Candidate name: Patricia B. O’Neill

Residence: Bethesda

Date of birth: Aug. 20, 1950

Place of birth: Washington, D.C.

Current occupation: Volunteer⁄activist; member, Board of Education

Education: B.A. in social science, Southern Methodist University; graduate, Walter Johnson HS

Community associations, involvement: PTA activist, Walt Whitman Cluster; League of Women Voters

Professional associations: President, Maryland Association of Boards of Education

Family: Husband, James R. O’Neill; two children, Jennifer and Melissa

Campaign address, telephone: 6716 Landon Lane, Bethesda, MD 20817, 301-320-2132

Web site: None

Link to state Board of Elections campaign finance database

1) Middle school reform; 2) Working through the challenges of the High School Assessments, to ensure that students are able to receive Maryland State diplomas; 3) Addressing the issues of overcrowding, decreasing or eliminating ‘‘learning cottages” and aging and decaying schools.

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

As a member of the current board, I believe we have done a good job. We established our priorities and built our strategic plan with input from a wide variety of stakeholders. We have worked with other elected officials to receive the funds necessary to carry out this plan.

How would you rate the job performance of Superintendent Jerry Weast: excellent, good, fair or poor? Why?

I rate the performance of Dr. Weast as excellent. I believe he is an educator with a businessman’s mind. He has taken the BOE’s priorities and vision and implemented them into action. I have been active at the national level through the School Boards Association and have gotten to know many Superintendents. There are very few Superintendents with the leadership skills of Dr. Weast. One of Dr. Weast’s faults is impatience to see results more quickly.

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

The leaders of Montgomery County, the County Council and the County Executive have been very supportive of MCPS by funding most our yearly budget requests. The local taxpayers have more than fulfilled their responsibilities to our schools. Is there more money that is needed? Yes. The additional funds to support our schools should come from the state and federal government. When the Legislature passed the Bridge to Excellence Act they called for a Geographic Cost of Education Index (GCEI). The GCEI would have brought millions of dollars to MCPS. The GCEI has never been funded. The federal government needs to step forward and better support school systems with more funding for Special Education and ESOL students.

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

The Montgomery County problem of overcrowding and aging schools is also statewide concern. We must make an effort to do away with portables. We currently house 17,000 students in over 700 portables. We are modernizing schools at the rate of about once every fifty years. We have deferred maintenance which negatively impacts our schools. Programs to repair bathrooms and provide painting are just a piecemeal approach. State Treasurer Nancy Kopp chaired a task force to look at the Maryland school construction needs. The estimated cost to catch up was for $300 million statewide for the next 10 years. This year was the first time the state made a significant effort in this direction. The state needs to do a better job of providing necessary school construction money.

How well are the county’s high school consortia working to raise student achievement?

The track record for the Northeast Consortium (NEC) is more established then the Down County Consortium (DCC). The NEC has been successful in providing increased student opportunities. The IB program at Springbrook and arts program at Blake have grown through the years. The healthcare program at Paint Branch is both a regional and national model. The feedback from the DCC following the completion of its second year has been positive.

How well is the middle school consortium working to raise student achievement?

The Middle School Consortium has just completed its first year and it is too early to measure its impact on student achievement. I do believe an early indication of its success is Parkland Middle school. Parkland was recognized by the U. S. Department of Education for the diversity in its 7th grade Algebra classes. President George Bush and Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings visited one of the 7Th grade algebra classes and a robotics class at Parkland.

Are too many students being pushed into advanced placement and honors classes without proper preparation?

MCPS has removed the institutional barriers that for years prevented many minority students from entering AP and honors classes. We are using the 10th grade PSAT test to encourage students who demonstrate potential to voluntarily enter these rigorous courses. The key word is voluntary. Students with the consent of there parents are encouraged to challenge themselves.

We need to do a better job of supporting students who self select these courses and have not previously had the experience in challenging course.

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

I strongly support the planned revisions to the health education curriculum, to include discussions about homosexuality in grades 8 and 10 and a condom demonstration video in grade 10. Parents will have the opportunity to preview the curriculum and will still be required to sign a permission form to allow their children participate. I support 21st century health education for our students.

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

This past year the Board had a strained relationship with some community members. I believe that the greater community enjoys a positive relationship with the Board. Where there is input there is not always agreement. Some people become very angry with elected officials who do not agree with their opinions. I have become concerned about the lack of civility and respect displayed by both some advocates and some elected officials.

Does the County Council have too much, too little or not enough oversight of the school system?

The Board of Education is fiscally dependent on the County Council, we have no taxing or bonding authority. The Council should have oversight to make sure that funds are spent wisely. About half of the County resources go to the public schools system and Council members should ask questions on the budget. They should not intrude into policy or curriculum matters.

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

To improve the outcomes for all students, I believe the Board of Education needs to maintain our course, our strategic plan. We need to continue to focus on early literacy. The children who were the first participants of our reform efforts will be entering sixth grade this fall. We need to continue to assess students along the way and provide supports⁄remediation for those who continue to struggle. Those supports may need to include extended day and extended year programs.

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

I believe that every child is a unique ‘‘snowflake”. We are meeting the needs for some special education students but many continue to struggle. As more students are main-streamed we must provide better and more supports within the inclusion classes. We also need more resources from the federal government to fulfill there vision of IDEA.

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

I believe that for the most part our schools are safe for students and teachers. However, any school here in Montgomery County or anywhere in the country can have a serious incident in the matter of seconds. The stabbing in the fall of 2005 at Blake High School is a case in point. We have taken steps to make our schools safe including; more cameras in school buildings and on buses, police in our schools (Educational Facilities Officers), more security assistants, and programs such as the Collaborative Action Process. We must continue to be proactive with our resources but the best deterrent is for students to feel the trust with adults in both school and the greater community and for them to tell about possible fights⁄violence, etc.