Virginia Beach School Board District 10: Candidates spotlight
Kim Bentley
Age: 40
Occupation: QA Analyst, Dept. of VA
Previous Office Held: None
Education: Some college; professional certifications
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 off I’d acknowledge that our students, their families, faculty and staff, suffered through a mass trauma event. Dozens of students lost a caregiver, and I applaud every ounce of their resiliency. Their safety is priority one. Secondly, I would leverage the systems VBCPS has in place such as the Digital Campus Summer School, and look at options of ‘testing up/out’ to decrease or outpace any academic disparity. Within those solutions, we need to be mindful of student/teacher ratios and the current educator gap. The answers are complex and multifaceted, and nuanced options need to be explored with educators and parents working together.
Please name one other pressing issue that the school board should address. How would you address it?
The Educator Exodus from VBCPS - One of the largest drivers causing educators to leave a passion-driven job is the reality that they can no longer sustain themselves on below market wages. We must address the underlying issue of failing to meet the material conditions necessary for teachers to thrive in our school system.
The narrative of a ‘teacher shortage’ is a myth. There’s thousands of qualified, experienced teachers that have been met with a lack of cooperation and compensation required to retain their labor. In order to not just manage retention but attract new talent, we need to be a leader in the Hampton Roads region in pay/benefits for faculty AND staff. It’s imperative in retaining another invaluable resource - institutional knowledge.
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Kathleen Brown
Age: 37
Occupation: Figure Skating Coach
Previous Office Held: None
Education: Associates Degree, Tidewater Community College; Liberty University, B.S. Business Administration
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?
The data and metrics show that our students have not recovered academically from the shutdowns and virtual learning. Studies show that children that are not reading on grade level by third grade are less likely to graduate high school on time. In Virginia Beach, 1 in 3 children in grades 3-9 are reading below grade level. As a school district, I feel it is critical to focus on these children to ensure they do not fall further behind. Success requires ensuring we are working together with our teachers, guidance department and parents. We can’t turn back the clock, but we can provide the guidance and support needed to make sure each student is met where they are and challenge and encourage them to be their best.
Please name one other pressing issue that the school board should address. How would you address it?
The school system must finally solve the vocational readiness problem. Good paying careers in Virginia Beach are being filled by workers recruited from other states because our school systems continue to devalue non-college career paths. I am a living example of the value in being prepared for both the college and non-college life experience and am passionate about working toward increasing vocational options to meet the marketplace demand for these much-needed skills. Currently our district can only accept a small percentage of students to our career and technical center, and we must evaluate how we are going to utilize our districts resources to meet the needs of our students. These valuable skills are a win for the students in Virginia Beach, the local economy, and businesses. I am also in favor of ensuring that students are prepared for a successful college experience.
