The Rotary Club of Jacksonville invited candidates who will be on the Nov. 6 ballot for the Duval County School Board to the club’s meeting Monday at the Omni Downtown.
Participating in a question-and-answer forum were Suzanne Jenkins and Ashley Smith Juarez, candidates in the District 3 election, and Jon Heymann, candidate for the District 7 seat.
Heymann’s opponent, Jason Fischer, was invited but did not attend due to a schedule conflict, said John Fryer, former Duval County Public Schools superintendent and the moderator of the forum.
Candidates were given two minutes to answer a series of questions from Fryer and from club members.
Asked about qualifications for service on the board, Jenkins said she was a parent of students who graduated from Duval County Public Schools and cited her experience as a member of the Jacksonville City Council.
“I’ve been a worker bee and a leader. My dedication and passion is to leave this city better than I found it,” she said.
Heymann said his children also graduated from Duval County Public Schools and cited his career as CEO of Communities In Schools Jacksonville, a nonprofit that works to reduce the high-school dropout rate.
He said that experience gives him a “grassroots, boots-on-the-ground” perspective.
“We have seen what can be done in the school system,” Heymann said.
Juarez described her background in education and her position as executive director of the Chartrand Foundation, a nonprofit that works to help students realize and use their academic potential.
She said as a school board member, she would look at what other school districts are doing to improve student performance.
“I will bring fresh ideas to the school board,” Juarez said.
Asked what they see as the responsibility of the school board, Jenkins said she is looking forward to working with new Superintendent Nikolai Vitti.
“I want to empower and inspire Dr. Vitti to do the things he wants to do to make the school system better,” she said.
“The role of the school board is policy, finance and management,” said Heymann.
He said he would promote a mentoring program to match all 170 public school principals with a business executive.
Juarez said accountability and oversight are critical.
“I am data-driven. The superintendent and the board need a long-term vision and specific goals,” she said.
All three candidates addressed the financial challenges that will face the county’s public schools.
“We need to be bold when working with the other board members. One new board member will not change the board,” Heymann said.
Juarez said there are “efficiencies to be had” and suggested alternative fuels for school buses, including natural gas, which has been used by other school districts to reduce operating costs.
Jenkins said the school system has tough times ahead, adding that it may be time to evaluate underutilized schools and transfer students elsewhere.
“We have to do what’s best for the children. I believe I have the public’s trust on the tough issues,” Jenkins said.
Before the forum, Bill Griffin, past governor of Rotary District 6970, called club member Howard Kelley to the podium. Griffin presented Kelley with the Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service.
Kelley is the 10th recipient of the award, which is given each year to one Rotarian in the district.
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