Letonya Smalls
Running for school board in Charles County
How old will you be on Election Day (Nov. 5)?
50
Are you currently employed? If so, where, and what is your job title?
I am the center director for Easterseals (Marlboro Pike), and I am the co-provider/owner of Little Dreamers Early Learning Program in Waldorf.
What is the highest level of education that you completed, and where did you get that degree?
I have a doctoral degree in education leadership from Northcentral University.
Why are you running for the school board?
I am running for the school board to enhance the education of children and students, build and strengthen our community, bridge the gap between early childcare and school-age children, and most importantly, because I believe in quality education for all children and students.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I believe a good candidate for this position must be willing to always walk in good character and integrity at all times. The candidate must be able to identify the problems within childcare and our school systems and produce solutions with the assistance of all parties involved. The candidate must also diligently serve the people of our community by involving them every step of the way when making decisions for our children and our students.
What is the most important issue facing your school board and what would you do about it if elected?
The most important issue that I would like to face is ensuring that our children are provided with the best education possible in childcare centers and in our school system. Additionally, I would like to discuss different options for children and our school-age students to receive individual learning assistance and tutoring to enhance their learning where they may fall short. I relocated to St. Charles to make sure my own children attended the best schools over 14 years ago, and during my campaign, I have heard the cries of our parents insisting that a change is made concerning education in Charles County.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
I admire my late Apostle Betty Bigesby. She assisted in different ministries, trained pastors, led many community groups in developing and training leaders. Her heart was for children, youth and young adults, and she was committed to helping them to identify their gifts and talents at an early age. She believed in young entrepreneurship, and she was a wonderful example of a public leader who made a difference in the lives of everyone she met. She changed the atmosphere in every room she walked into, and she taught the importance of education and the difference it makes.
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, passed by the General Assembly in 2021, is a 10-year plan that includes increased education funding to support early childhood education, increased teacher starting pay, college/career-readiness standards for high school graduates, and expanded services to multilingual and impoverished families, among other goals. Please tell us your views on the Blueprint and how it will affect your school district.
I feel that the Blueprint is necessary to assist with funding our early childcare programs especially when there are so many children with so many different needs. This includes mental health and providing our parents with the tools, strategies and resources needed outside of their homes. In addition, there is a strong need to keep our teachers from teacher burnout by providing them with professional development and additional support where needed and most of all, increased teacher starting pay to help them feel valued as educators. As a school board member, it is important to be in the trenches and not just on the sidelines. For example, there are many parents who need advocates to help them support their children with disabilities by attending Individualized Education Plan meetings and explaining how we will support them through the process. This assistance is needed in early learning centers as well as in the school systems. I plan to include teachers, staff, parents, children, students and our community from all districts to assist in the process and with making the necessary changes that are needed in our education system.
Some school districts nationwide are placing new limits on the use of cellphones in middle and high schools. What do you think should be the policy on student use of cellphones in your district, and why do you support that policy?
Technology is very prevalent in the education system today. I remember one of my students pulling out his cellphone to take a picture years ago. I asked what he was doing, and he said, “I am taking a picture of the homework, Ms. Smalls.” He smiled, and I honestly didn't make a big deal out of it because I knew it worked for him. Each student is different, and each student learns differently. I think cellphones can be used to educate students in the classrooms with a strict cellphone usage policy enforced by the teachers who allow the children to use them. I also believe the students and parents must be involved in the process and they must stick to the guidelines. Providing a contract with the policies and procedures of using the cellphone to the students and their parents would also be necessary.
Are you satisfied with your school district's efforts to ensure the safety of its students? What, if anything, should be done to improve school safety in your district?
I believe that all staff, teachers, children and students should be provided with training from proficient and qualified emergency trainers to prepare them for emergency situations. I also believe emergency equipment and strategies must be provided to all centers and schools to ensure that we are prepared for the unknown. I believe parents should be included in the training also to know what will take place in their child's center or school in case of an emergency. We must review and recognize all of the past events that have occurred and see what could have been done to prevent the incident(s) in order to keep us prepared and to keep us all safe at all times in the future.
Do you think there are circumstances when books should be removed from school libraries? If so, what kind of books should be removed, and who should make those decisions?
I think books should be reviewed before being placed in child care centers and school libraries. It is the responsibility of us all to know what books are acceptable and not acceptable for our children and our students. Words are powerful, and they can make a difference in the lives of our children and students. I would not want a child or student to read a book that would wrongly influence their decision(s) or cause them to act out due to something they have read from a book.
Some school districts enact policies allowing transgender and gender nonconforming students to use their preferred pronouns while at the same time not informing those students' parents about that decision. What is your opinion of such policies?
It is my opinion that policies and procedures are in place to prevent incidents and accidents from happening. I feel that the most important thing is that our children and students are provided with the best education possible.
