Arlington School Board Interview: Karla Hagan

Who are you and why are you running for Arlington School Board? What skill sets would you bring to the School Board that would make you a valuable member?
I am a scientist, former teacher, parent, schools activist, community advocate and a lifelong Democrat.  I am running for School Board because I believe Arlington schools need new energy and a fresh vision.

Because my husband, Chris, and I have two young daughters in Arlington Public Schools, I have a personal-long-term investment in our success.  Because I was the first generation on my mother's side of the family to go to college, started my education after high school at a community college, went on to earn my Ph.D. in physics at the University of Virginia, and taught at U-Va, I know firsthand the value of education to our children.

Much more of the interview with Karla Hagan is on the "flip."  I must say, I particularly like the last answer. :)

I have been a citizen advocate for both schools and community issues in the best tradition of Arlington.  I served as Vice Chair of the Advisory Council on Instruction, Vice President of the Drew Model School Association, Representative to the recent Elementary Crowding and Capacity Committee, and co-founder and leader of the Arlington Montessori Action Committee.  I served as the Alcova Heights representative to the countywide Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee, and am proud to currently serve on the Board of Directors of the Bonder and Amanda Johnson Community Development Corporation, providing affordable housing and needed services to the Nauck community.  I served as Treasurer of the Arlington County Democratic Committee, and Co-Chair of the successful 2007 Joint Campaign, when Arlington helped turn Virginia more blue!

I will be effective at working with parents, School Board colleagues, the County Board, APS staff and the Arlington community to address the complex issues ahead and make the principled, difficult decisions.

What do you believe the Arlington School Board is currently doing well?  How could it be done even better?
Guided by an excellent Strategic Plan, our School Board has done a superb job staying focused on the right issues: eliminating the achievement gap, raising achievement for all students, providing responsive education, and promoting effective relationships.  Each initiative is measured against meeting these goals, lending a strong and effective guiding force behind every decision.

Our School Board has over the years provided leadership that has allowed our hardworking staff to realize gains in the narrowing of the achievement gap.  However in the last three years the narrowing of the gap has stalled.  This is unacceptable.  I will be an effective leader who will provide new energy to tackle this issue. I will push to meet preschool demand for at-risk students so that all children have a good foundation to be successful in school.  I will ensure that we replicate our own successes, and learn from positive advances made by other school systems.

What, if anything, do you believe the Arlington School Board is not currently doing well?  How would you address this issue/these issues if you're elected (or re-elected) to the Board?
I understand the value of citizen input in creating a more inclusive and progressive community.  This is in the best tradition of Arlington.  Yet many parents and citizens who participate in APS' citizen input processes feel disenfranchised by how little their work is acknowledged moving forward.  There is a culture of volunteerism in Arlington.  Our community is rich with people who have diverse experiences and viewpoints.  This is a resource that many communities do not have, and we are not taking full advantage of what our citizens have to offer.  New initiatives in so many key areas -- foreign language instruction, resource teachers, and school nutrition and health - have come as a result of citizen advocacy in our schools.

I do not view citizen input as a substitute for leadership, but rather an enhancement.  I come prepared ready to make the difficult decisions and ask the challenging questions.  However as a scientist, I know a decision made with more information, rather than less, will be a better one.  In our community we receive a lot of support from citizens, over 85% of whom do not have kids in schools.  Working together to meet our shared community goals is absolutely essential.

We have many important citizen input structures in place in Arlington Public Schools: the Advisory Council on Instruction, Facilities Advisory Committee, and Budget Advisory Committee, among others.  The foundation is there but follow-through has been lacking. I will ensure these groups are given a legitimate seat at the table so their hard work can be seriously considered as important decisions are made.

What would you say are the top three challenges facing Arlington County school system right now, and what should be done about those challenges?  
1. Capital issues.  We are nearing the end of a capital improvement cycle in Arlington.  The remaining facilities -- Wakefield High School, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, and the Arlington Career Center -- are in desperate need of attention.  In these, and in far too many additional school buildings, major problems with HVAC, fire suppression and other major systems are woefully inadequate creating environments that are not conducive to education.  This is more than just a drive to create fine facilities in an affluent community:  this is getting in the way of learning -- and creating a noticeable disparity between school and neighborhood communities.  Our county's bonding capacity to raise money for much-needed renovations is limited.  I will ensure there are tough, transparent, and realistic decisions made about renovation prioritization where all communities have an equal voice and that there are clear steps along the way to work towards the goals that are set.

2. Budget.  Our schools budget has many competing, yet worthwhile, demands, and should reflect the priorities of our strategic plan, staff and community.  It is not just a spreadsheet, but instead a document that makes tangible our values and ideas about education.  Attracting and retaining highly-trained, inspiring teachers will be my first priority, because the professionals who work with our students each and every day are the foundation of our school system's - and children's - success. My other priorities include ensuring our school facilities are not getting in the way of learning and supporting innovative programs that meet each student where they are and foster skills for a lifetime.

3. Meeting each student where they are.  I recognize, through my experience as a teacher, parent and schools advocate that this as an overarching issue in our schools.  The failure to meet each student where they are affects so many areas - and so many of our children:  closing the achievement gap; meeting the needs of students with special needs, challenging gifted students, and inspiring "kids in the middle."  The APS student dropout rate is unacceptably high. Our school system has the laudable goal of providing a responsive education and differentiating instruction for each student, but we are not yet there.  We must redouble our efforts and ensure that school is relevant, interesting, and engaging to all our students, because we need each and every one of them to be productive contributors to tomorrow's America.

Anything else you'd like to add about your vision for the Arlington County school system?
Meeting our Earth's environmental challenges will be one of the most critical milestones for our children's generation, and yet I am the only candidate talking about this issue.  While we are doing some things right, our school system has no defined environmental curriculum or policy guidelines.  I will provide the much-needed leadership to ensure that Arlington Public Schools joins Arlington County - a national leader - in its environmentally progressive policy.  Schools are a civic entity that must contribute to environmental advances -- and in schools, there's an important additional component:  we must teach our children by our example.

Environmentally responsible education is a part of my passion for ensuring our young people are ready for their future with an education suited for the 21st century.  We must focus not just on content but also on skills that will prepare our children to solve the big environmental, energy, medical, and societal challenges they will face: skills that are so valued in the workplace, such as creativity, innovation, collaboration, and effective communication.  Though full of challenges, their future will be very exciting, and I want them to be ready for it!

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