Riverheads District: Page Hearn to challenge incumbent John Ward for school board seat
VERONA — Four of the Augusta County School Board’s seven seats will see their terms expire at the end of 2023. All four incumbents will be seeking reelection in November and three will see challengers.
The News Leader sent questionnaires to all seven candidates who filed by the June 20 deadline to be on the ballot. We are publishing those questions and the candidates’ answers this week. We will be writing more stories on the candidates as we approach November, but this is a first opportunity to learn more about those who are running for school board.
Occasionally, answers were lightly edited for clarity or to reduce redundancy. We believe all edits still fairly and accurately represent the candidates' remarks and the context of those remarks.
John Ward is the incumbent in the Riverheads District. A retired teacher and current pastor of the Raphine Christian Church, Ward will be seeking a third term on the board. He won his first term as a write-in candidate in November 2015.
Ward will be challenged by Page Hearn, owner and CEO of Queen City Strength in Staunton. Hearn is also the founder of Virginia Paws for Pits, a nonprofit dog rescue. Hearn called herself a “concerned parent who wants to be a voice for my community.”
What will be your top priorities if elected?
Ward: My priorities as a member of the school board are:
That we provide an opportunity for all of our students to receive an education that gives them the knowledge and skills to be gainfully employed, succeed in higher education and live a productive and meaningful life.
That we develop and retain staff that work toward the end of educating our students and inspires them to become productive and upright citizens of our communities.
That we maintain an educational system that is exemplary in providing good citizens to our county, fulfills our educational needs, and is fiscally sound for Augusta County citizens.
Hearn:
Improving transparency and communication through parental involvement in decisions that affect their children.
Provide more support and better pay to teachers and supportive staff.
Work to stop bullying by trying to find the root of the problem while getting everyone involved the help they need.
Do you have a background in education? If yes, what is the background?
Ward: I have been involved in education since 1972. I have taught in public school for 15 years. I taught at a private, Christian children's home. I have also served on various committees in the county when not employed in the school system.
Hearn: I am a graduate of Riverheads High School, a successful business owner, the founder and director of a non-profit, and a mother. How many of the current board members have a background in education? I think my background of being a parent should supersede a background in education. I am not trying to be a teacher or an administrator. My "job" is to represent my constituents and the best interest of our children.
What additional qualifications do you think make you a good school board candidate?
Ward: I have been actively involved in Riverheads school system for 46 years. I have been a parent. I have served as a volunteer. I was a teacher for 12 years at Riverheads High. I have been employed in agriculture finance and in residential and commercial finance. The experiences in those fields provide familiarity with budgeting. And I have served as minister of Raphine Christian Church for over 46 years.
My wife and I have raised three sons and parented three foster children. My life has been involved in all areas of dealing with youth and people.
Hearn: First and foremost, I am a parent. My husband and I have two children still in Augusta County Public Schools, two children that have already graduated, and we are currently in the adoption process. I have owned and operated Queen City Strength Gym since 2019. We are a small, family-owned business that supports service members and student athletes by offering free training and discounted rates.
With support from our community my husband and I provide 20-40 local children and their families with Thanksgiving and Christmas every year. I interview potential families, coordinate the meals, create the wish lists, find sponsors, coordinate and deliver everything, and follow up with ongoing needs throughout the year.
In 2012 I founded a non-profit organization, Virginia Paws for Pits. We are an all-volunteer foster based dog rescue, and to date we have saved just over 800 lives. I have also done mission work in Haiti and was the logistical coordinator for several of those trips. Through my business, non-profit, community service and mission work I have years of experience in planning, managing budgets and working with the public.
I have always been a voice for those who feel like they aren't being heard, and parents in Augusta County have not felt heard by our representatives for a long time. This feeling of being ignored needs to change. It starts this November by electing individuals, such as me, who will be a voice for parents and teachers.
l am excited to be able to work with parents and teachers to ensure we provide our children with a high quality education, and our teachers with the tools they need to be successful in that mission. I am fully vested in making positive changes to public education for all children of Augusta County Public Schools and I look forward to another opportunity to give back to my community.
What are the main issue(s) facing Augusta County Public Schools and/or public education in general? Why?
Ward: School systems as a whole are being affected seriously by the divisive influence we have in our culture today. We need to be sure that we keep a cooperative spirit in all that we do. That means we have to have a high level of trust in the people we are working with. We are blessed to have that locally, however, the problems other systems face can often be misconstrued by some to assume that we have those problems also.
Hearn: Parental rights are being challenged across the nation. We must be engaged in our children’s future, not excluded.
Our children need to spend less time parked in front of electronic devices and more time learning real life skills. We should be preparing them to become successful, passionate citizens and role models for future generations, not just preparing them for the next SOL test.
Teachers are barely making enough money to make ends meet and “forced” to purchase supplies for their classrooms while our superintendent makes [considerably more]. Money should be put back into the success of our schools and students. We need to make our students and teachers the number one priority of our school division.
The school board is supposed to represent the best interest of public education in a given division. This must be done with open questioning, research of issues and input from all major interests (parents, teachers, students, administrators) not simply based on directives from the superintendent.
Parental rights is a current topic discussed nationwide in public schools. How do you define parental rights? What rights do you believe parents don’t currently have in Augusta County Public Schools that they should have?
Ward: Parents have a right to raise and train their children. In a democratic society we have that freedom. Parents are responsible for the proper care and training of lives entrusted to them. If they fail to do so it then becomes a legal issue not an educational one.
Hearn: My definition of parental rights is the exclusive authority to make decisions on what is in the best interest of my child. No government entity, teacher, administrator, or school board representative should have authority above and beyond that of a parent or guardian.
Parents and guardians should also have easy access to all books, curricula, and materials that are taught in public schools. Parents and guardians need to be included in all decisions that involve their children and this requires transparency and working relationships with all parties involved.
Do you believe the current school board does a good job communicating with the public? If not, how would you improve it?
Ward: I believe that the board does a good job of communicating to the public in the fields that it is designed to be. The design of our board is such that it is a service position. It is not a group of employees. That is why we have to be careful to keep clear that it is not a political position. If we allow it to become political we will lose the integrity of what the school board role is.
Hearn: Absolutely not, one of the primary concerns I am hearing from the community is lack of communication from their current representative. I think having conversations with constituents is essential for the growth and success of our children and schools. If elected I will be hosting meetings to give everyone the opportunity to discuss their questions and concerns. This way we can work together to come up with ideas and solutions that will benefit our students.
What do you see as the board’s role and responsibilities?
Ward: The primary role of school boards in Virginia is to be responsible for seeing that the policies of the system are in accord with our local, state and national laws. The board is responsible for procuring and developing leadership staff that are capable and desirous of leading a general staff that will excel in instruction and guidance of our students. The board is also to assure that the school system is fiscally sound. The board's role is not to be involved in the day-to-day operations of the system.
Hearn: The board is elected to represent their constituents and ensure our children are receiving a high quality education and our teachers are receiving the support they need to be able to provide such education. They are elected to be a voice for parents, teachers, and students. Board members should make decisions based solely on the best interest of our children and not use them as political pawns for funding. We will not co-parent with the government.
Do you believe Augusta County Public Schools does a good job promoting diversity, equity and inclusion? If not, how can it improve?
Ward: I do and I would love for my grandchildren to go to Augusta County Schools.
Hearn: I believe that everyone is created perfectly by our Lord, and should be treated equally regardless of who they are or who their parents are. I think Augusta County Public Schools has plenty of room for improvement in this aspect, because how you are treated should not be dependent on who you are or who you know.
Are there any other issues you feel are important that these questions didn’t cover?
Ward: No answer provided
Hearn: I have dedicated my life to making the world a better place for both people and animals and I would love the opportunity to use my wealth of experiences and knowledge to help get our public education back on track.
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— Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Riverheads District: Page Hearn to challenge John Ward for school board seat
