July 30, 2018 5:00 p.m.
Editor’s Note: In an effort for our readers to be informed voters, every year the Fernandina Observer presents a series of questions to candidates. We have disabled the ability for our readers to offer comments on this page. Thank you candidates for running for office, and for sharing your answers with our readers.
Lissa Braddock
Candidate Nassau County School Board
District 5
1. What key educational elements do you believe are necessary to develop well educated youth?
Key elements to develop a well-educated youth according to Harvard University include training students to think, to communicate clearly through the spoken and written word, to make good judgement, to be lifelong learns, to be organized, to get along with people, and to solve problems, to name a few. I believe all these and more are necessary.
2. What are the district’s greatest capital needs right now? How do you think those needs should be addressed?
The greatest capital need is planning for future growth. The board must be proactive and conduct meetings with our Senator and State Representative to discuss capital outlay needs of the districts. Board members need to network with other board members across the state to learn how they are addressing state mandates and funding of capital outlay projects. It may require some creativity and collaboration with the state legislature, Board of County Commissioners and local communities.
3. How would you respond to concerns that vocational training today is inadequate to meeting local workforce needs?
Nassau County schools under the direction of Brent Lemond have been doing a great job implementing the goals of the Career and Professional Education Act passed by the Florida Legislators. Some of the advisory boards in Nassau are Advanced Manufacturing and Machining, Agritechnology, Automotive Aviation, Building Construction, Business Finance/Media, Culinary Arts, Health Careers, Technology and Programming and more.
In 2007, the FL legislature passed the Career and Professional Education Act. The purpose of the Act was to provide statewide planning partnership between the business and education communities in order to attract, expand, and retain targeted, high-value industry and to sustain a strong, knowledge based economy.
To implement the Act, the FLDOE, the Department of Economic Development and Career Source Florida are partnered together. At the local level, the act mandates the development of a local strategic plan by school districts with the participation of regional workforce boards and post secondary institutions.
4 Where could you see the School District saving money by partnering with Nassau County or county municipalities?
Saving the tax dollars will require thinking outside the box and more proactive school board members in dialogue with the County Commissioners, the Sheriff’s Office and Health Department.There must be more transparency at all levels of government to involve all stakeholders in the decision making and budget process.
It may require some original and creative plans in cooperation with the state legislators and the DOE to move to a four day school and work week to balance the budgets. It may mean a longer school day and a four day week. That way the district could save money and food services, transportation and utilities. Bryceville Elementary could become a K-8 school and so could Wildlight Elementary helping transportation costs. To handle growth, the district may have to go on a staggered day to avoid the costs of building new schools.
Editor’s Note: Braddock faces incumbent Jonathan Petree in the District 5 School Board race. All voters will be eligible to vote in this race which will be decided on August 28.
Incumbent Jonathan Petree
Nassau County School Board Candidate
District 5
1. What key educational elements do you believe are necessary to develop well educated youth?
I believe parents, our community, and our schools all contribute to the development of well-educated youth. In our schools, we must have committed and competent teachers. Then we must give those teachers the resources, technology, textbooks, and support they need for success. We must provide all of this within a safe and secure environment. In addition to core curricula, such as, reading, math, science, history, and social studies, the incorporation of financial literacy and technical education classes will help develop well rounded and well-educated youth.
2. What are the district’s greatest capital needs right now? How do you think those needs should be addressed?
While there are several needs, the School District’s greatest capital needs right now can be found in two main areas. Those areas are that of school hardening, and growth management.
We have been hardening all of our schools for many months, and we have completed several of the school security projects already. However, there is more to do, and we are working diligently to ensure the safety of all of our schools.
The School District has established a growth management team to properly assess our need for new schools, and extra spaces. We must plan properly, and appropriately use capital outlay funds. In addition, good collaboration with county planners is necessary.
3. How would you respond to concerns that vocational training today is inadequate to meeting local workforce needs?
There is a 25-28 year skills gap in the United States. Many companies are not able to hire the employees they need to fill the skilled labor jobs that are available. Here in Nassau county, and the surrounding counties, jobs are available, but many are going unfilled due to the lack of skilled applicants. A top priority of mine will be to continue the promotion of our vocational (career and technical education) classes as a first choice option for Nassau county students.
I would like to expand our vocational education programs by two new programs in the next two school years. At the same time, explore the potential for a Nassau county high schools apprenticeship program, and continue to build pipelines from our high school vocational education programs to local employers, as well as, the already established apprenticeship programs.
Currently, students in Nassau County Schools have a tremendous opportunity to learn these sought after skills, as well as earn industry certifications, for FREE in our vocational education classes!
For example, Nassau County high school students may take advantage of the HVAC and Electrical classes that are held at the “Red” Bean Center, which is centrally located off of William Burgess road. Last school year, 100% of the graduates of these classes were quickly snapped up by local companies happy to employ them!!
In addition, as a big supporter of vocational education, I am very excited that our school district has a vibrant and growing Agricultural program at Hilliard Middle-Senior High School. From the teacher to the students, everyone I spoke with was excited to be learning about the many facets of Agricultural Science. In addition, it is wonderful to see the support from the local community for this very important program.
On a visit to the machine shop last year, the teacher, Mr. Sawyer, and the students of the Machinist Technology program at Hilliard Middle Senior High School, provided a great overview of all the skills learned in this very important program. The Machinist program is much needed, and I am happy that the Nassau County School District is providing the opportunity for students to get this training. In the machine shop there is a vertical mill, CNC machine, a new drilling and tapping machine, surface grinder, a lathe, and cold cut saw. In addition, students learn how to program the CNC machine, and computer aided design. One of the students said that he already had an employer just waiting for him to graduate due to the skills he learned in the machinist program.
West Nassau High School, and Yulee High School, both have Building Construction Technology classes that teach students how to safely operate many of the tools used in the building construction trades. These students also have the opportunity to obtain multiple industry certifications while in these classes.
Yulee High School has a very good Automotive Program that trains students in car maintenance and repair. That’s right! Auto shop is alive and well in Nassau County! This program helps prepare students for a future career as an automotive technician if the individual desires.
Both Fernandina Beach High School, and the “Red” Bean Center, have thriving Culinary Arts programs with highly qualified, and dedicated instructors. Among the possible certifications that students have the opportunity to obtain while in this program is the highly sought after ServSafe Certified Professional Food Service Manager certification.
These are just a few of the vocational and career education classes provided by the Nassau County School District. In addition to these are: the CNA program, Vystar Financial Academy, JAVA programming, Aerospace program, Biotechnology program, and Microsoft Office program.
4. Where could you see the School District saving money by partnering with Nassau County or county municipalities?
Here is one example of how the Nassau County School District partnered with the City of Fernandina Beach to save money. The new School Safety Specialist needs a vehicle to get around to all the schools. The City of Fernandina Beach offered to donate a vehicle. This will be less expensive than the School District paying mileage on the use of his personal vehicle.
Here is one example of how the Nassau County School District partnered with the Town of Callahan to save money. The Nassau County School District has agreed to an exchange of land. In the exchange, the School District could deed a retention pond to the Town of Callahan, in exchange for the Town of Callahan deeding a parking lot to the School District.
In addition, the School District could share the use, cost, and management of recreational spaces throughout the county with both municipalities, and/or the county.
In the case of sheltering, whether it is for hurricanes, or extreme cold, the School District may partner with the county for cost sharing, or reimbursement, instead of shouldering all of the associated costs, then waiting and hoping for FEMA reimbursement.
Editor’s Note: Incumbent Jonathan Petree faces challenger Lissa Braddock in the District 5 School Board race. All voters will be eligible to vote in this race which will be decided on August 28.