The City of Valdez Municipal Election is May 7th, 2019

KVAK Radio asked the candidates running for the Valdez City School Board  to tell us a little bit about themselves and share their thoughts on several questions.  Find below their exact responses as provided to KVAK Radio.

There are two vacancies (three year term) available on the Valdez City School Board.

CLICK HERE for Election Information

Candidates listed in order they appear on Ballot.

Shannon Groundwater

Biography

I was born and raised in Phoenix , AZ until the age of 17 when I graduated high school and moved to Los Angeles, CA. I began college in CA when I decided I wanted to serve something greater than myself and I enlisted in the United States Air Force as a Nutritional Medicine Technician. I served in the military for eight amazing years where I learned patient care, emergency services, and after 9/11 I served with the Security Forces as an augmentee and combat medic trainer. It was while I was serving overseas that I met my husband-a born and raised Valdezean. After receiving an honorable discharge from the military, I followed my husband to Alaska. I worked in the Ambulatory Surgery unit at Providence Alaska Medical Center until moving to Valdez eleven years ago. Since then, we have had two amazing little girls, I have tried to serve this community in various volunteer positions; the most current as the President of the Hermon Hutchens Parent Teacher Association. For the last year I have been working as a teacher and Administrator for the Valdez Cooperative Preschool. I am happy and grateful to call Valdez my home and look forward to serving the community in any capacity.

Question #1: What are three main challenges for Valdez City Schools in the next five years? As a potential school board member, how do you plan to address these challenges?

The major hurdle for Valdez City Schools I foresee is the implementation of statewide budget cuts. At this point in time, the uncertainty of  how much is going to be cut, how to continue business as usual once cuts are made, and how to plan for a successful future for all of our students will be three of our main challenges. If elected to the school board, I will rely heavily on the expertise of current administration, teachers and staff, and parents/guardians in our community to work together and do what is best for all of the children in our district. Keeping an open mind, listening, and working as a team with other school board members and our community will be the key to our success.

Question #2: What experience do you have with budgeting, investments, and finance?

During my adult life I have had to focus on sustainable budgets and implementation. In the military we often had operating funds in the millions, that could be cut and allocated to other essential areas of function.  At my final duty station in Massachusetts I was the Administrator for the base Health and Wellness Center. One of my roles was to establish a functional budget, for a facility whose operating cost was roughly $3 million. Often times our established budget was superseded by the needs of our base hospital and money was diverted to that facility. I found quickly that flexibility and creativity were the key components to continuing the best care, to our population, with less money.

As a once stay-at-home mother, budgeting played a key role in my daily activities. Learning to manage debt to income ratio, living within your means, and cost effectiveness are skills that I am able to translate from my personal life into any professional aspect. Managing personal finances, while investing for a sustainable future for my family is an attainable goal my husband and I strive for every day.

Erica Olive Shirk

Biography

Originally from Colorado, I have moved around to different areas of the United States before landing in Valdez the summer of 2014.  I have degrees in Chemistry and Fine Art from the University of Denver.  I have taught in public and private schools, mainly teaching in the sciences at the high school level, but I have also taught art classes.  I have two sons, one will graduate from the University of New Hampshire in ocean engineering this May and my younger son is in 8th grade at Gilson Middle School.  I enjoy most outdoor activities and love to play in nature, it offers me great solace.  Currently I work full time in the arts and love every minute of it.  When I am not playing outside or doing art, I can be found reading.  It seems that as I get older I am partial to poetry.

Question #1: What are three main challenges for Valdez City Schools in the next five years? As a potential school board member, how do you plan to address these challenges?

Continuity between the schools where we have a curriculum that develops a whole, well rounded educated individual.  This includes district goals defining what skills a graduate from VCS will have and need for the future as a productive citizen.  Curriculum development needs to have these goals in mind, keeping rigor in the program.  Not just academic rigor, but challenging the student to grow towards their greatest potential.  This includes pedagogical practices for each grade level meeting student needs.

High school scheduling seems to be an on going issue for the district.  I personally like the block scheduling with Monday to Thursday being blocks and Friday when students have shortened classes, but take all of them.  This will allow for an 8 class course load.  I know that time changes have been proposed, moving the start time later, and that finding balance for elementary and high school students is a challenge due to bus scheduling.

Bullying seems to be a reoccurring theme I hear about from parents who’s children go to the schools.  This needs to be addressed.  Empathy needs to be taught at the elementary level and encouraged throughout the students career with VCS.  I personally like the Roots of Empathy program, please find it here: www.rootsofempathy.org

Question #2: What experience do you have with budgeting, investments, and finance?

Yes, we will have a budget crunch here in Valdez with the proposed budget cuts from the governor.  I was on the School Board of Valdez in 2016.  I got to participate on budget work then, I know I am up to the task this year as well.

At home I work on our personal finances, investing and budgeting as well.

Joe Prax

Biography

We have three children in the Valdez School System, two in the high school and one in middle school. During my time on the school board I have worked to make sure they get a good education in an excellent environment. We have lived in Valdez for 26 years and have been lucky to raise our kids here. As I have learned more about the education system around Alaska I am convinced that the Valdez Schools can lead the state. Valdez is a great town and we are lucky to have the resources to provide a quality education. My business experience as owner of The Prospector has been helpful in areas of management and structure of the schools. Providing a great education is a huge responsibility that requires involved parents supporting their children and teachers. Everyone else, the support staff, the administrators and the board members are here to support them in their efforts.

Question #1: What are three main challenges for Valdez City Schools in the next five years? As a potential school board member, how do you plan to address these challenges?

The three main challenges for the Valdez City Schools in the next five years will be funding, administration and direction. Funding on the state level is in question as the state seeks ways to deal with large budget deficits. The City of Valdez is very generous with funding but is at the statutory cap for allowable spending. While we will still have adequate funds to provide a superior education funding and budget priorities will continue to be a challenge for the district. We will have to be careful that we are able to keep the best learning opportunities for the students. Mr. Arnold, our new superintendent, has a vision to create to best school system in the state. He is a strong leader and has assembled an excellent team of administrators to help with this. He will need support to lead the continuous improvement of the schools.  Valdez has the financial resources, leadership, facilities and staff to be the best district in the state. We will need to keep that goal in mind and move to attain that goal as quickly as possible.

Question #2: What experience do you have with budgeting, investments, and finance?

As the owner of The Prospector these are issues I deal with daily and the experience ties directly to the schools. The board oversees the budget and clear financial understanding is crucial to the continued success of the schools. We are blessed with the strong support from the city for the schools, we need to make sure that these funds are used most efficiently. As a past member of the city council I understand the city’s budget process too. Future state funding is uncertain for school budgets so we have to be careful to not create programs that we can’t sustain. The schools maintain a strong reserve and we look to take care of expenses now to increase flexibility for the future. While much of the state has been forced to make cuts we have been able to add programs and personnel. Not everything is financial. There is a huge investment in personnel and the schools have worked to make sure that we are using staff in the most beneficial way possible to the students. With our current superintendent we have a rare opportunity to set the Valdez City Schools up for years of continued success and growth. This is an exciting time to be involved with the schools. We have gone from steadily declining enrollment to substantial increases in the past years. Valdez will continue to have strong schools that will be recognized as a leader in Alaska and the place where people choose to send their children for a quality education.

Dalon (Vculek) Gage

Biography

I am the mom of two boys that attend Gilson Middle School. I was born and raised in Valdez and am a product of the Valdez school system. I graduated college from Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage and lived there over 25 years.

We moved to Oregon for three years, and while there I became involved in the PTO. I was part of a team of parents that helped the school and community work together to offer teachers more tools in their classrooms and provide students with new technology. I also participated in helping to pass a bond for structural improvements to the entire school district in 2016. Because of this experience I feel that I can help to ensure that the children of Valdez gain the necessary tools through education that prepare them for life as adults in today’s world.

Question #1: What are three main challenges for Valdez City Schools in the next five years?

From my perspective, the main challenges currently facing our school district include:

1) state funding and adjusting to financial change

2) student preparedness for life after high school

3) support for teachers in the classroom

As a potential school board member, how do you plan to address these challenges?

Any new board member will have much to learn if they have not already served in this capacity, and I’m no exception. I know these issues are not easy to solve. I do believe however that a group of people with a common goal working together can achieve great things.

I hope to help facilitate communication between members of the school board and people in the community to determine ways to spend less, yet still provide an outstanding education for our students. It’s our responsibility as a community to decide how we move forward with potentially less funding than we have seen in past years.

Once students finish high school, they are expected to be able to function as adults out on their own. Are we providing experiences in school for our students to learn how to get a job? To learn to write a resume? To experience a mock interview? These are all things that I believe would serve our students well.

I welcome the opportunity to learn about what would make our teachers lives easier in classrooms. Communication can go a long way in helping people understand how we can help each other.

Question #2: What experience do you have with budgeting, investments, and finance? 

I have been providing accounting and consulting services to small business for many years. Preparing budgets can be a lot of work, but what’s more important than preparing a budget is following one. I believe that paying attention to the detail in the short term will serve our community well in the long run.