In Newport News, three school board seats are up for this election. William L. Beverley, Rasheena D. Harris and John B. Bloom are running in the North district. The Central district race is between incumbent Rebecca Aman and Christopher A. Worthington. In the South district race, incumbent Maritsa Alger is running unopposed.
North District
William L. Beverley
Age: 55
Candidate’s job title/company: Retired educator, owner of Coach Beverley’s Driving School, LLC
Education: Master’s, Tennessee State University
Website: N/A
Student mental health has been a growing concern for parents and schools. How can school boards address the issue? Our students are among the most important resources we have in our nation. We must ensure that they have the opportunity to become the best version of themselves. Addressing mental help in our schools is vital. School districts should be able to provide on-time counseling to students. There should be a metric in place in our schools to assess if a child is in need of mental health services. This metric should be a part of the protocol to make that determination. Community mental health agencies should partner with our school systems. We must meet our students where they are and then assist them in their efforts to move forward.
Name one of the most pressing issues for your division and how you would address it? One of the most pressing issues is maintaining full accreditation without conditions in all of the schools. In 2022-23 school year, 39% of the schools in Newport News were granted accreditation with conditions. In comparison, only 10% of the schools in Hampton fell in that category. Hampton City Schools has implemented Wall to Wall Academies in all of their high schools. This implementation, along with the reimagining of how schools should operate and physically look, has allowed HCS to become one of the best school systems in the country. If I am elected, I would work with our school leaders, board members and city government to investigate the feasibility of implementing this model in NNPS.
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John B. Bloom
Age: 62
Candidate’s job title/company: Substitute teacher and ambassador at Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Education: Master’s, New York Institute of Technology
Military service: Officer U.S. Navy
Website: constitutionpartyva.org
Student mental health has been a growing concern for parents and schools. How can school boards address the issue? I would implement the guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Educate the students in their health education classes, educate teachers to spot warning signs of mental health issues in students and educate high school administrators and counselors to provide students with methods to address mental health issues before a crisis develops where a child would consider harming themselves or others. When I was in college in chorus a student committed suicide so this is very personal to me. There was no counseling afforded to students to address this issue in the 1980s when I went to Penn State Beaver Campus where this happened. Like President John F. Kennedy said, “A child miseducated is a child lost.”
Name one of the most pressing issues for your division and how you would address it? Sleeping in class — wake him up if he falls asleep and provide the name of the person sleeping to the class counselor and or assistant principal.
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Rasheena D. Harris
Age: 44
Candidate’s job title/company: Executive director of foster care, James Barry Robinson Institute
Education: Master’s, Boston University Graduate School of Education
Website: RHarris4SchoolBoard.com
Student mental health has been a growing concern for parents and schools. How can school boards address the issue? From being a substitute for Newport News Public Schools, having two children attending NNPS, having an extensive background in mental health, and listening to citizens while in the community this is what I gather: Additional school social workers are needed to address the social and emotional challenges that students and their families are facing. Hiring qualified family and community engagement specialists who can act as liaisons between teachers, parents, community and administrators will also aid in addressing the mental health and wellness of students. I think this is the beginning of a holistic approach in supporting, advocating and reestablishing trust between schools and families. The division should provide access to wraparound services such as therapeutic day treatments. Looking at the data around social media and its impacts on mental health in youth could also lend to solutions.
Name one of the most pressing issues for your division and how you would address it? The most pressing issue is recruitment and retention of qualified educators. Like most industries across the nation, the turnover rate has increased over the last few years, causing a rippling effect of challenges. There are some fearful first-year teachers, educators covering combined classrooms and a small substitute pool. The feedback from teachers, citizens and administrators has been the need for raises, retention bonuses for tenured staff, and/or a changed pay schedule where employees are paid bimonthly or every other week. I understand that raises need to happen over time to remain fiscally responsible to the overall budget. I would address the pay schedule to better support educators in the day-to day while securing funding options for routine raises and retention bonuses. Finding ways to hire and maintain the talent already within the division is priority.
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Central District
Rebecca Shwayder Aman
Age: 49
Candidate’s job title/company: Partner, Carney Patterson Meade PLC
Education: Juris Doctor, University of Virginia School of Law
Previous elected offices held: School Board
Website: rebeccaaman4schoolboard.com
Student mental health has been a growing concern for parents and schools. How can school boards address the issue? As an NNPS mom and School Board member, I understand the importance of addressing student mental health. Our School Board plays a crucial role in raising community and government awareness about the mental health challenges our students face and the resources they need. We actively support our superintendent and leadership in engaging qualified professionals to connect students and families with essential mental health services. In 2023, I identified a change in Virginia Medicaid’s mental health care approach that affected our ability to connect students with care. I addressed these concerns directly with the Virginia secretaries of Education and Health & Human Resources and attended the “Addressing Mental Health in Our Schools and on Our Campuses” conference at William & Mary to share our experience and efforts. I am committed to ensuring students have access to the resources they need.
Name one of the most pressing issues for your division and how you would address it? One of the most pressing issues for our division is achieving accreditation without conditions for all schools. While we have made significant strides in school safety, our focus now must shift to academic excellence across all grade levels. To address this challenge, NNPS is adopting new English and math curricula. I am confident that these changes will drive progress not only in K-8 but also in grades 9-12. Implementing new curricula, however, is a significant undertaking for our teachers and staff. Therefore, my efforts will focus on consistently reviewing results and gathering feedback to ensure the effectiveness of these changes. In addition, I will work to provide robust support for our educators, ensuring they have the resources and assistance needed to successfully implement the new curricula.
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Christopher Avery Worthington
Age: 50
Candidate’s job title/company: Instructor, University Instructors LLC
Education: Doctorate, Capella University
Website: dr-christopher-worthington-for-school-board.com
Student mental health has been a growing concern for parents and schools. How can school boards address the issue?
- Implementing comprehensive mental health education: Initiatives include integrating mental health lessons into the curriculum and conducting workshops for parents.
- Creating a supportive school environment: This includes promoting mental health awareness, encouraging student-led initiatives and establishing safe spaces for students.
- Training and supporting staff and educators: Providing professional development on mental health issues and creating peer support programs for students.
- Regular assessments and continuous improvement: Conducting surveys to assess student well-being and implementing feedback mechanisms for ongoing improvement.
- Emphasizing community involvement and communication: Engaging community leaders in discussions and ensuring clear communication about mental health initiatives with parents and stakeholders.
Name one of the most pressing issues for your division and how you would address it? In my opinion, the greatest issue facing my division revolves around salary. NNPS teachers and staff are paid monthly and, even more concerning, our compensation is not competitive! This teacher shortage crisis threatens the quality of education our students receive. I believe that engaging in collective bargaining is an effective solution to address this crisis. There are numerous benefits to collective bargaining and while I’ve outlined a few below, this list is by no means exhaustive.
- Recruitment and retention: Competitive salaries and benefits can attract and retain educators.
- Pay frequency changed: Teachers and staff are currently paid monthly. That’s the equivalent to living on a fixed income. Teachers and staff are struggling to make ends meet.
- Collaboration and communication: Involving teachers in decision-making fosters a sense of ownership and unity among staff.
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South District
Maritsa A. Alger
Age: 60
Candidate’s job title/company: Retired school principal
Education: Master’s, Hampton University
Previous elected offices held: School Board
Website: Maritsaalger.com
Student mental health has been a growing concern for parents and schools. How can school boards address the issue? There is a clear connection between mental health and academic performance. Students who perform well have greater coping skills and do a better job at handling stressful situations. Social media, bullying and trauma in communities increase student anxiety, self-harm, and disciplinary issues, including disengagement and lack of interest in learning. Well-researched and evidence-based strategies, policies, procedures and practices can foster healthy development and enhance the well-being of our students. We want empowering support systems and consistent routines that promote positive safe relationships, develop leadership qualities and invite our children to see a brighter future. I am committed to protecting and lobbying for funding, services and partnerships that support every child’s well-being and bring hope to our Newport News families and communities.
Name one of the most pressing issues for your division and how you would address it? Every child deserves to graduate achieving their personal best because they cannot afford to be unprepared for the future. We must continue to have a stronger push for academic opportunities the minute the child steps into the classroom. When schools are supported by all involved with urgency and excellence, we begin to see how shared responsibility increases staff morale and the achievement of all students. Stronger communication and the ability to effectively address school needs create a greater opportunity to reach more students. I will continue to advocate for policies that will strengthen literacy across the curriculum, expand early education and post-secondary workforce readiness, modernize our aging schools, support strong family-school relationships and focus on the achievement and well-being of children.
