Name: Leslie Mansfield

Place of residence: Frederick

Date of birth: July 9, 1964

Place of birth: Warren, Penn.

Current occupation: Do not work outside the home

Education: Graduate, Elkhorn High School, Elkhorn, Neb.; Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis; Designated Naval Flight Officer, Naval Aviation Schools Command (VT-10, VT-86), Pensacola, Fla.

Community associations, involvement: Past president, Monocacy Montessori Communities, Inc.; member, Elizabeth Ministry St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church and former children’s liturgist; former local PTA member and volunteer; Former Birthright of Frederick volunteer.

Professional associations: N⁄A

Family: Married to husband, Phil Mansfield. Two daughters, 12 and 11; stepdaughter Melissa Mansfield Turley and son-in-law Charlie Turley.

Campaign office address and telephone: 7611 Yale Ct., Frederick, MD 21702. 301-473-8051.

Candidate’s Web site: www.LeslieMansfield4BoE.com

Link to state Board of Elections campaign finance database

I strongly believe that the role of the Board of Education is to establish policies that create a framework that will allow our schools (students, staff, and parents) to become exceptional schools. Creation of top-notch schools across a district cannot be left to chance, goodwill, or circumstance. They must be purposefully created.

If elected my top three priorities for the next four years will be:

1) Focus on accountability. All of us need to be accountable for our part in the process of education from parents who prepare their children for school to students who approach school as their ‘‘work,” from staff members who conduct themselves professionally and focus on student achievement to board members who discuss and debate issues in a transparent manner. We need to ensure that we have established clear and meaningful accountability measures, rewarding success while establishing logical consequences for falling short of the mark.

2) Focus on flexibility and responsiveness. We have seen that our student population is rapidly changing, as well as growing, in Frederick County. policies and procedures which add value and allow for creativity leading to increased student achievement must be the standard, rather than those which focus on compliance with procedures that do little or nothing to positively affect achievement. Allowing for alternative certification paths to potentially increase the pool of high quality teaching candidates would come under this heading.

3) Focus on fiscal responsibility. This is really a subset of the first two, but deserves special attention. At the school level it is imperative that we remove unnecessary tasks from the workday and focus efforts on those that further student achievement. At all levels, the district must be accountable for how it spends its dollars and we must constantly look for innovative ways to stretch our dollars to ensure we have adequate resources for our students and fair compensation for employees. Along with advocating for statewide policies that lead to fair and adequate funding for education, we must also look for innovative ways to tap into other revenue streams when true needs exceed available dollars. Ensuring the availability of adequate facilities would come under this heading.

How would you rate the performance of the current school board: excellent, good, fair or poor? Why?

Serving on the Board of Education is both a responsibility and a privilege, and I am grateful to each person who has chosen to serve in that capacity these past two years. It is far easier to Monday morning quarterback than it is to be responsible for the decision making. I would, however, rate the performance of the board overall as ‘‘fair.” The board clearly indicates concern for overcrowding, employee compensation, and student performance, but in the future, I believe the board must look at solving our specific problems in ways that may cause tensions as they push the boundaries of the status quo. I believe it is in the interest of our students to identify where our system is weak and then investigate solutions that are being used successfully in other schools and districts. We must be willing to learn from others’ successes, to partner with businesses and other organizations in new ways as dollars are tight, and to look for input from our colleges, universities, and work places to identify areas where we are not preparing students well.

How would you rate the job performance of Superintendent Linda Burgee, excellent, good, fair or poor? Why?

I would rate the performance of the superintendent as good. The current initiatives to look at our middle schools and Heather Ridge are much needed. It is to her credit that she is looking for weaknesses in the system, rather than solely touting the strengths. Time will tell if there is a willingness to allow those outside of Frederick county Public Schools, who may offer additional expertise, to provide constructive feedback once weaknesses are identified.

Is the county funding for schools too much, about right or too little? If too little, where would you find additional funds?

The desire to have an exceptional system of public schools comes with a price tag and there is no argument that educating members of our society is in the best interest of all. Our county, however, has many needs and our funds must be used to serve all citizens. At this time, it is my opinion that the county funding for the operational budget is about right. And the board’s decision to use funds from the operating budget to support a new administrative building leads me to believe that they agree as well. In my opinion, however, there are still needs within our schools that are not being met. It is unclear to me whether or not that is a result of lack of funds or the need to reallocate where current funds are being spent. In order for the board to secure additional funding through the Board of County Commissioners, I believe that it is incumbent upon the board to clearly demonstrate how additional dollars would translate to higher student achievement.

My experience with the charter school process has taught me many hard lessons about finances. It is my opinion that changes in board policy could potentially allow for the creation of additional revenue opportunities.

Do you think the current system for renovating schools is adequate or does it need changing?

Older schools in need of renovation are clearly receiving some much needed attention in the current planning process. It is my opinion that going into the future our board needs to budget for maintenance and renovation of its facilities at a greater level so as to increase their longevity and allow for upgrades needed to provide an adequate educational environment. Alternative revenue streams and⁄or creative private partnerships may need to be carefully considered so that the capital improvement program is sufficiently funded to include a renovation schedule.

Should the school system’s health curriculum include discussions of homosexuality and demonstrations of contraception use?

I believe that it is the responsibility of parents and guardians to instruct their children in the area of human sexuality. As a family we have thus far ‘‘opted out” of these programs because it is my responsibility to instruct my children in the proper care of their bodies as well as teach them about the physical changes they will experience. Current law requires that local districts provide a comprehensive health education program which covers many topics in addition to human sexuality and HIV⁄AIDS prevention. This program need not address a position on homosexuality or include demonstrations of contraception use. I would urge concerned adults to address these two issues with our youth through their family structure, youth organizations, churches, and medical professionals on an individual basis and not relegate these to our public schools.

What do you think about the board’s relationship with the community?

I have been very pleased with the availability of some board members over the past few years. The board must have a way of connecting with their constituents in order to keep them informed about important issues and engaged in discussion of topics that affect all of us. The availability of various communication tools is making this easier all of the time. That being said, the board should also encourage a great deal of discussion at the individual school level to resolve problems and build relationships between staff and parents. Those relationships ultimately have a more direct and immediate impact on students.

Do the commissioners have too much, too little or not enough oversight of the school system?

It is my opinion that the Board of County Commissioners has the proper amount of oversight of the school system. It has been my observation that the commissioners do not attempt to micro manage the Board of Education, however, they do expect the board to be accountable for making budgetary decisions in keeping with the priorities in the funding proposals they, the Frederick County board of Education, have put before the Board of County Commissioners.

What should the school system do to improve performance by minority students?

In my opinion we have to insist that our community set high expectations for all students regardless of their background. Some students, however, may be at a disadvantage coming into school because they have either not had the opportunities or the exposure to events and places that others experience and even take for granted. This could be the case even for some non-minority students. In order to compensate for this, it may be beneficial to extend the learning environment beyond the classroom. After school enrichment programs where students visit historical sites, see plays, visit Gambrill State Park, etc., could definitely provide these students with experiences that will deepen their understanding of concepts taught in school. If family support is lacking, connection with an adult at school or through a youth organization such as Big Brothers⁄Big Sisters may address this need. The role of the board may be to advocate for greater minority community involvement in the form of volunteer tutors to serve as role models for these students to inspire them, support them, and supplement what the instructional day cannot provide.

Do you think the school system is doing enough to meet the needs of special education students?

In my opinion this is clearly best addressed on a case by case basis. While policies and regulations may be uniform, as in any other area, there will be some exceptional stories and there will be some that leave you with questions. I believe that the ‘‘system” must provide all of the supports required in the students’ individualized education programs. And, clearly Frederick County Public Schools staff is aware of the legal obligations. If I have a specific concern it is that students must fall behind to a certain degree before they receive services. It may be very frustrating for students, parents, and general education teachers to watch that process unfold. It must be equally challenging for special education teachers to rebuild a student’s confidence and accelerate their learning from that point as well. I have certainly witnessed the dedication of the special education staff at my children’s school, but know that they also experience some degree of frustration, as do the parents.

Are the schools safe for students and teachers? If not, what should be done?

In my opinion our schools are generally safe for our students and staff members. Even so, we can all contribute to increasing the level of safety by getting to know and recognize one another. I am fortunate that my children go to a relatively small school so we notice when there is someone new. Even in a larger school we have to be willing to step out of our comfort zone and question someone when we don’t see appropriate identification like a visitor’s badge. Additionally, we can all be more aware of the material condition of our buildings and notify someone when we become aware of a health or safety issue.

At the most basic level, however, we will maintain a safe environment in our schools if we all have high expectations for student behavior and are willing to address behavior that negatively impacts the learning environment of other students. We cannot tolerate any form of bullying. It would be my hope that parents would want to be informed if their child is having difficulty with behavior issues. It should be our expectation that this behavior will be addressed at home as well as in school. Teaching children to be respectful of themselves, each other, and their learning environment will help us to maintain safe schools.