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Fairfax County School Board Elections

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

In School Board Race, Incumbents Keep Pace With New Faces

Even split for tenured, new members on 12-person board; Democrat-endorsed candidates sweep races

Facing the largest turnover its had in years, the Fairfax County School Board held on to many of its incumbents Tuesday night despite an election season marked by loud cries for change. Six of the board's 12 members did not seek re-election, leaving half the board open for newcomers to step into place. But four of those seats went to incumbents Janie Strauss (Dranesville), Dan Storck (Mt. Vernon), Kathy Smith (Sully) and Illryong Moon (At-large), candidates who were sometimes cast into a group of "rubber stampers" throughout this election season by voters dissatisfied with school system. On Tuesday night, however, they won, in some cases with substantial margins, over the self-labeled "reformers" who challenged them. Two more incumbents — …

Will Radle

8:03 am on Thursday, November 10, 2011

Every politician elected is mandated to keep their commitments to voters for we will hold them accountable. Won't we? A. Will Radle, Jr. Creating a Culture of Listening   more ›

Monday, October 31, 2011

In School Board Elections, Party Endorsements Lead to Wins

Support from Fairfax County Democrats and Republicans have played an important role in nonpartisan elections

Steve Stuban has talked to thousands of voters since he launched his campaign for an at-large seat on the Fairfax County School Board this summer. Many agree with the message he's carried to forums, debates, back-to-school nights and PTA meet-and-greets. Some don't. One man approached him after a candidates forum last week, calling Stuban a "tremendous candidate" and saying he wished he could vote for four at-large candidates. But the race has only three at-large seats, and he votes a straight party ticket. The anecdote is one of several in what some call the "most intense" school board race the county has seen in years — one that could, in the most dramatic scenario, leave only two experienced members in their seats. If past elections are…

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Kilgore

4:06 pm on Thursday, November 3, 2011

Constructive criticism: get your facts right. And don't spend so much time crafting evasive answers to fairly simple questions. The relevance of the endorsement status is intellectual honesty. Citizen is the biggest offender on that front, but it makes me wonder if Stuban is actually a much more shrewd politican than he is trying to appear to be. All this being said, don't get me started on most …   more ›

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The At-Large Race: Ted Velkoff

One in a series of at-large school board candidates responses to reader questions

Seven candidates will vie for three at-large seats on the Fairfax County School Board in the Nov. 8 elections. As election day approaches, Patch has selected six questions based on submissions from readers and sent them in a survey to all at-large candidates. Over the course of the next week, Patch will run the responses of the six candidates who returned the questionnaires. These responses are unedited, in the candidates' own words. Note: Candidate Lin-Dai Kendall did not return the survey. Oct. 5: Sheree Brown-Kaplan Oct. 6: Lolita Mancheno-Smoak Oct 7: Ryan McElveen Oct. 10: Ilryong Moon Oct. 11: Steve Stuban Oct. 12: Ted Velkoff Today, Ted Velkoff Is FCPS underfunded, overfunded, or properly funded at the current level?  Explain.   …

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

The At-Large Race: Steve Stuban

One in a series of at-large school board candidates responses to reader questions

Seven candidates will vie for three at-large seats on the Fairfax County School Board in the Nov. 8 elections. As election day approaches, Patch has selected six questions based on submissions from readers and sent them in a survey to all at-large candidates. Over the course of the next week, Patch will run the responses of the six candidates who returned the questionnaires. These responses are unedited, in the candidates' own words. Note: Candidate Lin-Dai Kendall did not return the survey. Oct. 5: Sheree Brown-Kaplan Oct. 6: Lolita Mancheno-Smoak Oct 7: Ryan McElveen Oct. 10: Ilryong Moon Oct. 11: Steve Stuban Oct. 12: Ted Velkoff Today, Steve Stuban Is FCPS underfunded, overfunded, or properly funded at the current level? Explain.   …

Monday, October 10, 2011

The At Large Race: Ilryong Moon

One in a series of at-large school board candidates responses to reader questions

Seven candidates will vie for three at-large seats on the Fairfax County School Board in the Nov. 8 elections. As election day approaches, Patch has selected six questions based on submissions from readers and sent them in a survey to all at-large candidates. Over the course of the next week, Patch will run the responses of the six candidates who returned the questionnaires. These responses are unedited, in the candidates' own words. Note: Candidate Lin-Dai Kendall did not return the survey. Oct. 5: Sheree Brown-Kaplan Oct. 6: Lolita Mancheno-Smoak Oct 7: Ryan McElveen Oct. 10: Ilryong Moon Oct. 11: Steve Stuban Oct. 12: Ted Velkoff Today, Ilryong Moon Is FCPS underfunded, overfunded, or properly funded at the current level? Explain. FCPS …

Marta D. Saltus

12:17 pm on Thursday, October 13, 2011

I stand corrected, Laurie, thank you!   more ›

Friday, October 7, 2011

The At-Large Race: Ryan McElveen

One in a series of at-large school board candidates responses to reader questions

Seven candidates will vie for three at-large seats on the Fairfax County School Board in the Nov. 8 elections. As election day approaches, Patch has selected six questions based on submissions from readers and sent them in a survey to all at-large candidates. Over the course of the next week, Patch will run the responses of the six candidates who returned the questionnaires. These responses are unedited, in the candidates' own words. Note: Candidate Lin-Dai Kendall did not return the survey. Oct. 5: Sheree Brown-Kaplan Oct. 6: Lolita Mancheno-Smoak Oct 7: Ryan McElveen Oct. 10: Ilryong Moon Oct. 11: Steve Stuban Oct. 12: Ted Velkoff Today, Ryan McElveen Is FCPS underfunded, overfunded, or properly funded at the current level? Explain. FCPS…

Paul S.

3:16 pm on Tuesday, November 1, 2011

I am so thrilled to vote for Ryan McElveen because he's a got the charisma, energy, and first-hand experience in what is actually happening in Fairfax County education. He's been the underdog through out the campaign season and I think he's really going to surprise everyone.   more ›

Thursday, October 6, 2011

The At-Large Race: Lolita Mancheno-Smoak

One in a series of at-large school board candidates responses to reader questions

Seven candidates will vie for three at-large seats on the Fairfax County School Board in the Nov. 8 elections. As election day approaches, Patch has selected six questions based on submissions from readers and sent them in a survey to all at-large candidates. Over the course of the next week, Patch will run the responses of the six candidates who returned the questionnaires. These responses are unedited, in the candidates' own words. Note: Candidate Lin-Dai Kendall did not return the survey. Oct. 5: Sheree Brown-Kaplan Oct. 6: Lolita Mancheno-Smoak Oct 7: Ryan McElveen Oct. 10: Ilryong Moon Oct. 11: Steve Stuban Oct. 12: Ted Velkoff Today, Lolita Mancheno-Smoak Is FCPS underfunded, overfunded, or properly funded at the current level? It …

Marta D. Saltus

12:59 pm on Sunday, October 23, 2011

"Ms. Mancheno-Smoak is one of the so-called reform candidates, but, unlike some of her counterparts who seem intent on refighting past controversies, she refreshingly is focused on the challenges confronting students. Foremost is her interest in the needs of at-risk students and shrinking the achievement gap, issues that are informed by her work as an educator and her immigrant background."  This…   more ›

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

The At-Large Race: Sheree Brown-Kaplan

One in a series of at-large school board candidates responses to reader questions

Seven candidates will vie for three at-large seats on the Fairfax County School Board in the Nov. 8 elections. As election day approaches, Patch has selected six questions based on submissions from readers and sent them in a survey to all at-large candidates. Over the course of the next week, Patch will run the responses of the six candidates who returned the questionnaires. These responses are unedited, in the candidates' own words. Note: Candidate Lin-Dai Kendall did not return the survey. Oct. 5: Sheree Brown-Kaplan Oct. 6: Lolita Mancheno-Smoak Oct 7: Ryan McElveen Oct. 10: Ilryong Moon Oct. 11: Steve Stuban Oct. 12: Ted Velkoff 1. Is FCPS underfunded, overfunded, or properly funded at the current level? Explain. It is difficult to …

Truth Teller

10:30 am on Monday, October 24, 2011

Ah, Michele! I would expect nothing less than spinning of lies and useless information from Sheree's campaign manager. A campaign in which ethical behavior and doing the right thing seem to be foreign concepts. The SpecialEdFairfax email list serv was developed by the two previous chairs of the FCCPTA Special Education Committee for use originally by the local Special Education PTA …   more ›

Thursday, August 18, 2011

On Discipline: At-Large School Board Candidate Ryan McElveen

Discipline reform has become a key issue in this school board race. See how the candidates stack up.

Patch has asked the candidates running for an at-large seat on the Fairfax County School Board a series of questions on discipline policy reform - a topic fast becoming a key issue in this race. 1. Do you think the recent reforms passed by the school board changing the discipline policy were appropriate? The recent reforms passed by the School Board were a good start in what I hope proves to be an on-going dialogue with students, parents, teachers and administrators. These policies have been on the books for years, since I was a student. As the only candidate who’s been through FCPS within the past decade, I’ve seen first-hand the deleterious effects these policies have had on my peers. Mistakes that students make in their K-12 years …

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Meet FCPS At-Large School Board Candidate: Lin-Dai Kendall

Discipline reform has become a key issue in this school board race. See how the candidates stack up.

Patch has asked the candidates running for an at-large seat on the Fairfax County School Board a series of questions on discipline policy reform - a topic fast becoming a key issue in this race. 1. Do you think the recent reforms passed by the school board changing the discipline policy were appropriate?   I do not believe that the current measures and policy changes are appropriate for a simple reason: They come across as a knee jerk reaction to totally called-for pressure from parents and community for a more comprehensive disciplinary reform. What I mean by this is that it appears to be a cosmetic change and it fails to address some of the "structural fissures" in the system. Personally, being the parent of two teenagers, I can't …

Chuck Stevens

7:36 am on Tuesday, November 8, 2011

What a struggle to plow through such a poorly written, ill though out article. Do we really want someone on the school board who writes and thinks in such a disjointed manner? Even given that English is not her mother tongue, she needs heed the old adage: "physician, heal thyself", before taking a leadership position in the FCPS. Having said this, I do think she has her head screwed on right and …   more ›

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