VanEck, Sally - Grandville Public schools
Are you an incumbent?
No
Brief Intro of Candidate
I have lived in Grandville for 40 years with my husband of 43 years. We have four children and 10 grandchildren, my children all Grandville graduates and five of my grandchildren will go through Grandville Schools. Having graduated from Kalamazoo Central high school, I attended Hope College, graduating with a BA in elementary education from MSU. Hired in 1994 by Grandville, I taught 6th grade science, math, and social studies. I chaired the 6th grade district science department for eight years, helped create the Ecobus curriculum, and began a Community Garden at East Elementary. I retired in 2015 and proceeded to open a small business which offered graphic design and screen printing services. Today I own Grand Rapids Pottery. By owning and operating both small businesses, I have now a firm grasp on the need for plans implemented, fiduciary responsibility and the hard work it takes to run a business. I am a proud life-long learner and enjoy facing new learning curves. I continue to participate in Grandville schools by working with the Amazing Shake program and I often work with the Transitions Region III students and staff.
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How would you engage and include parents, caregivers, community members and students in decision-making in your district around things like curriculum, budgeting and district policy?
Since these groups are the stakeholders in any school district, I would regularly invite any of these groups of people into a dialogue where they could have the freedom to express their thoughts, opinions, experiences and to ask questions. Whenever possible, I would encourage them to participate in subcommittees where they might also have greater impact in decisions made.
What are your thoughts on school discipline and the way it is exercised in your school district? What are your thoughts on restorative practices?
Having parented an adopted child who came to us at 10 years old, I have extensive experience with understanding children who have experienced great trauma in their lives. I employed in my classroom the techniques I learned in my personal adoption journey, that focus on de-escalation. This however, does not mean there are no consequences to inappropriate behavior. Rather, de-escalation more easily allows for a student to be restored into his/her/their learning environment once they’ve lived through a logical consequence, big or small. This form of restorative “discipline” honors the rules which must be in place for students and staff. If done well, it also allows the student to preserve their self worth and how their choices affect others more effectively as they are guided by a team of people who care for them.
What are your thoughts on how to improve student mental health
The solution to improving student mental health is multifaceted to say the least. As with all issues in a student’s life, the role of parents and home, friends, extracurricular activities, and then one of the greatest influencers in the students life, social media, all play a large and complicated part in the mental health of a child. Although school districts cannot affect all the different mental health influencers, there are steps school districts can take to nurture a healthier environment, at least while in school. The steps I’d encourage are: to hire much needed counseling staff to keep a pulse on those students who need that extra time and attention, form partnerships with mental health organizations, implement ongoing in-school educational events that spotlight how student to student interactions affect mental health and institute a strong school to home communication bridge. Together these actions create a firm statement to all involved that student mental health is vital. It’s essential for learning to occur and it is the start of truly effective school safety.
What are your thoughts on ways to improve Black student achievement in your district and in Michigan schools overall?
Improving Black student achievement more than not comes down to the details of how black at-risk students can receive academic remediation assistance. When I taught, my at-risk Black students faced the practical obstacles of who would stay after school to help them, who would provide a much needed after school snack and who would get them home? In my case, that was me. Their parents cared deeply but they had to work. It was their reality as it is with most parents.
As an institution, public schools need to have the funding made available so we can more systematically provide these academic remediation programs, including the practical needs of personnel, food needs and transportation. If partnered with a Black adult mentor, I am sure the achievement gap could be diminished.
What are your thoughts on how to ensure that all students and their families, regardless of race, gender identity, sexuality, disability, religion, income status, etc., feel safe and included in your district?
Although districts now face challenges to the changes made in Title IX which includes protections for the LGBTQ+ student population, I feel it’s imperative to emphatically state that there will be zero tolerance for harassment of any type in any form toward any student. Full stop. Also, pushing forth the changes to Title IX and pushing back against the Moms of Liberty law suit at the very least sends the message to all families that our schools are safe places for all.
Embracing IDEA laws, upholding the separation of Church and State per the US Constitution, and engendering an awareness especially amongst staff regarding Title I student data all serve to engage an atmosphere where acceptance is the hallmark of a school district.
What are your thoughts on how to recruit and retain staff, particularly staff of color, in your district with regard to pay, benefits, and working conditions?
The average salary of a teacher is barely enough to support a small family. Teachers now have to pay into health insurance plans from their meager wages. Most basic life insurance policies offered to staff do not even cover one year’s salary. And the pension system for most is now dependent on the expertise of a financial advisor rather than the security of a guaranteed plan. That being said, hardest factor for most teachers today are the outside factions that seek to tear down their noble intentions of teaching children and accusations of “polluting” students’ minds with college level theories and encouraging sexual tendencies. These conditions make retention of skilled teachers more difficult every year. On my wish list is a media campaign that celebrates and spotlights the role of teachers. Create a “media day” like sports figures have where teachers and what they do are recognized and revered. Although this is a publicity technique, it clearly works for pro and collegiate athletes who, as we all know, enjoy massive monetary contracts and bonuses. Might something like this help turn the public’s and subsequently lawmakers’ mind regarding school funding and teacher pay?
When I taught I was one of three people of color in our district; me being Asian and two other Black colleagues. This did not reflect by any measure our student population. School districts should seek teachers of color by partnering with schools of education, allowing these schools to present their brightest and best candidates of color along with the Caucasian graduates. Rather than simply”accepting” applications, a more direct recruiting approach would remind Human Resource offices that there is a wide open ocean of possibilities. Also, I suspect that many teaching candidates of color might be trepidatious about even applying to districts perceived as being “white and suburban”.
Once good teachers are hired there needs to be new teacher support programs that ensure these new teachers develop a sense of mastery of their subject and teaching skills. This followed by meaningful financial incentives including a living salary base which a family can actually live is essential to keeping good staff. Compensating staff who are willing to put in hours serving as extracurricular advisors, AV technicians, coaches and tutors on a schedule that reflects their expertise not just a warm body in the room.
Lastly, professional development and opportunities for staff to collaborate across the district and grade level is a vital element that generates collective excellence as well as supportive collaboration. Altogether it forms an environment that empowers and enables teachers, new and old.