tpv_endorsement2

Born and raised in Ellicott City, I am a proud graduate of the HCPSS. I was the first person in my family to attend college, graduating from UMCP and JHU with degrees in electrical engineering (BS, MS). As the child of immigrants, I was raised with a strong sense of patriotism and have dedicated my career to national service. I have been a leader in a Howard County R&D organization for 20 years and have been in executive leadership for over 5 years. I have two amazing boys, ages 14 and 11, both of whom are HCPSS students.

What are the top three issues that you will solve as a Board of Education member?

  1. Redistricting: I believe in community schools and keeping neighborhoods together. When schools reach their capacity limits and redistricting becomes necessary, communities and neighborhoods should not be divided, as children thrive in environments with stability and support.
  2. HCPSS Budget: We must not spend more than we have. Period. We must make thoughtful decisions based on data and evidence to best support all students in achieving their full potential.
  3. Special Needs: Our special needs programs in HCPSS are in dire need of attention and are at a breaking point. The BOE must address these serious problems, with transparency, accountability and policy changes.

What unique skills & experience do you bring to the Board of Education?

Many years of experience as an executive, responsible for balancing financial and organizational goals; I will leverage this experience to focus on evidence-based decision making in the BOE to direct resources where they are needed most while remaining fiscally responsible. I have served on various boards responsible for informing and influencing multibillion dollar programs and currently lead a business unit encompassing over 200 staff and almost $60M in R&D funding. My career has been devoted to innovative problem solving to address complex challenges. All of these skills are directly applicable to exercising good judgment in making sound decisions regarding HCPSS

Why do you want to serve on the Howard County Board of Education?

As a lifelong resident of Howard County, I take great pride in our County and our public education system; I believe that the BOE needs more individuals who will focus on data-driven decision making and who have leadership experience in overseeing complex organizations.

As I became more involved in BOE and HCPSS matters, I was alarmed at the level of political influence being exerted on HCPSS and affecting our most vulnerable population – our children. I chose to run for the BOE because I believe all members have a responsibility to consider the best interests of our children in all decisions.

General Election Forums & Debates

Campaign Finance Data Analysis

October 23, 2020 Analysis

**Full analysis & opinion available here

Videos

Candidate Forum Introduction Statements

HoCo NU / CAPA / ION / FEI / Scott E’s Blog / HoCo Kids Forum – 2/16/20

The People’s Voice Forum – 2/25/20

Budget

What’s your view on the proposed FY2021 HCPSS Operating Budget?

Do you agree with increasing class size in order to fund new central office admin positions?

Would you support eliminating G/T programs in the schools?

Would you present a budget asking for all possible covered needs? If not, what would you prioritize?

How can we maintain the quality of HCPSS educational excellence without significant tax increases?

County & State Government Issues

What is your opinion of Kirwan Commission recommendations and funding tax increases?

How will you work with a state delegation and County Council and ensure that you retain local control over HCPSS?

Debates

Scott E’s Blog Candidate Debates (May 2020)

Miscellaneous

What topic, issue or vote has been handled most poorly by the BOE in recent years?

Give an example of a data information gap that exists in HCPSS.  How should the BOE fill that gap?

What experience or knowledge do you have about education and the student demographics in Howard County?

What changes would you make in order to improve process, efficiency, and transparency?

Redistricting

What did you learn from the last redistricting process and what is your top factor for redistricting?

Should we postpone the 2019 redistricting and allocate the money needed for that to other priorities?

What are the pros & cons of the recent redistricting decision? What would you have done differently?

School Construction & Maintenance

What are your thoughts on balancing building & preventative maintenance needs against limited financial resources?

School Policies & Issues

How do you propose to make school food better and safer?

What is your plan to decrease bullying and discrimination in schools?

Should guns be allowed in schools? Does their presence serve to increase security?

What is your opinion on school start time?  Should it be changed?

Special Education

What changes can be made for special educators and their students?

Superintendent

What do you feel is the proper relationship between the BOE and the Superintendent?

Would you renew the contract for Superintendent Martirano?

Candidate Forum Closing Statements

HoCo NU / CAPA / ION / FEI / Scott E’s Blog / HoCo Kids Forum – 2/16/20

The People’s Voice Forum – 2/25/20

Podcast Interviews

Scott E’s Blog (https://scotteblog.com/)