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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM OCTOBER 7 - 13 , 2021 | PAGE 15

CANDIDATES FOR FALLS CHURCH SCHOOL BOARD—CONTINUED

David S. Ortiz

Federal Office Deputy Director

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: David Ortiz has dedicated his career to public policy and service. He is a proven leader with over 20 years of experience executing the core functions of the School Board: planning, budgeting, policy making, and performance oversight. WEB SITE https://ortiz4fccps.info EMAIL ADDRESS david@ortiz4fccps.info TELEPHONE (202)549-2880

QUESTIONS:

WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: I have dedicated my career to public policy and service, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the Falls Church City community. After completing my Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, I worked at the RAND Corporation for 15 years. There I built a multimillion-dollar program of policy research in energy and the environment. Since 2013, I have been a leader in the federal government, directing organizations funding research in electric grid technologies and overseeing electric reliability. I am running for a seat on the Falls Church City School Board to build on my family’s personal experience of excellence with the Falls Church City Public Schools. I have over 20 years of experience executing the core functions of the School Board: strategic planning; budgeting; setting policy; and performance oversight. I know how to work with communities to develop a shared vision for the future and put it into practice. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the School Board and the community to help all students achieve their dreams, develop a vision for the future of our schools, and perform effective oversight of the administration of our schools. WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: In 2013, we moved to Falls Church City because of its excellent schools and supportive community. When we arrived, The Little City welcomed us with open arms made us feel at home. The commitment to education was apparent in the resources and programs at the library, and in our engagement with FCCPS. Our children thrive in the school system: our son (10th grade) received the coveted Henderson Husky Award twice. Our daughter (7th grade) was student body President at Oak Street Elementary and was Secretary of the Student Council at Henderson. My sister and her family moved here in 2020 and their children (2nd and 4th grade) attend FCCPS. I believe in community service. I am on the Creative Cauldron board and an Assistant Scoutmaster with Boy Scout Troop 681. When we lived in Pittsburgh, I led a group of 50 young leaders that brought attention to an underserved community. I was also a member of a committee overseeing grants for interactive public art designed to engage children. TOP ISSUE: The School Board must lead the emergence of our schools and community from COVID-19, which amplified two existing challenges: (1) Mental health. Promoting the mental health of our children is an essential aspect of preparing them for adulthood. Child depression and anxiety were issues before COVID-19 and the isolation and suffering last year has made them worse. For younger children, being away from peers affected their social and emotional development; (2) Equity. We were lucky: we worked from home and took time to help with homework and technical issues during virtual school. Many families suffered. Parents worked outside the home or lost their jobs. Some struggled with English. Others had special needs that could not be met virtually.

Kathleen E. C. Tysse

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:

WEB SITE www.kathleentysse.com EMAIL ADDRESS ktysseforfccps@gmail.com

QUESTIONS:

WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: I’m a former teacher and the mother of four children in three different FCCPS schools who is passionate about public education and literacy. I believe in Falls Church City Public Schools. I’m grateful for the excellent education they provide and am ready to use my experience and skills to work hard for our students, families, and teachers. I understand what makes schools great, and I believe our schools truly deserve their reputation for excellence. But we should always strive to be better. During a time of so much social and political turmoil, we’re being

Tate O. Gould

CEO of AnLar, LLC. President of Otis Educational Data Systems, Inc. Co-owner of Triskelle Software Solutions, LLC.

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Grew up in Beaufort, SC. Attended UNC (B.A., Ph.D.) and Harvard Graduate School of Education (Masters). First/best job was HS math teacher, varsity soccer coach. Married to Laura; two kids at Oak Street, MEHMS. Founder and currently CEO of AnLar. WEB SITE www.tategould.org EMAIL ADDRESS tate@tategould.org TELEPHONE 202-441-9672

QUESTIONS:

WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: I am both a career educator with more than 25 years of experience in the field of education and a father to an Oak Street ES third grader and a Henderson MS eighth grader. I am running to help ensure our school system remains a forward-thinking and -acting district — not just for my two children, but for our entire community. This requires introspection, accountability, and measured leadership forced to make countless difficult decisions about our safety, our priorities, and our values. Falls Church City deserves a leader who can make those decisions for our schools rooted in experience and strong relationships, who brings a balanced perspective on our community’s many strengths, and who commits to serving the greater good.. WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: I have lived in Falls Church City since 2012 and have served the community in many ways: -President-elect (2018-2019) and President (2019-2020) of the Falls Church Elementary PTA As part of my role as PTA President, I served on the 2020-2021 Calendar Committee and the Superintendent’s Advisory Council, Summer 2020 -PTA room parent for all of my four children while they were in elementary school -FCCPS Gifted Education Advisory Committee (2020-current) -Mary Riley Styles Public Library Board of Trustees (2018-current) -Mary Riley Styles Public Library Foundation Development

from the School Board. Eight years ago, I founded a successful education company where I currently serve as CEO, and also led the merger and acquisition of three others. I began my career as a high school math teacher and later became an education researcher and policy analyst at the state and federal levels. I have a parent’s perspective of the strengths and opportunities at Mt. Daniel, Oak Street and Henderson and, within a year, will also have personal experience as a parent of a Meridian student. These experiences in education, from various angles and viewpoints, make up the skill set I want to offer to Falls Church City, a community that has given us so much in the time we have lived here. I strongly feel that my unique skills and experience would be beneficial as a FCCPS School Board member. WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: My wife, Laura, and I chose to move our family to Falls Church City just over five years ago after living in the area for 10 years. Like most, we were drawn to the Little City’s excellent school system and small-town, close-knit community feel. In that spirit, as a family, we give our time and talents back to this special community in both formal and informal ways. I volunteer my time through my kids’ various activities, including coaching Recreation and Parks soccer teams and various roles in Cub Scouts. We support the Falls Church Education Foundation and enjoy participating in city-sponsored environmental clean up events. I also particularly enjoy being a neighborhood resource as a jack-of-all-trades. I’ve built great relationships with neighbors over the years, jumping at the chance to use my power tools to repair things or helping them troubleshoot their various home IT issues, as well as being on the receiving end of support and help when needed. TOP ISSUE: Recovering from COVID does not simply mean ensuring kids are in school buildings full-time. We want our students to love learning, to thrive and to be successful in the “new normal.” As a School Board member, I will work to ensure we have a thorough understanding of all students’ academic, social and emotional needs; we identify learning gaps from the past two school years and execute plans to close them; and collect and leverage the right data to empower teachers and staff. Our various test scores will continue well above state and national averages, but standardized tests are not the measure we should use to define our success.

Committee (2019-current) -Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America Volunteer (2017-current) -Gun Legislation Working Group member, advisory to Falls Church City Council (2020) TOP ISSUE: The top issue facing our school board is reuniting the community as we emerge from the pandemic. Through my continued service in the schools, I have seen the strength of character and dedication of our leaders, teachers, and families. The foundation of our community is strong and I believe that we can build from there to heal from the collective trauma and sometimes divisive energy of the past 18 months. I support increased mental health services in our schools. I believe in teachers having safe and clear opportunities to have a voice. I want to refine the communication strategies between the School Board and the community. I believe this can be done in a positive way that leans on our community’s strengths and makes our schools stronger.

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The Fall 2021 Voters’ Guide was prepared, using monies from the LWV Education Fund, by:

League of Women Voters of Falls Church P.O. Box 156 Falls Church, VA 22040 https://my.lwv.org/virginia/falls-church