Lyle, Mullins campaign in Clintwood District school board race

This is the last in a series of candidate profiles in the upcoming November election 2019. Candidates for Dickenson County School Board in all five districts were asked the same questions, given the same time to respond and asked to limit their answers to roughly 100 words, more for multi-part questions.

CLINTWOOD DISTRICT

Candidates for the office of DICKENSON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD

Dr. Lurton Lyle, incumbent

Greer Mullins, challenger

1. As you evaluate the quality of education being delivered to Dickenson County students, describe one area of required educational programming you believe needs more attention, what improvement is needed and how you will work to accomplish it.
LURTON LYLE: I feel that more time and effort should be spent with students that are getting behind in their classes and are not able to keep up on their own. I feel this should be done as soon as it is noted that the student may have a problem and not wait until near the end of the term.

GREER MULLINS: Departmentalizing third through fifth grades in the elementary school. Departmentalizing gives each teacher the ability to teach the subject in which they specialize and are comfortable teaching. It also gives teachers the ability to have more time to prepare for lesson plans for the subject they are teaching. Teachers have more of an opportunity to differentiate among students.

As a principal at Longs Fork Elementary, I had the opportunity to departmentalize third and fourth grades. Fifth grade was already departmentalized. Departmentalization had a positive effect for both students and teachers. SOL scores averaged 90 to 95 percent for each subject area. Also, behavior problems went down based on visits to the office and teacher complaints (that were measured by observation only and not any documentation tool).

I will work to accomplish this change by providing educational resources and studies that prove departmentalization will improve teaching and student learning.

2. Along with core curriculum, students need opportunities for electives and extracurricular activities for the most well-rounded education. Clearly state your position on the funding priority of arts and music programming in Dickenson County schools. Identify an elective and an activity that is not available to students that you believe should be and how you will work toward providing each.
LURTON LYLE: I firmly believe that the arts and music should be taught at all levels of our schools. Other activities such as different clubs that stimulate the students interest are also important. Not all students have the same interests. Video or Film production may be a possible addition but would have to meet funding which I would work for in the budget procedure.

GREER MULLINS: Choir and Drama are two extra extracurricular activities that I would like to see at the high school level. There are so many advantages to offer each of these activities to students at a high school level. Choir and drama can build self confidence build self esteem. Also, it builds life-long friendships.
I will have to work to get input concerning these two activities. I don’t think it would add much money to the budget, if any. It is something that will need to be researched. Also, it will take some time to appeal to the students, teachers, staff, and stakeholders and community.

3. Boards typically are policy setters while staff implement and administer those policies in daily operations. But boards also typically have members who tend toward micromanagement of operations at differing levels. If elected/re-elected, how do you see these roles and how will you handle them when you encounter questions about operations?
LURTON LYLE: I believe the Board‘s position is to set policy and not to try to micromanage. If a Board member was trying to micromanage I think I would try to talk privately to them and see if that helped. If that did not solve the problem, I am not sure what my next move would be.

GREER MULLINS: I will not micromanage operations at any level. That being said, I want to encourage anyone and everyone (including teachers) to feel free to approach me or call me about any issue that they have a concern about policy or the school environment and I will make the Superintendent aware so that we can work together to discuss the best way to solve the issue that will satisfy me and those who have the concern.

Also, let me say that because I made to statement that I will not micromanage operations, I will be present and active in the schools.

4. Spending on the Dickenson County school division’s central office has been the target of much criticism. Twelve of 15 people in that office have 25 years or more experience. Salary and benefits cost roughly $1.5 million, about 5.8 percent of the division’s total budget. Do you believe the central office is bloated in numbers and needs a reduction in staff, or does it have the level of staffing necessary? Would you support retirement incentives in an effort to create space for less experienced and less expensive personnel? Explain where you stand and what you would do about it if elected/re-elected.
LURTON LYLE: The length of service is the main cause of the amount of salaries and benefits that the Central Office cost is as it is. I feel that I would like to have the most experienced people supervising and directing the work of our School Board. Many of the Central Office staff have more than one job title. I feel it would be counter productive to hire less experienced personnel just to cut cost.

GREER MULLINS: Everyone works very hard at the central office. Now, that is not to say that staff could be reduced in one area or the other. The salary for personnel at the central office should not be based on what the base salary is for that particular position. Our student funding that Dickenson County receives from the State of Virginia does not allow the school system to give our teachers and staff the raises they deserve nor offer extracurricular activities in art and music at the high school level.

I do not support an early retirement incentive. Everyone at the central office works very hard in the respective positions. I am sure that with the stress that comes with their position, they will retire when they are able to retire. Then, the school board can hire at a lower salary or not replace the position at all.

5. State clearly the option and approach you will support, and why, for location of a new elementary school to replace Sandlick Elementary School. The board that takes office in the new year will either make that call or have a lead role in making that call, regardless of the pending judicial ruling in the court case that grew from the siting controversy. Please be specific, including whether you support consolidating Dickenson County’s three elementary schools into one or into two schools.
LURTON LYLE: I support building the new elementary school at the Ridgeview campus. I feel that our county cannot afford to keep Clintwood and Ervinton schools open and keep them in physical condition in to serve our children safely. Both of these schools need some major repairs just to function. I feel that one school will provide an opportunity for all of our children to have an equal chance for a quality education. I support one elementary school.

GREER MULLINS: I support the three elementary school model. I do not support consolidating Dickenson County’s three elementary school into one or into two schools. The only way that I could support consolidating the elementary schools is to consolidate all three elementary schools into one elementary school.

I support the new elementary school to be built above the floodplain at the Sandlick location. I think we could build a nice elementary school with $24 million. This will also allow each community to have an elementary in the Sandlick area, the Ervinton area, and the Clintwood area.

If the new elementary school is not built at the Sandlick sight, I feel that Dickenson County will lose, I am afraid, most of their elementary student population to Buchanan County and Wise County because of the amount of time spent on the buses.

One concept is that Sandlick Elementary and Ervinton Elementary will be closed and attend the new elementary while Clintwood would remain open which is not fair.

6. Through a state formula, Virginia sets a minimum standard for what a locality must pay toward educating its students. Dickenson County has a history of investing substantially more than is required to support its school system, funding that draws both praise and criticism. County administration has been clear the current level of giving is not likely sustainable.

If you are elected to the school board, your work to frame the next year’s budget and the request to county supervisors gets underway shortly after you take the oath of office. Will you be a champion for level or more funding, or do you believe the school division should deliver a lower budget request? Describe one new idea you have for a cost-cutting measure and how you would execute it. Are there areas of spending you would consider as off-limits for cutting? Explain.
LURTON LYLE: I commend the Board of Superrvisors for their going above and beyond in funding for Dickenson County Schools. There was some comment about the funding for this school year being higher than the previous year. A large part of the increase was a salary adjustment, approved for by a committee made up of representives of the Board of Supervisors and the School Board. I feel that in time the cost will be lower due to the new elementary school. I do not feel any area is “off limits” for cutting. In the past when a Budget reduction was made by the Board od Supervisors all areas were affected.Teachers and other staff were laid off and curriculum was also cut.

GREER MULLINS: I believe that a good start for the 2020-2021 school budget is to try for level funding. An idea that could be a cost cutting measure that could be used is by emailing invoices and paying bills online would be a way to cut cost. Also, using computers during meetings that has the copy of a meeting agenda instead of using paper copies would also help cut costs for the school or district meeting would cut cost by making copies and using copy paper and toner. Another cost cutting measure is to drop the law firm that special education has on retainer.

7. Describe what makes you the best candidate to represent citizens in your district and Dickenson County.
LURTON LYLE: I have over 20 years of experience, through good budget years and bad. I truly care for the children of our county. I have no agenda other than to do whatever is the best for all our children.

GREER MULLINS: The primary focus of my campaign and if fortunate to be elected, I pledge to give the hard working teachers a voice as to how their classrooms need to be supported in order to deliver the best possible instruction possible for our children. We have a huge number of talented teachers, support staff and administrators in our school system, and I want to make certain their voices and concerns are heard and given respect.

School personnel moral needs to be restored to a high level wherein all stakeholders, including parents have a strong voice in the direction of our school system.

I will make policy decisions based on the available facts and appropriate public input.

I will encourage individual board member expression of opinion and establish an open, two-way communications process with all segments of the community.

I am calling for a change in thinking of recent Boards with the main idea that there will be no hidden agendas within the Boards policies, hiring process and budgeting to mention just a few. Transparency beginning at the very top of our school system is a must and I will insist on nothing less.

I also promise that as a School Board member of Dickenson County Schools that I will exercise my duty with oversight as to all school projects such as the building and/or school renovations of any and all schools. this is critical considering the questions that have been raised by taxpayers in our county.

Please offer any closing thoughts you haven’t addressed.
LURTON LYLE: I would like to thank The Dickenson Star for this opportunity to express my opinions about the upcoming election, as it relates to education.

GREER MULLINS: There will be transparency and accountability if elected to the school board. As a school board member there will be integrity. Everyone’s voice will be heard concerning school policies and where the elementary school will be located. Also, the school board will lead the superintendent. The superintendent will not lead the school board.