeavor one is undertaking. Her clear understanding of the issues, her record of civic activeness, and her legal and mediation skills make her highly qualified to be a member of the board of education. 

Website: http://www.hometown.aol/katiecostello2006/costello2006.html 

Assessment: Highly Qualified

Summary Statement for Dr. Tonya Jefferson

Dr. Jefferson presents herself as a solid, but not spectacular, candidate for the Board. An educator with experience with ESOL and curriculum development, she offers skills that would serve the board well. 

Dr. Jefferson demonstrates an understanding of the duties of the board and a vision that centers on educational equity for all students. Dr. Jefferson is also familiar with state and federal testing mandates. Her primary prescription for recruiting quality teachers is to offer increased incentives. She lacks a strategic plan to enlist stakeholder involvement. Her overall answers were viewed as moderate in terms of quality and level of knowledge. 

CARS views Dr. Jefferson as a qualified candidate for the School Board.

Website: http://www.jeffersonliberty.com/blog

Assessment: Qualified

Summary Statement for Mr. Owen Johnson

As a lifelong resident and educator in Prince George’s County, Mr. Johnson possesses keen insight into the culture, the challenges and the promise of the county and in particular the school system and its students. He has a formidable resume as a public servant, both as an employee of the Board and in private life. Mr. Johnson has served in a number of capacities within the school system from teacher to dean of students to administrator.   

His answers during the CARS interview demonstrate the knowledge and insight he has gained over the course of his career. Across all areas--that of a Board member and in policy issue-- Mr. Johnson offered well-rounded and informed responses. His areas of strengths include teacher recruitment and retention, collaboration and parental involvement. Mr. Johnson also displays a sound understanding of boundary policy, which was an area of concern for many of those interviewed. One concern lies in his stated view of aligning curriculum with high stakes testing—which potentially could promote teaching to the test. Mr. Johnson is ardent that community involvement is critical to school success. 

His knowledge of the system and history of leadership and commitment are primary reasons why CARS identifies Mr. Johnson as a highly qualified School Board candidate. 

Website: www.VoteOwenJohnsonJr.com 

Assessment: Highly Qualified

Summary Statement for Dr. Peggy Valentine 

Dr. Peggy Valentine, a retired teacher from the Montgomery County Public School system, is a career educator whose experiences reach across several aspects of the education arena. Dr. Valentine is presently an administrator of a pre-College program at Howard University. In past years she has worked in the fields of human resources, curriculum development and teacher training. Her considerable experience ranks as her strongest asset in the contest for the School Board. She has a modest track record of community activism. 

Dr. Valentine’s vision is to increase the performance level of PGCPS. She cites increased numbers of certified teachers, staff development, greater parental involvement, and better use of resources as means to reach this objective. She envisions the Board as a vehicle to change policy in order to address needs of the system, suggesting she will be an activist board member if elected.  Dr. Valentine did not indicate that she is familiar with the stated duties of the Board.   

Dr. Valentine’s responses to the questions indicate that there is work to be done in terms of grasping the complexities of the many issues facing the next Board. She displayed a general knowledge but often answered the questions in terms of how she solved problems than in visualizing how she would work with the other board members to solve the county's problems. Her stronger responses pertained to stakeholder collaboration and standards. 

Dr. Peggy Valentine is a charming person and obviously loves teaching and children, but CARS is not convinced that her expertise in those areas would translate well into the board arena.  At this time CARS views Dr. Valentine as a qualified candidate for the School Board, a ranking largely based on her teaching experience and knowledge of the classroom.  

Website: http://www.pavalentine.homestead.com 

Assessment: Qualified

Summary Statement Reports for At Large Candidates

Summary Statement for Ms. Donna Hathaway-Beck

Ms. Donna Hathaway Beck has been a longtime advocate for education in Prince George’s County. She holds an Associate’s degree. A familiar face in the county’s educational arena, Ms. Hathaway Beck, a mother of four children who attended county schools, sat on 3 superintendent search committees, a Title IX Advisory committee, and on the Task Force on Governmental Operations and Efficiency. These experiences, combined with her service as a PTA member and a member of the Parent and Community Advisory Board, provide Ms. Hathaway Beck with keen insight into the policy and process that govern the PGCPS.   

She articulates a desire to make the Board more accessible to the larger community while also demonstrating that she is fully aware of the duties of the Board. On the policy issues (standards, teacher retention/recruitment, boundary policy and collaboration), Ms. Hathaway Beck’s responses indicated a familiarity with many of the key issues facing the PGCPS. Her emphasis lies in building relationships between the key principles involved in educating our children—the Board, the community, parents, students and school personnel. Her statement regarding the need for the Board and the County Council to work together suggests that her presence would be one amiable to consensus building and collaboration.   

One of her strengths lies in her knowledge of the workings of the school board, which would make her a positive influence among some perhaps less experienced members. Of concern is her past resistance to programs intended to target select populations in need of attention. Ms. Hathaway Beck, with her proven dedication to the county schools and excellent grasp of the issues confronting the school board and some good ideas on what to do about them, meets the criteria established by CARS; thus, CARS views her as a highly qualified candidate for the Prince George’s County School Board.   

Website: www.hathawaybeck.com 

Assessment: Highly Qualified

 

Summary Statement for Dr. Alicia Darensbourg

Dr. Darensbourg possesses many strong assets that would make her a sound choice for the Board.  Her combined educational and occupational experiences serve to provide her, and as such the Board, with insight into many of the key areas that govern the docket of the Board. Dr. Darensbourg’s knowledge of policy and her management experience are her strong suits. She comes across as very sincere about wanting change and also as very informed about the issues.  Her work with the National Assessment of Educational Progress is noteworthy and a potentially valuable asset to the Board. 

Dr. Darensbourg’s responses during her interview were well-informed and thorough. In each policy she areas she demonstrated command of the key issues and offered a plan of action.  While all of her answers graded out as excellent in both quality of answer and level of knowledge, CARS was particularly impressed with her response to the collaboration and parental involvement questions.  Dr. Darensbourg promotes showcasing the positive of the PGCPS as a way to counter-balance some of the negative coverage the system receives.  As for parental involvement, Dr. Darensbourg understands the factors that lead to parental non-involvement and has a strategic plan to engage parents.   

With a proven record of policy design and implementation and her drive to learn more about issues, Dr. Darensbourg would bring a professional and compassionate voice that offers fresh ideas to the Board. If there is a weakness, her record suggests a relative lack of grassroots involvement in the county.  Nevertheless, the CARS views Dr. Darensbourg as a key player in Prince George’s County in the years to come, and strongly agrees with her campaign motto—[that she is] “Qualified to Lead and Ready to Serve.”  

Website: http://www.MoreProgressNow.org 

Assessment: Highly Qualified

Summary Statement for Ms. Carletta Fellows

Ms. Fellows possesses a solid background as an educator with experience both in the classroom and in curriculum development.  Both offer her an inside knowledge of the educational process.   

Across most areas she provides a sound understanding of the key issues germane to the PGCPS. Her responses on parental involvement and teacher retention and recruitment were outstanding.  While her intellect and knowledge serve as key assets, one area of concern is a lack of experience with certain areas, particularly leadership.    

Ms. Fellows is a promising future leader who would bring a sharp mind to the board. Not quite ready to step in and be an effective Board member. She would be committed to educational improvement whether as a Board Member or not. She meets the base criteria established by CARS and is viewed as a qualified candidate for the School Board. 

Website: www.thefriendsofcarlettafellows.org 

Assessment: Qualified

Summary Statement for Dr. Kenneth Fox

Dr. Fox offers a strong background in many areas—education, finance, legal, sciences, special education. Dr. Fox’s focus is on several areas and would provide a “nuts and bolts” presence on the Board.  Dr. Fox is a semi-retired attorney with time to devote to the duties of the Board.  

He has an excellent resume with especially strong fiscal and special education knowledge. Weaknesses pertained to teacher retention and recruitment, boundary, policy and ethics, while his parental involvement strategic plan is solid. He also had a well-designed plan to represent the county as an At-Large candidate. 

Dr. Fox meets the criteria established by CARS; therefore, CARS views Dr. Fox as a qualified candidate for the School Board.     

Assessment: Qualified

Summary Statement for Jeana Jacobs

Ms. Jacobs brings to the table several assets that would serve the Board well.  An attorney who has worked with the Department of Corrections in a number of capacities, Ms. Jacobs has acquired administrative experience as well as an understanding of the juvenile justice system.  Both transfer over nicely to the skills and knowledge base required of  Board member.  Ms. Jacobs has also served as president of a union (Department of Corrections) and thus has familiarity with collective bargaining and labor management.  Her leadership skills are an asset as well.  Furthermore Ms. Jacobs serves as a Hearing Examiner for the PGBOE, a position in which she advises the Board on legal issues pertaining to student discipline.  

Ms. Jacobs interview responses reveal that a knowledge-base on policy issues commensurate with her resume does not exist.  Her three-pronged vision resonates nicely with areas of concern with PGCPS, yet her other responses demonstrate a moderate to cursory level of understanding.  When asked about how to measure school success she focused on teacher certification, albeit an important component of the equation, but she did not speak to the current state and federal testing mandates.  With teacher retention/recruitment, collaboration and boundary policy Ms. Jacobs produced answers suggestive of a familiarity with the issues but by no means demonstrative of a comfort level one should expect of a Board member. Her parental involvement answer, in large part due to her work with the Board as a Hearing Examiner, offered that we must reach out to parents.     

Ms. Jacobs’ assets, primarily pertaining to her career experiences, are countered by concerns involving her history of school involvement and community activism, as well as an at times cursory knowledge of key issues related to education.  The Committee regards Ms. Jacobs as a promising candidate that can grow in knowledge and experience while providing valuable attributes to the Board.   

Assessment: Qualified

Summary Statement for Ken Johnson

A former member of an elected School Board and current senior level manager at the US Department o