Maureen Ahern is running for the District 6 seat on the Pinellas County School Board.
1. Why are you running for this office?
I understand the importance of a good public education. It’s vital to who we are as a nation – a free and vibrant people. But if a community fails to educate its youth, that community/state/nation will suffer.
Our school district has some serious issues: falling test scores; the achievement gap; low graduation rate for black males; a lack of parental involvement; a growing list of struggling schools; and attendance and discipline problems. But I don’t see a sense of urgency from the school board to solve these problems.
The school board needs to sound the alarm and join forces with teachers, parents, businesses, places of worship and city halls to create the right environment for these struggling schools so all students can earn a diploma and be successful.
With about 50 percent of Pinellas third graders unable to read at their grade level and some schools receiving consecutive failing grades, these students are running out of time. We must remember they only get one chance at their childhood education.
I believe the school board must always put students first when making decisions and that means listening to parents when it comes to choosing the right school for their child. Fundamental schools are a proven success, yet the district won’t open more of these back-to-basics schools even though there there is a long waiting list.
As the daughter of an educator, I have tremendous respect for teachers. I believe that decisions made for the classroom should be made at the local and state levels, not in Washington. I would listen to teachers’ and parents’ concerns over the new curricula, testing and teaching strategies. I believe the state and the district must thoroughly examine what is being taught in our classrooms and how it is being taught.
As a mother, I believe that parents know the best school choice for their child. I would advocate so parents have more options to help them make the best decisions for their child’s education.
Public education is a collaboration of teacher, student and parent. All three should work together. If a parent isn’t engaged, it makes the teacher’s job much harder. And for parents who need help, our community and our businesses must provide inspiring mentors to struggling students.
And, lastly, the school district operates on a $1.3 billion budget. School board members must be good stewards of those tax dollars to ensure they reach the teachers and their students in the classroom.
2. Why do you think you are the best qualified candidate for the office?
I want to bring a new voice to the School Board. I believe our elected boards perform better with people who have energy, ideas and a strong work ethic.
As with all our governmental bodies, the school board also should be comprised of people from a variety of backgrounds and professions – from educators to business people, from stay-at-home moms to company CEOs.
I believe my skills as a journalist, my experience as a small business owner and my involvement in our community give me an ideal background to make policy decisions for our schools.
I am ready to roll up my sleeves and do the hard work it takes to run a large school system. I am a team player, but will advocate for what I believe are the best practices and policies for educating our children. I am a good listener and believe in hearing from those in the trenches – our teachers, parents and students. I have new ideas and will not accept the status quo if it is not in the best interest of our students.
I have lived in Pinellas County for 40 years, attended both public and private schools and earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications/journalism from the University of South Florida. I had a successful career as a journalist for 20 years, working for WTSP Channel 10, United Press International, Beacon-Leader-Bee newspapers and the then-St. Petersburg Times.
I grew up here, raised my family here, am married and am a mother of three daughters. I serve as vice president of the Bay Pines Estates Civic Association and volunteer for my church, where I co-chaired a $9-million, five-year renovation project for the Catholic Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle. I was a member of the city of St. Petersburg’s International Relations Committee and am a founding member and a past vice president of the 49th Street South Business Association. Please visit my website for more information.
3. If you are elected, what will be your top priorities?
Make every school a success: About 50 percent of our third graders are unable to read and do math at their grade level. I would bring a sense of urgency to our failing schools so all students can earn a diploma and be successful.
There are too many elementary students who aren’t mastering the fundamentals: the basics in education – reading, writing and math. Without mastering these skills - the basic building blocks in education - they will not be able to proceed to a higher level of learning.
Experts stress the importance of third grade and its relationship to a child’s educational success. Ask yourself if it is acceptable that 51 percent of Pinellas third graders didn’t pass math and 45 percent of third graders can’t read at their grade level. One of my top priorities would be to improve these numbers as fast as possible.
I would support the formation of a task force that would solicit input from all stakeholders in the community who would work together to solve this crisis. I strongly support the variety of choices the district offers older students – from career academies to college readiness programs – but if young students aren’t mastering the fundamentals, they will not be able to participate and succeed in these programs.
Empower parents with more choices: As a Mom, I know that parents know what’s best for their child. I would advocate so parents have more options to help them make the best decisions for their child’s education.
Trust our teachers: As the daughter of a teacher, I know that decisions for the classroom should be made at the local and state level, not in Washington. I would listen to teachers’ and parents’ concerns over new curricula, testing and teaching methods.
Ensure more dollars reach our classrooms: I would lead the effort to make sure tax dollars are being used in the most efficient and effective way possible so more dollars reach our teachers and their students.
Partner with businesses and city halls: I would continue building on the relationship between schools, businesses and city halls. So many businesses have stepped up to the plate to help our struggling schools and students. Whether it is through providing financial contributions or recruiting mentors for students, business and city leaders are a vital part of a successful school system.
The school district is very fortunate to have the Pinellas Education Foundation provide so many resources to our schools. And our local elected leaders at City Hall can make a difference, too.
Former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker got it right when he decided to take ownership of the schools in his city. Working with the district and businesses, he started a variety of successful programs that improved students’ grades.
Mayors have a lot to do while leading a city, but one of the most important things they should be doing is helping to create successful schools. The success of their city depends on it.