Jessie: More rigorous courses, access to advance courses needed for all students

Lillie Jessie is running to keep her seat on the Prince William County School Board. She’s represented the Occoquan District on the School Board since 2012.

Potomac Local sent a questionnaire to Jessie and he sent us the responses below: 

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PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?

Jessie: 1. College-Career readiness for all students including students in specialty programs and from low-income, diverse neighborhoods

2. Overcrowding/class size by finding the needed space to build schools; especially on the eastern end of the county where schools have as many as twelve trailers in one school

3. Treating teachers as “professional experts” by providing competitive salaries, more career level opportunities and providing teacher coaches whose primary responsibility is to support them rather than participate in the dismissal process

PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?

Jessie: 1. Career/College Readiness: Provide more rigorous courses and access to advance courses for all students. Reduce the achievement gap. Create a Pre-school College Career mission of “Beginning with the end in mind” (Covey).

2. Hold the Board of Supervisor’s to it’s word of providing land for building new schools on the eastern end of the county, relooking at proffers and considering school space availability in its rezoning.

3. Follow what research says about high performing schools which includes being paid as a professional which may require us to relook at that shared revenue plan, Secondly providing coaches or master teachers to assist teachers instead of using central office supervisors who are limited in number and participate in the dismissal process at times.

PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?

Jessie: Our number one responsibility is to ensure that all students learn at a high level. Provide oversight of the school system and its budget and personnel. Write, amend or create policy and the ensuing regulations that support the forementioned. Work with the superintendent and his staff to ensure that we provide a safe, orderly and high student learning environment.

PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?

Jessie: High performing Title I (low income schools) Supervisor (Supervisor of the year) for ten years. Principal of a Title I school for twenty years. National Professional Learning Model School Nationally recognized for closing the achievement gap. Internationally recognized High Flying School for Youth at Risk Appointed by the Governor to the Standards of Learning (SOL). Innovation Committee Nationally published education author.

PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?

Jessie: No I do not. In fact I am not sure they are aware of this election. I plan to continue my work with local community organizations, and invest more time with parents. I write a column for the the Old Bridge Observer. Those articles have been well-received by the community. I would like to conduct more informational meetings, especially when it comes to understanding the need to balance the use of assessments in the school.

PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?

Jessie: My biggest mistake was under estimating the ability of a young patient early in my career. I did not believe that he could learn to read and when I look back, I watered down his curriculum. Another teacher came to this then institution for children with severe and profound handicaps and taught him reading skills I did not think was possible. That was forty years ago. It changed my expectations for learning. I am not just an advocate of high expectations for all students, I have been given an opportunity to redeem myself by seeing students not expected to learn, not only learn but learn at high levels.

PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you? 

Jessie: 1. I did not run for this position because of my interest in a higher office. I have and can have an positive affect on student learning.

2. I have had a plethora of experience that makes me more than qualified for the position (Educational leadership, budget, policy development, etc.)

3. Character traits I possess include being persistent, insistent and consistent when it comes to high levels of achievement and/or overcoming barriers.

4. I am a student of the research. I know that we are not competitive with other countries and that the rubric should not be how we compare to the State but how we compare to the “World.”