Fort Mill school board candidates answer key questions ahead of debate, vote
.jpg)
Fort Mill School District voters will have options this fall among school board candidates, and an upcoming opportunity to learn more about them.
Fort Mill has three seats up for election. Scott Frattaroli and Kristy Thames Spears are up for reelection. Board member Tom Audette isn’t. He instead is running for York County Council. Challengers for a school board seat are Anthony Boddie, Hazel Cooke Frick, Desareta Jones, Nichell Newton and Takesha Pollock.
Voters in the district can vote for up to three of the seven candidates. The district covers Fort Mill and Tega Cay, along with unincorporated areas between and surrounding those municipalities.
On Oct. 22 at 7 p.m., a candidate forum will be held at Catawba Ridge High School. The event will be virtual, with log in information to come from the Fort Mill School District.
Here’s a look at the candidates:
Anthony Boddie
Age: 47
Occupation: Senior account executive for a global technology organization named RICOH-USA.
Years living in the district: 15
Connection to local schools: We have a 10-year-old daughter, Addison, who attends Fort Mill Elementary School. My wife, Kathy, serves the Fort Mill Elementary PTO as the Treasurer. Also, I have a nephew who attends school in the Fort Mill School District.
Scott Frattaroli
Age: 47
Occupation: Training and documentation team manager for TD Bank
Years living in the district: 23
Connection to local schools: Parent, volunteer, current Fort Mill School Board Trustee, former principal and teacher (18 years with the Fort Mill School District)
Hazel Cooke Frick
Age: 65
Occupation: Retired teacher
Years living in the district: 38
Connection to local schools: I taught in Fort Mill schools for 36 years, my children attended and graduated from Fort Mill schools, my grandson is currently enrolled in Fort Mill schools with two more right behind him! I am well-vested in Fort Mill schools.
Desareta Jones
Age: 46
Occupation: Mental Health Nurse
Years living in the district: 5
Connection to local schools: My child attends Banks Trail Middle school
Nichell Newton
Occupation: Licensed therapist/professional school counselor
Years living in the district: 4
Connection to local schools: I have two children, one student that is in the second grade and a kindergarten student with special needs. Additionally, I have worked with students in the community providing pro bono services to students and families that have barriers to mental health services.
Takesha Pollock
Age: 43
Occupation: Vice president and compliance manager
Years living in the district: 7
Connection to local schools: Two girls who attend Fort Mill schools.
Kristy Thames Spears
Age: 52
Occupation: Retired project management exec, Bank of America; Current school board trustee
Years living in the district: 45
Connection to local schools: I have been serving on the board since 2016, as the chairwoman since 2017. Prior to serving on the board I was co-chair of the 2015 Bond Referendum that provided Pleasant Knoll Middle, Catawba Ridge High School, and the Fort Mill Aquatic Center. I have served in multiple roles on PTOs, school improvement councils, parent committees, etc. I am a parent of a student currently attending Fort Mill High School and am a graduate of Fort Mill High School.
Questions for school board candidates
What do voters need to know about you before they cast ballots? What sets you apart?
Boddie: Voters need to know that serving the community is at the center of who I am. I serve with Community Café, the Diversity & Inclusion Committee for Anne Springs Close Greenway, and the Community of the Hearts Project, which donates goods to the underserved communities in York County area. I am a member of the Fort Mill Rotary Club and attend Forest Hill Church. This is just a natural extension of my passion to serve. What sets me apart is my extensive business leadership experience helping companies create and execute strategies to manage growth and overcome challenges, the same type of growth we are experiencing in our Fort Mill Schools.
Frattaroli: My experience, education, and my proven ability to work with others distinguishes me as a strong candidate for another term on the Fort Mill school board. In addition to being a parent in the school district, I’ve volunteered as a trustee for the past four years and served the district for 18 years as a principal and teacher. I have a doctorate and masters degree in Educational Leadership and held South Carolina teaching and administration certifications in elementary education. I’ve also served in leadership roles on philanthropic executive boards in the past including the York County Boys and Girls Club, the Western Carolinas Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and Camp KUDOS (Kids Understanding Diabetes with Our Support).
Frick: I love education! Because I am a 36-year veteran teacher, I know how children learn, how classrooms function and how efficient schools work. I have written curriculum, led workshops and mentored interns, as well as new teachers. I’ve served on interview teams and evaluation teams.
Jones: I think voters need to understand I have no hidden agenda. I chose to run for a school board position because I recognize many positive aspects of our district. I also recognize there are areas of needed improvement. As a health care professional, I have served the needs of diverse communities my entire adult life. This service has given me a unique perspective. For the past fourteen years, I have practiced in the area of Child Adolescent Mental Health. This experience affords me a perspective no other candidate or current member has. Having a Master’s Degree in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing coupled with my years of experience working with youth and families is relevant. I understand that how students feel when they are in school shapes their learning and development. This Knowledge and experience as well as being skilled in the area of policy writing makes me an asset to the board, this is what sets me apart from other candidates.
Newton: I believe it is important to understand the importance of having someone on the board that knows current curriculums and understands the need for social emotional support for all students. Now more than ever all students are in need. The community deserves to have someone who knows education, who will listen, and who will advocate. The community voice is important as well as our educators. I am the only current educator on the ballot with over 15 years experience in public education. Not only as a counselor but as a teacher, and an administrator. I have a MA in International Studies. A MA in Professional Counseling and an Ed.D in Educational Leadership.
Pollock: Studies show that children’s academic success is exceptionally enhanced when parents are engaged in their children’s education. Every parent’s voice is powerful and should be considered when district leaders make decisions. I want to be that advocate for the parents of Fort Mill. I firmly believe that together we can build a community coalition of parents representing all backgrounds and points of view to ensure that the parents’ voices are heard.
Spears: I am a proud product of the Fort Mill School District, having attended school here from elementary through graduation in 1986. After graduation from Clemson University in 1990, I began my career with Bank of America where I held leadership roles in project and risk management until retirement in 2014. I managed large teams and budgets comparable to FMSD. I ran for the board in 2016 because I felt my background and skills would be beneficial to the district given all of the challenges we were/are experiencing in terms of growth, planning for and opening new schools, hiring and retaining teachers, etc. These skills have been and continue to be critical today.
COVID-19 brought significant challenges for schools. What has the district handled well, or what could’ve been handled better?
Frattaroli: As a parent in the school district, former educator, and concerned citizen, I believe the district has really done an outstanding job dealing with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our teachers, assistants, bus drivers, operations and food service workers, and building level administrators have always been essential workers, but specifically in 2020 they have done an unbelievable job in safely meeting the needs of all of our students. They have risen to the many academic and logistical challenges, and again showed why Fort Mill is such an amazing school district.
Frick: I think the district has done a good job of providing safety equipment for in-person schooling. I think the district could have done a better job preparing parents for virtual schooling, for those that chose to go take that route. The guidelines should have been clearly stated and explained to parents to set both the students and teachers up for success.
Jones: I am aware there is a great deal of concern surrounding virtual attendance versus physical attendance. I acknowledge that in-person attendance involves the risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus. There is no one solution for every family. Every family does not have the same risk tolerance. There is no one appropriate solution for every teacher because again every teacher does not have the same risk tolerance. To be fair this is a situation no community could have prepared for and in light of the circumstances every family was given a choice, some communities were not as fortunate. I think the district handled the situation well.
Newton: With COVID there are no easy answers. As an educator I’ve seen first hand the impact education has had on the underserved. Additionally, I know the positive impact school has played in the lives of many of our students in the district. Looking at all the data is a proven way to stay on track. Letting data drive all decisions is the key. I do think there are areas in which the district could have pulled more data (teachers, community, and parents) to help drive further decisions. Also, better planning makes for happier staff.
Pollock: The decision for schools to reopen was a hard one. I believe the district made a reasonable decision based on the information available. However, if more parents were engaged in the process, a more nuanced decision could have been made. I would have opted for a more phased approach to allow for flexibility based on the current status instead of being locked into a decision for an entire year.
Spears: Knowing what other districts in South Carolina and North Carolina have done, I think our district has handled the COVID situation extremely well. Our “two weeks at a time” learning packets in the spring were seen as a best practice. Our Virtual Academy allowed a choice for those who were not comfortable with in-person learning for various reasons, yet allowed those students to remain in the FMSD family. And our in-person hybrid model has allowed students to receive direct instruction form our teachers while minimizing risk of spread.
We still need to continue to improve our information flow with parents. It is not for lack of trying, but we have not yet found the sweet spot in terms of frequency and level of detail our parents want to receive.
Boddie: The district successfully implemented programs to 17,000 students. That is a Herculean task in itself and we shouldn’t forget to celebrate these wins. Big thank you to all the teachers who have embraced all the changes this year and continue to put the children of our community first. In times of uncertainty, communication is key, and I believe the district can continue to improve the way it is communicating with parents and teachers during these changing and challenging times.
At what point should all students return to full in-person class?
Frick: Elementary students have already returned to full in-person class. Middle and high school students should return when the district and medical community feel that it is safe.
Jones: I think the answer to this question depends on the risk and whether the risk can be mitigated, I don’t think this question can be answered in definite terms at this moment.
Newton: When the data support returns then we have to do so. However, we should really look at our most vulnerable population and determine how equity may play apart.
Pollock: Fort Mill schools have been able to maintain a reasonably low infection rate. However, I am unsure if the infection rate will continue to be low if all students return to full in-person learning. A phased approach would allow us to develop a plan to integrate students methodically and have the flexibility to scale back if the cases increase.
Spears: If I had a clear answer for this one, I’d be a billionaire. Many want to return yesterday. Others want to wait until the end of the year. We think things are progressing in the right direction with cases and quarantines, but then we hear of ballgames being cancelled due to outbreaks at neighboring schools. I believe the approach the administration has laid out to re-visit every grading period or when significant new data becomes available is the best anyone can expect.
Boddie: ASAP and when it is safe. Period. As one of the best districts in the state, we should pride ourselves in our ability to continue to build out and deliver best in class educational experiences for both in person and virtually until it is at least safe to return and maybe for a long time to come.
Frattaroli: Fort Mill has already returned to full, in-person face-to-face instruction at all of our elementary schools. The district plans to evaluate the middle and high school plans at the end of the first nine weeks in conjunction with the latest recommendations and processes regarding COVID tracking, student and staff protocols, and DHEC/CDC guidance.
Board terms run four years. How is the school board better in four years if you’re elected?
Jones: If elected the talents I bring to the board will have assisted in effectively addressing the emotional insecurity in our schools, we will have an environment where teachers help our students become more open to and engaged in learning, district staff will be more cognizant of the individual needs of all students, and risk prevention strategies will have been identified and developed.
Newton: I see my skills and background being an asset to the current board. There is no current member nor candidate that offers the skill set that I bring. I will be able to add another perspective to the table on issues. As the district continues to grow I will bring current up to date information on school and educational concerns. As a team member I will do this with passion, integrity.
Pollock: The school board would have access to real-time information on parent sentiment and emerging issues. I plan to build a community coalition of parents representing all backgrounds and points of view to ensure that the parent’s voice is heard.
Spears: Over the next four years we will resolve our current impact fee lawsuit, one way or another, and we will have to re-instate the appropriate fee amount and structure with the county. (The current arrangement is good for five years from 2018). We will have to plan for the future of the Virtual Academy after this school year. And we will have to plan for, and potentially begin construction on, additional new schools. I have the necessary experience to lead the district through these challenges.
Boddie: My key issues are managing growth, serving the underserved, school safety, teacher onboarding and retention. We will have raised the bar for what it means to be the best educational district not just in the state, but in the south. That’s what our kids deserve, our teachers are committed too, and our parents should expect.
Frattaroli: The measure of success of a school board member isn’t about individual goals, ideas, or initiatives, but instead it’s about working as part of a team that includes other board members, district and school administration, staff, students, and the broader community. If I’m elected again, I will continue to be proud to serve as an active and engaged listener who will always work collaboratively with others to make decisions in the best interest of our students and staff.
Frick: The school board will be better because they will have had input on decisions from a 36-year classroom veteran who has first-hand experience. Having worked with thousands of students is experience no one else can equal. I have devoted my entire career to education and feel passionately about every student being provided a world class education reflecting our motto of “Children First.”
What challenge is facing the district that our readers may not know about?
Newton: Almost everyone knows that the school district has faced a lot of growing pains. However, this is not a bad thing as long as planning is happening beforehand. As the district continues to grow we have to not only look at the infrastructure but the actual students and their needs. This would also include retaining or bringing in highly qualified and diverse staff.
Pollock: A significant challenge is diversity and ensuring that the school board, school administration, and teaching staff reflects the diversity within Fort Mill.
Spears: We continue to fight for funding for public education from the state, as South Carolina has not met their own funding mandates in almost 20 years. We also continue to defend against attempts to divert funding to private schools, as was seen recently with CARES Act funding. We would also like to see more complete funding for mental health and special services, which often come to the district as unfunded mandates. Having strong relationships with state and federal legislators is critical in continuing these ongoing efforts.
Boddie: Some of the Fort Mill School District’s budget is dependent on local taxes. The budget is affected when there is a lack of customers and/or when businesses close. Decrease in revenues could have a profound impact to the budget which is dependent on businesses, taxes and future businesses for our community. We need to look at deficiencies to protect integrity. The more families move into the area, the more demand there is for more schools and teachers. One of the ways to maintain excellence in the school district is by hiring quality school teachers. There is a teacher shortage across the U.S and locally. This is all about prioritization of investments and ensuring we make the right investments in our teachers.
Frattaroli: In 2018, the district worked with the York County Council to put in place an impact fee for all new construction providing tax relief for existing businesses and property owners in Fort Mill and Tega Cay. The impact fee must be renewed every five years. While there is still pending litigation surrounding the 2018 decision, renewing the impact fee is sure to be another challenge for our district.
Frick: Growth is always an ongoing issue. The allocation of funds because a lot of funds have been spent to address COVID. There is a finite pot of money that all districts deal with.
Jones: I am not aware of any.
How can the district improve? What can it do differently?
Pollock: The district can make diversity a priority and set goals to ensure that hiring practices support a diverse school system.
Spears: We are working to improve overall communications with our parents, internally with our teachers, and with community members. The district has initiated a survey to understand how everyone wants to receive information, what type of information, and with what frequency. Perhaps the Herald can play a role in the future strategy?
Boddie: The potential for our school district will only be as good as it engages with its students, teachers, parents, and community. The district can improve the way it engages with all its stakeholders to create an inclusive environment and culture of collaboration and community that is unmatched.
Frattaroli: Education and the idea of “continuous improvement” are synonymous with one another in my view. While Fort Mill is already a leader in many educational areas, expanding and improving learning opportunities for our students will always be a primary goal of the district. Examples of how the district can continue to increase learning opportunities are outlined in the district’s strategic plan and include expanding the number of 4K early childhood classrooms, building on the initial success of the virtual learning academy, and furthering trade and technical opportunities for high school students.
Frick: The district can always improve its community relations. The goal is to have parents and students feel comfortable upon entering school each year. Offering parent workshops, having parent forums, and being available and accountable.
Jones: The district has not established clear, specific policies and procedures about bullying and harassment. There are no defined guidelines for investigating and documenting the claims and the actions taken if the claims are found to be true. Currently, there are no consistent, escalating steps for discipline. As a result, many students do not perceive school to be a physically and psychologically secure environment. This impedes their ability to learn. Additionally, there are no policies established to ensure parent concerns and complex concerns are received documented and addressed. Many parents across the district have the perception that their concerns are not heard and or properly addressed. I will work with board members to address these issues and develop appropriate policies.
Newton: Communication has deem to be an area for improvement in the district. Having a sub committee that is elected by the parent community could help funnel information to the board so that all needs and areas of concerns are being addressed ongoingly.
Where or how can people find out more about you?
Spears: On Facebook or by email at kristy.spears2@gmail.com, or voters can watch the Oct. 20 school board meeting on livestream on the district website.
Boddie: anthonyboddie4fmsd.org and on Facebook.
Frattaroli: frattaroli4fmsb.com and on Facebook.
Frick: frickforfmschoolboard.com and on Facebook, or by email at hmfrick@comporium.net.
Jones: jones4education.com, on Facebook or on Instagram at Jones4education.
Newton: Newton4fortmillschools.com and on Facebook.
Pollock: On Facebook.
This story was originally published October 12, 2020 at 12:08 PM.
