Assembled by Stuart Jenner
There are two seats in the Highline School District board of directors with three candidates for each position running in the Aug. 6, 2019 primary.
All residents of Highline can vote for any school board seat in any election, there ís no district or zone restriction for voters. The King County Elections website has official voter guide statements and contact information for each of the candidates.
The original questions:
- Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 as top, how transparent do you think the Highline School District is? If you’re elected, what would you do to improve this transparency?
- Screen time for students seems to be increasing, with many books and assignments done on a computer or Chromebook. What would your sources be to check how much screen time is appropriate for children and whether learning on screens is effective? Do you have a limit of time per day, per week, or per subject you would prefer?
- As a part of moving sixth grade to middle school, all sixth grade students will only be able to take a semester of art or music during the school day. They will not be able to take a full year. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea? Why?Do you think this type of decision is something that only the superintendent and staff should determine, or should the school board also discuss this and provide advice during an open school board meeting?
- Highline school board meetings are not broadcast on TV, on the internet and are also not recorded in audio that is placed on the district web site. Do you agree or disagree with these decisions? If you disagree, what would you like to have happen?
Here are the responses for position 1 with candidates listed in the same order as on the King County Elections Voter Guide:
Position 5:
Faizah Bradford
Faizah wrote: “Please check out my campaign statement in the voter guide and my Facebook page, which is https://www.facebook.com/votefaizahbradford”
Vince Koester
Campaign website with contact info: www.VinceKoester.com
Q: Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 as top, how transparent do you think the Highline School District is? If you’re elected, what would you do to improve this transparency?
A: By and large, the Highline School District has put into place rules and protocols to ensure transparency and gives the public the expectation that each person will be heard and treated with respect and civility. The public has access to board minutes and can submit their questions online on the Highline School website to ensure that each board member receives their emails accordingly. Having meetings aired on television however would assist in enhancing transparency even further. Therefore, I’d give the Highline District a 7 rating as it relates to transparency, leaving room for improvement in televising meetings. See question 4 for more details.
Q: Screen time for students seems to be increasing, with many books and assignments done on a computer or Chromebook. What would your sources be to check how much screen time is appropriate for children and whether learning on screens is effective? Do you have a limit of time per day, per week, or per subject you would prefer?
A: In the article, “Is Screen Time Altering the Brains of Children?” written by Shawn Radcliffe, Healthline reported: Early results from a large study suggest that screen time may impact children’s brains and learning. Studies like this one has parents and teachers alike worrying about how much screen time is too much. Once kids graduate from high school many children will go on to have careers that require eight or more hours of screen time a day. So how much is too much screen time required for learning? At this point, the study cited by Radcliffe reflects that as little as two hours can lead to lower scores on thinking and language tests. As I see things, it is imperative that schools and boards be ever vigilant to valid studies that help guide recommendations as it relates to educational opportunities that require screen time and seek to balance curriculum that is based in science.
Q: As a part of moving sixth grade to middle school, all sixth grade students will only be able to take a semester of art or music during the school day. They will not be able to take a full year. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea? Why?
A: In my view, music and art are necessities in a child’s life. I’ve spent years and years ensuring that children have access to musical instruments. Why? Because playing an instrument has such a powerful impact on a child’s life. I believe art does the same thing. I have a passion for music. I have helped raise thousands of dollars through the Rotary Club for the Music for Life program, helping procure instruments. I know that music is a very important part of kidsí lives. If theyíre involved with music (or art), their energies are spent on something good. A sense of accomplishment is fairly easily attained: just a quick lesson or two can have them producing sounds. That immediate ability can excite them to keep going. In the Wenatchee School District, 70% of students are involved in some kind of music program whether itís a mariachi band or the orchestra. Arts programs are often cut as nonessential; I feel they are essential.
Q: Do you think this type of decision is something that only the superintendent and staff should determine, or should the school board also discuss this and provide advice during an open school board meeting?
A: Including, involving and empowering parents on the topic of music and art is essential. The board would be wise to include them in this very important decision.
Q: Highline school board meetings are not broadcast on TV, on the internet and are also not recorded in audio that is placed on the district web site. Do you agree or disagree with these decisions?
A: It is essential that the board help to empower parents by making board meetings available via broadcast, either TV or Facebook Live or audio files. Parents often work or are home cooking dinner and helping children with their homework during board meeting hours, so giving parents m an on demand option to view the boardís discussion would not only help a busy family immensely, it should be compulsory in this day and age.
Jeanette Burrage
Campaign website with contact info: www.Burrageforschoolboard.info
Q: Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 as top, how transparent do you think the Highline School District is? If you’re elected, what would you do to improve this transparency?
A: Video of School Board Meetings. YouTube has a nominal cost and could easily provide a way for every parent to watch the meetings. The Board could even provide an option for real-time feedback as well as questions from parents should we choose.
Also, Des Moines Elementary seems to be doing well interacting with parents. I would like to see them teach their methods to other principals and staff.
Check into cost of broadcasting on TV.
Q: Screen time for students seems to be increasing, with many books and assignments done on a computer or Chromebook. What would your sources be to check how much screen time is appropriate for children and whether learning on screens is effective? Do you have a limit of time per day, per week, or per subject you would prefer?
A: Teachers would be the best to evaluate screen time for each individual student, unless there are reasons I am not aware to limit screen time use. I am not aware of any studies on this, but would be happy to review them if available. I do not yet have a limit of time preferred for computer assignments, but if there are limits they would likely be different for different age groups.
Q: As a part of moving sixth grade to middle school, all sixth grade students will only be able to take a semester of art or music during the school day. They will not be able to take a full year. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea? Why?
A: I think this is a bad idea. Especially for music, an all year program is preferable so students do not lose the progress they have made and so they are held accountable for practicing their instruments.
Q: Do you think this type of decision is something that only the superintendent and staff should determine, or should the school board also discuss this and provide advice during an open school board meeting?
A: The School Board should discuss this policy in an open meeting. Parents and others should be allowed to comment.
Q: Highline school board meetings are not broadcast on TV, on the internet and are also not recorded in audio that is placed on the district web site. Do you agree or disagree with these decisions?
A: I disagree with these decisions.
Q: If you disagree, what would you like to have happen?
A: I think the School Board meetings should at least be videotaped. I would like to see them broadcast on TV or YouTube.