School board races draw a crowd

SCHOOL BOARD, from page 1

While the school board is officially non-partisan – meaning the parties can’t nominate candidates and no party affiliations are listed on the ballots – the local political parties can endorse candidates and are expected to do so in the coming months.

So far, all seven districts have at least one candidate, and five have at least two. The candidates range in age from 18 to 78. The Prince William Times talked to 13 of them about their goals for the school board’s next term and why they are running.

Brentsville

Two candidates are so far vying for the Brentsville District seat: incumbent Adele Jackson and newcomer, Erica Tredinnick

Jackson, 45, of Nokesville, is seeking her second term. She has a master’s degree in special education, has worked as a social worker and has taught for 16 years in three different school divisions. A native of northern Virginia, Jackson has twin sons who attend a Prince William County K-8 school.

Jackson is hard of hearing due to a lifelong hearing loss and said she is passionate about setting high expectations for all students especially because of her own challenges in school.

“Why go through barriers in life if you don’t use the experience to break down barriers for others?” she said.

Jackson said her first priority is student achievement and pledges to support all students’ academic needs. She said she prioritizes family engagement and will continue to work closely with families, students and staff and listen to all voices. Jackson said she supports the division’s post-pandemic “unfinished learning plan” to boost achievement because it is built on proven, research-based methods.

School safety is also key, Jackson said, adding that she will continue to push to improve safety and security in schools “because students can’t learn if they don’t feel safe.”

Jackson is a Democrat who was endorsed by the local party in 2019 and will seek the party’s endorsement again this year.

Tredinnick, 36, of Bristow, is a mother of three children who attend Prince William County schools, two in high school and one in middle school. Tredinnick owns a small business with her husband, an Army veteran who was wounded in combat. Tredinnick also works as an aide for Brentsville Supervisor Jeanine Lawson (R) and serves on both the county’s Parks and Recreation Commission and the Racial and Social Justice Commission.

Tredinnick said she is a longtime volunteer in her children’s schools and also worked as a substitute teacher.

If elected, Tredinnick said she will prioritize academics and wants to make sure “that the education that Prince William County Schools says they offer is actually happening.”

Communicating effectively with families and being transparent about both curriculum and budget, are also priorities, she said.

“Essentially, we deserve to know what they’re spending our money on, what they’re teaching our kids, and to have it clearly communicated to us,” she said.

“Instead of the needlessly divisive policies that our school system focuses on, I want to promote collaboration. ... I want to make sure that all kids are treated fairly, equally and appropriately,” she said, adding that she would be a voice for parents. Tredinnick is a Republican and said she will seek her party’s endorsement.

Coles

Three candidates are vying for the Coles District school board seat, including incumbent, Lisa Zargarpur, 52, who is seeking a second term. Zargarpur’s three adult children all graduated from Prince William County schools, and she recently welcomed a grandson.

Zargarpur has two master’s degrees in education and the arts and is working on a doctorate in educational leadership. She works as a music teacher in Fairfax County.

Zargarpur said she wants to continue working toward the goals set out in the school division’s strategic plan and is committed to public education. “Education is the hope of the future … and teaching is the most honorable profession because your influence lives on in someone else,” she said.

Prioritizing academic success from pre-K to graduation; broadening ways to communicate with parents; boosting salaries for staff and making the job more “professionally satisfying;” becoming more environmentally sustainable; finding ways to reliably get kids to school; and continuing to work on school safety are priorities for her next term, she said.

Because kids are all different, “education is dynamic,” Zargarpur said, noting that every decision begins with the question: “How will this benefit our kids? … Even the smallest decisions make a difference.”

Zargarpur is the only Democrat seeking the Coles District seat and will seek the party’s endorsement again this year.

Newcomer Stephen Spiker, 37, has three children aged 3, 6 and 9, two of whom attend Signal Hill Elementary. Spiker has a master’s degree in survey research and works in market research.

Spiker said he wants “to improve the school environment and build a culture that is more responsive to parents’ concerns.”

Parent involvement is “treated as an afterthought and sometimes even treated as a nuisance,” Spiker said, adding: “That needs to change.”

If elected, Spiker said he will prioritize communication between schools and parents to share “what’s actually happening in our kids’ classrooms.”

He said he will also empower parents to be more involved in their children’s education and encourage them to assist with homework and help address student behavior issues at school. “Education doesn’t end when your kid gets off the school bus,” he said.

Focusing on the “basics of instruction” is also a priority, Spiker said, which he thinks will reduce teacher burnout and help with retention.

“Virtual learning was a disaster” during the pandemic, Spiker said, adding that he doesn’t support “Code Orange” days when students work from home because of inclement weather.

“We need to move away from this idea that kids don’t have to be in classrooms,” he said. Spiker is a Republican and said he will be seeking his party’s endorsement.

William Deutsch, a Republican who previously held the Coles school board seat from 2015 until 2019, has also filed to run for the seat. Deutsch did not respond to multiple interview requests.

Gainesville

Only incumbent Jennifer Wall, 52, has so far filed in the Gainesville District. Wall is the board’s only member who was endorsed by the local Republican party and is an attorney and mom of three. Two are recent graduates, and one is graduating this year.

Wall said her goal was to “make our educational system work as effectively as possible” and is running again to build on that success.

“I see that schools assist our families and our community in making a really big difference in students’ lives,” she said. “Making our public schools as strong as possible is a public service. … Our students and families need really strong advocates … and I feel like I have a lot of wisdom and experience that I can bring to the table.”

Wall said she is “extremely proud” of her efforts to ensure that special education students and English language learners could attend school in person during the pandemic. Wall was among the school board members who pushed to return students to school as soon as possible.

“My greatest focus is academic success -- getting us back to where we were before the pandemic and exceeding those levels of academic performance,” she added. “That’s my top priority.”

Wall said she also wants parents to feel welcome in schools and feel like “valued partners” in their children’s education. The school division’s new “parent liaisons” will help achieve that goal, she said.

Wall said she prioritized school safety and advocated for school security assistants to be hired at all elementary schools.

“I’m proud of that because I think that really frees up our principals and our instructional staff to focus on instruction,” she said.

Wall said she will once again seek the endorsement of the Prince William County Republican Committee.

Neabsco

Incumbent Diane Raulston who has served as the Neabsco District representative on the school board since 2016, has not yet filed for reelection and is not expected to, according to her former campaign manager, Tracy Blake, who is one of two candidates running to succeed her.

Blake, 45, of Dale City, has a master’s degree in industrial organizational psychology and is a stayat-home father of three children who attend Prince William County schools.

Blake served on the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee on Instruction and was the chair of the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee for Equity. During the pandemic, Blake also served on the Return to Learn Committee and said he worked to help kids get back into schools and support families at that time.

Blake said he feels strongly about supporting all students and letting kids know the importance of persistence in education and in life. If elected, Blake said he will prioritize mental health and focus on social and emotional learning, which he says is important for academic achievement as well as behavior and mental health issues, such as bullying and drug and alcohol abuse. Blake said he’ll also ensure each school is funded adequately and push to expand preschool opportunities.

See SCHOOL BOARD, page 5

“There is a plethora of ways to be involved in the schools. I think we need to do a better job at meeting parents where they are and letting them know about these opportunities,” Blake said. Blake said the school division has made strides in safety and supports those efforts as well as a proposal to bring weapon-detection systems to the county’s middle and high schools.

Blake has been an officer in the Prince William Democratic Committee and will be seeking his party’s endorsement.

Padreus Pratter, 38, of Dale City, is a father of two young children, one of whom attends a Prince William school and one who will next year. Pratter serves on the Prince William Human Rights Commission and is running for school board because he “wants to ensure that Prince William County Schools continue to be the very best they can be.”

Pratter, a graduate of Norfolk State University, has worked for the U.S. Department of Education for more than a decade. Pratter said he will use his experience to advocate for “students, families and educators who are at the heart of our education system.”

If elected, he said he will focus on academic excellence so all students can thrive, creating safe and inclusive school environments, and working to increase family and community engagement.

Pratter said he will “focus on policy, data and accountability … with the ultimate goal of driving the conversations in the board chambers back to what’s important for student success.”

Pratter said he will also seek the Prince William Democratic Committee’s endorsement.

Occoquan

Incumbent Lillie Jessie, a former principal at Elizabeth Vaughan Elementary School, has decided not to run again, but her husband, Richard Jessie, is so far the only candidate who has filed to replace her.

Jessie, 78, is a Marine veteran who served three tours in Vietnam before resigning as a major in 1981. After earning his bachelor’s degree in accounting at George Washington University, Jessie worked in human resources at both MITRE and Lockheed Martin for many years before he retired as a manager. The Jessies have two daughters who graduated from Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge.

Raised by his grandparents in Dixon, Illinois, Jessie said he didn’t understand the value of education until he was older. “I never had any encouragement. ... I want kids to be better informed about what they can become,” he said.

If elected, Jessie said he will continue to push for an indoor track facility to be built as part of the 14th high school, which is slated for construction near Minnieville and Telegraph roads.

Jessie said he wants to be a voice for underrepresented communities, an advocate for academic achievement and will work to make schools safe places where kids feel good and are able to learn.

“We are a good school system, but we can be better,” he said, adding: “I am the best person to take over this seat.”

Jessie said he will seek the endorsement of the Prince William County Democratic Committee. Potomac

Two candidates have so far filed to run in the Potomac District, two-term incumbent Justin Wilk, who received the Democratic endorsement, and newcomer Mario Beckles.

Wilk, 39, is the father of two Prince William County students, one in the autism program at Ashland Elementary School and another at Swans Creek Elementary.

Wilk works as a special education curriculum consultant and said he is proud of his service on the school board, pointing to the 10-classroom pre-K program at Washington-Reid Elementary School and Potomac Shores Middles School as examples of what he has accomplished.

“I’m proven. I’ve delivered for this community,” he said. Wilk said he is a “pragmatic” leader and doesn’t “vote any type of party line,” noting he voted three times to bring students back into schools earlier than former Superintendent Steven Walts recommended during the pandemic. Having attended over 2,200 events in the schools over the years, Wilk said being present in the community has been a priority throughout his time on the board and he has tried to remain accessible to students, families and staff.

People “can always find me,” Wilk said, adding that he strives to give “parents a voice on the board.”

Wilk is a Democrat and said he will again seek the Democratic endorsement in this year’s race.

Beckles, 58, retired from the army as a lieutenant colonel after 32 years of service. He has five adult daughters, the youngest of whom graduated from Forest Park High School last year. Beckles has a master’s degree and works for the Army as a civilian deputy comptroller.

Beckles said he is running for school board to bring a “pinpoint focus back to the basics” of reading, writing, math, history, civics and science. In elected, Beckles said he’ll focus on accountability and raising academic and behavioral expectations for all students.

“High expectations raise everybody up,” he said.

Beckles also said that he wants to encourage community members to volunteer in their neighborhood schools and said such opportunities should be better publicized.

If elected, Beckles said he will advocate for more family involvement. “Parents are first and foremost … and they should be consulted at anything that affects their child’s education and life,” he said.

Beckles is campaigning alongside local Republican candidates and has served as treasurer of the Prince William County Republican Committee in recent years, according to a meeting agenda posted online. But he said he will not seek the Republican endorsement in the school board race.

Woodbridge

Three candidates are vying for the Woodbridge District school board seat, including incumbent Loree Williams, who has held the seat since 2013. She is being challenged by the youngest candidate in the race, Jaylen Custis, 18, of Woodbridge, as well as Shantell Rock, who serves as chair of the Prince William County Racial and Social Justice Commission.

Williams, 45, is a mother of two sons, one who graduated in 2019 from the culinary arts program at Potomac High School and now has his own business as a private chef, and a fourth grader at Featherstone Elementary School who is in the virtual program.

Williams has a bachelor’s degree in integrated studies with a specialization in conflict resolution and peacekeeping and has worked as a corporate administrator for over 20 years. Williams said she is seeking another term on the board “because there is a lot of unfinished business” and wants to support the “forward progress of the school system.”

Williams said the school board collaborates well with Superintendent LaTanya McDade -- a relationship she calls “critical” to the success of the division. Supporting the superintendent’s vision, advocating on the local, state and federal levels for adequate funding and ensuring the safety and security of all students and staff rank at the top of her priorities, Williams said. Williams said she will continue to encourage parent involvement in schools and looks forward to seeing the family relationships cultivated by school-based parent liaisons, whom she calls “critical keystones” in school communities.

Williams included advocating for a student representative on the school board, adding a school division ombudsman and adding an equity officer among her accomplishments.

“It is paramount to me to represent voices not heard,” she said.

Williams is a Democrat and will seek her party’s endorsement again this year.

Custis, 18, graduated from Forest Park High School in 2022 and plans to enroll at Northern Virginia Community College to study political science. He says his youth is an advantage because he can relate to students. Custis became interested in politics when he was elected president of Forest Park’s student council as a senior and began attending school board meetings.

After smelling marijuana wafting from some bathrooms at Forest Park, Custis said his first priority, if elected, would be school safety and security. He said he supports installing weapons-detection systems in high schools but said more should be done to combat drugs in schools, including fentanyl, by utilizing drug-sniffing dogs.

Custis also said bullying is a problem at all school levels but especially on buses and said he’d tackle that with ideas to hold students accountable. Custis said he would also focus on improving school infrastructure, making coursework more rigorous “to set students up for success after graduation” and supporting English language learners.

Custis said his values align with the Democratic party but he is “independent-minded” and “will always make decisions that put students first.” Custis said he is not seeking a party endorsement but will accept any “that align with his values and beliefs.”

Rock, 47, of Woodbridge, is a mother, an Army veteran and a paralegal. In addition to serving as the chair of Prince William County’s Racial and Social Justice Commission, Rock also heads up the local chapter of Moms Demand Action, a group dedicated to improving gun safety laws and supporting survivors of gun violence.

Rock grew up attending Prince William County schools and raised three adult children, ages 31, 29 and 27, who graduated from Prince William County schools. Rock and her husband are raising two adopted children and three foster children, all boys ranging in age from 6 to 18, one of which will graduate from Freedom High School in June.

Rock, a Democrat, said she is running for the Woodbridge seat because she’s “had enough. … If I want to have change, I need to try.”

Rock said she is most concerned about school safety and a lack of academic support for the county’s most vulnerable students.

Rock said she supports collective bargaining in part because her mother-in-law is a 25-year employee of the Prince William County school’s transportation division. “When I say collective bargaining is near and dear to our family, it is. We all watch her work around the clock,” Rock said.

Rock said she will seek the Democratic endorsement but will remain in the race even if she does not receive it.

“To me, it doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or Republican,” she said. “We should all want the best for our children especially when it comes to gun safety, getting drugs out of schools, and making sure our kids are ready to go to college.”

Reach Cher Muzyk at cmuzyk@fauquier.com