Thomas would look to reduce class sizes as school board member

Jun. 22—Editor's note: The Frederick News-Post is profiling candidates for various public offices in Frederick County leading up to the July 19 primary elections. Each school board profile will include an audio recording of the full interview.

The Frederick News-Post —ITB Justi Thomas Mixdown

Justi Thomas, a stay-at-home mom to seven children in Mount Airy, said she filed to run for the Frederick County Board of Education after becoming "increasingly skeptical" of Frederick County Public Schools.

"Classrooms are really full," Thomas said. "Kids have lost a lot from the pandemic. There's been questionable curriculum decisions. Filling teaching positions has been very difficult. And so I decided rather than complain, I would do something."

This fall, Thomas said, all seven of her children will be enrolled in an FCPS elementary, middle or high school. Reducing class sizes would be among her top priorities if elected.

Thomas' sixth child started kindergarten this year with 27 other kids in her class, she said. The other four kindergarten classes at her elementary school were just as full, she said.

The school board provided an extra teacher to the school in February, Thomas said, after the administration put in a request and parents "pleaded."

Though Thomas didn't outline specific strategies she'd employ to lower class sizes across the district, she said doing so was an important way to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on students.

"One of the major ways that we can tackle the learning loss to prepare our children for the future is to reduce class sizes so that the teachers can meet individual needs more effectively," Thomas said.

The district needed to offer competitive salaries and benefits to attract qualified educators, Thomas said.

Many teachers live in Frederick County but commute to schools in nearby jurisdictions such as Howard or Montgomery counties, which, on average, pay more than FCPS. That compounds the educator shortage and inflates class sizes, Thomas said.

"Why would you teach in Frederick County if you can drive 10 minutes down the road and make another $10,000 or $15,000 a year?" Thomas said. "This is going to be a continued problem as the county continues to grow."

Thomas said, if she were to be elected, she looks forward to working alongside incoming FCPS Superintendent Cheryl Dyson. She thought it was wise of the current board to choose "someone from the outside, someone with a different experience."

Dyson is an area associate superintendent for Montgomery County Public Schools.

Like Dyson, Thomas said she would prioritize the district's ongoing response to a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into Frederick County Public Schools' use of seclusion and restraint. Again, she spoke about class sizes, saying she would work to hire more special education staffers. She also said she would try to restore community trust damaged by the DOJ report.

"One of the ways we can build trust is by having parents sit on the board, people who are in the trenches, who have students who are going to school every day," she said.

Being a mom of seven children gives Thomas a "unique perspective" that may differ from other candidates', she said. Thomas has served as president of her youngest children's PTA and is active in her other kids' schools, she said.

Raising them has taught Thomas a lot about compromise and conflict resolution, which would serve her well on the school board, she said.

"I think one of the greatest things I have learned — and am still learning — is that each of my children are individuals, and what works and benefits one of my children might not another," Thomas said. "And if that applies in my family, then how much more does that apply systemwide? We need to see all 46,000 students in FCPS as individuals."

The other candidates in the July 19 primary for the school board race are: Nancy A. Allen, Olivia Angolia, Liz Barrett, Ysela Bravo, David Brooks, Heather Fletcher, Rae Gallagher, Mark Joannides, April Marie Montgomery, Ashley A. Nieves, Tiffany M. Noble, Rayna T. Remondini, Cindy Rose, Dean Rose and Karen Yoho.

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