Anna Howie
Running for school board in Talbot County District 5
How old will you be on Election Day (Nov. 5)?
49
Are you currently employed? If so, where, and what is your job title?
I am employed by Caroline County Public Schools as an assistant principal.
What is the highest level of education that you completed, and where did you get that degree?
I have a master's degree in supervision and administration from the University of Phoenix. I am currently working on a doctorate in organizational leadership from University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Why are you running for the school board?
I am running for the school board to ensure that the students in Talbot County continue to receive a quality education and that we are using research-based curriculum resources to support instruction.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I have over 20 years of experience in public education. During these years, I have served as a mathematics teacher, instructional mathematics coach, and Mathematics and Career and Technical Education Curriculum supervisor. I have also served on a local Blueprint Committee for Pillar 3. I understand how school districts operate and can bring those experiences and knowledge to this position.
What is the most important issue facing your school board and what would you do about it if elected?
One of the issues that the Talbot school board faces is our state testing scores. As a member of the board, I will ask for monthly updates on our academic progress in the areas of mathematics, reading/English/language arts, science and social studies.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
There is not a public leader that I can think of at the moment.
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 believe the Blueprint for Maryland's Future is a plan that has highlighted the essential areas of a school district that are needed to ensure that all students are successful. The five pillars of the Blueprint focus on areas that support instructional initiatives, retaining quality educators, ensuring that our students graduate from high school ready for a career or college, and ensuring students have access to health care services.
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?
Cellphones have been a distraction in our schools at the secondary level. I believe the policy should limit the use of cellphones during the school day to ensure that students are engaged in their classroom instructional lessons.
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 do believe that our district takes school safety seriously. By ensuring that we have safety protocols and students practice drills associated with specific emergencies, our schools are prepared for many situations.
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 do not believe in book banning.
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?
Policies are created as a response to changing or new legislation. As school board members, our job is to ensure that policies are followed. Talbot County does have a Policy Committee that was created to review current policies and make recommendations for any changes to ensure that they are relevant and up to date.
