Conversation with a Neighbor

Two days ago, a longtime Broadlands resident sent me an email after she learned about my candidacy for Loudoun school board this November. With her permission, below I answer and respond to her questions and comments in her email, since her concerns represent many people, including myself.

1.       Mental Health is a critical issue.  There are many facets to MH.  How are you addressing each?

Student mental health is one of my top concerns, as it has become a critical issue. To effectively address it, we must take a two-pronged approach: prevention and treatment, tackling both at the same time.

Prevention

Efforts should begin as early as possible—starting in elementary school—to identify children who may be experiencing loneliness, isolation, or social difficulties. This includes recognizing quiet or withdrawn students, those exhibiting bullying behaviors, and others facing social challenges. By working closely with parents, we can facilitate suitable group activities and foster friendships both within and beyond the school environment. 

To further support social development, the use of electronic devices, particularly smartphones, should be banned at all school levels. Every student should participate in a group activity that they enjoy. Encouraging teamwork within schools and extending school hours in middle and high school can create more opportunities for collaboration and social engagement. 

Treatment

A comprehensive approach to treatment should emphasize group therapy and other innovative, practical methods. Collaborating with nonprofit organizations and social worker resources can strengthen support systems for students in need. When it comes to psychological medication, introducing drug therapy only when absolutely necessary and as late as possible. 

2.       Counselors - never enough.  Whether counseling for college, MH, or with struggling with classes, many children seeking help did not receive it as the counselors essentially dismissed those students stating those with extreme cases are higher priority.

This doesn't have to be a chicken-and-egg dilemma. While it's true that we lack sufficient counselors and resources to address the growing challenges of mental health, we can maximize efficiency by incentivizing the efforts of counselors, teachers, and even parents. Proactive action, guided by clear objectives, can make a significant impact. With strong teamwork, collaboration, and integrated resource utilization, we can create a more effective and proactive support system for all kids in need.

3.       Drugs - DARE is a great start for kids, however, there needs to be mandatory drug awareness classes for Middle and HS.  

Should drug testing be conducted in schools or through parents' insurance, with parental agreements to reinforce responsibility? Can we make drug-usage shameful, instead of being cool among students? Schools and parents must communicate promptly and transparently whenever a drug-related case arises. Educators should be trained to recognize the signs—how difficult is it to identify when a student is using illegal drugs? Teachers, parents’ responsibilities and clear expectations are crucial in addressing drug issues.

4.       Electronics - please take out of the classroom.  There is no place for them there. Stop having teaching incorporated the use of phones as part of their lessons.  

The most effective way to prevent issues related to electronic devices is to ban them altogether. Technology has no essential role in learning or teaching at the K-12 level. We all remember how television negatively impacted us as children. Now, smartphones and social media pose thousand times greater threat to younger generations, and the consequences are undeniably known to us. We cannot wait and we have to act now.

5.       Not all children learn the same and this doesn't mean they need to be in Special Ed.  Schools tend to teach to the masses and those that think/learning differently are left behind.  What are your ideas?

Reducing class sizes to 20 students instead of 25 or more, minimizing teachers' paperwork and regulatory training, and increasing teacher salaries with better incentives will allow educators to focus more on the classroom and individual students. With these changes, fewer students may require special education, as teachers will have the capacity to engage more effectively. Additionally, teachers and parents can collaborate to support students with special needs, creating a more inclusive and effective learning environment like our generation has experienced.

In other words, we had special needs students, and they didn’t have to be grouped into special education per se.

6.       Class sizes too big.  Provide teachers with assistants (all grades).  This will improve management of the class, but more importantly, helping student that need a little extra help it.

Yes, smaller class sizes are essential, and in Loudoun County, we have the resources to make it happen by hiring more skilled teachers. I'm unsure whether that many assistant teachers would still be necessary if we successfully implement smaller classes.

7.       Continue funding the music, art, vocation program.  

Big deal! Music, arts, theater/drama, STEM clubs, JROTC, and any team or group activities should be treated like sports—financially supported and incentivized. Every middle and high school student should participate in at least one of these activities. Without isolating smartphones and social media, spending more time in school and team activities can definitely help students' mental health.

8.       STEM is important, however, not everyone is interested nor has the aptitude to succeed in this area. 

It’s true that not every kid is interested in STEM. What I see is that children's interest in STEM can be aroused and stimulated if teachers, schools, and parents provide the right environment. Math and other hard skills require practice, much like playing sports for most kids. Learning at school supposedly requires effort and hard work. Young brains can be challenged, just like in any competition, and they can learn fast. 

Say we currently have 2% of the student population eventually landing in STEM fields after college—can we increase that to 5%? That would help satisfy the country's thirst for STEM workers.

9.       Because Loudoun County is deemed as one of the wealthiest county's in VA, I believe people forget about those in need.  How do you intend to help

I definitely know this and noticed that LCPS has a $2 billion budget this year. But the money isn’t entirely spent on student education — I see a lot of waste. Unlike inner-city schools, LCPS has the financial resources for Title I schools, and we can apply the concept of an 'educational opportunity zone' promoted by my friend Paul Lott. We can establish neighborhood educational opportunity zones with a focus on those in need. All kids should be, and can be, successful—rich or poor, in Loudoun County.