Virginia Beach School Board District 8: Candidates spotlight
David Culpepper
Age: 52
Occupation: Pilot
Previous Office Held: None
Education: United States Naval Academy, B.S. Aeronautical Engineering; Naval War College, Master’s Degree,
The pandemic, and the response to it, appears to have caused what has been called “learning loss” for students in all grades since 2020. What can and should school boards do to counteract the lingering effects of the pandemic on students?
First, we can’t reward the Chair who mismanaged education through the pandemic. The capacity for virtual learning was poor and only now they discover what you and I already knew: Students are far behind. Next, we need to bring parents into the process. Parents who care about their kids’ education are not domestic terrorists and School Board associations that say they are need to be stopped.
I was a TOPGUN instructor and have complete faith that Virginia Beach students, teachers and parents can return to a high level of excellence. I don’t think the current school board has a plan or strategy, and they certainly have not engaged parents in how to accomplish this mission. That comes first. It will take multiple tactics and strategies to get students in all grade levels back to excellence, but we need to elect candidates who value excellence first.
Please name one other pressing issue that the school board should address. How would you address it?
I couldn’t disagree more with our former Governor Terry McAuliffe when he said “parents shouldn’t be telling schools what they should teach.” He was completely wrong. The best predictor of a student’s success is parental involvement. This School Board has castigated and blocked parents from being involved in education, and they replaced parents with politics. Students don’t benefit when they can award Teacher of the Year but no student is allowed to be Valedictorian because of “equity and fairness”.
We need to return to valuing and encouraging academic excellence. Lowering the bar doesn’t help anyone to achieve success. Virginia Beach has fantastic schools, and that is a big part of why I live where I do. But the national trend for schools isn’t a good one, and not one that Virginia Beach wants to follow. Let’s keep the bar high, and reward those who exceed the standard.
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Carolyn Rye
Age: 67
Occupation: Present School Board Chair, VBCPS, former corporate business trainer and management consultant, former classroom teacher and private tutor
Previous Office Held: School Board Member since 2014
Education: B.A., College of William & Mary (Major: Government. Concentrations: Mathematics; History). MBA, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Silberman College of Business
The pandemic, and the response to it, appears to have caused what has been called “learning loss” for students in all grades since 2020. What can and should school boards do to counteract the lingering effects of the pandemic on students?
Even as we celebrate yet again full accreditation for all 82 school testing sites, and SOL scores that exceed regional and state average results, our primary focus must remain on learning recovery as we continue to challenge and support all students to excel academically (Compass to 2025 Goal 1). VBCPS has taken a deliberate approach to raise student levels of achievement and test scores through robust summer school opportunities, a particular focus on elementary literacy and numeracy instruction, extensive tutoring plans, and strategic use of technology and virtual learning. Comprehensive assessment plans and associated diagnostic data are essential to help identify the unique needs of every learner in our schools.
Student well-being remains critical to academic success. I will continue to support efforts that promote wellness from a mental, physical and social-emotional standpoint; a whole child approach that ensures each student is healthy, safe, engaged, supported and challenged.
Please name one other pressing issue that the school board should address. How would you address it?
Employee recruitment and retention remain major areas of emphasis and concern, here and nationwide. I strongly support the Compensation Study commissioned by VBCPS and look forward to its report and recommendations expected this Fall. I seek more ways to address salary stagnation and compression, reward longevity, and celebrate accomplishments. I support a marketing/recruitment plan that builds on previous successes, which are broad and varied, both in scope and geography.
A recent staff survey has raised division emphasis on positive work environments, teacher workload and student behaviors. To that end, I have advocated as Chair for an elevated level of face-to-face employee input and engagement to supplement in-person connections already in place. A workgroup of School Board members and Human Resources staff is formulating details and access to such meetings in this next school year. (Please also refer to www.carolynrye.com for other “Priorities”.)
