Q & A with Joseph George, Candidate for PWC School Board, Neabsco

In a recent interview, Joseph George answered questions on how he would approach issues and challenges if elected to the Prince William School Board, Neabsco District.

Gotthardt: What are your top three priorities as a future member of the School Board?

George: Every decision that I would make, would be for the students’ benefit.

• Keep the best teachers in PWC Schools and work hard to recruit energized and enthusiastic new teachers.
• Emphasize Career Technical Education (CTE) for those students that are not going to pursue higher education, without neglecting those students that are college bound.
• Engage with the community surrounding each neighborhood school in order to increase the engagement and instill pride in every school.

Gotthardt: Why are these your priorities?

George: These are my priorities because, in the Neabsco Magisterial District, three of nine elementary schools in our district achieved School of Excellence recognition in 2018-2019, while none of Neabsco’s middle schools or the high school achieved that status. I believe that focused emphasis on these priorities will work towards improving the opportunities in our Neabsco Magisterial District students, so they may thrive and flourish within and outside Prince William County Schools.

Gotthardt: How do you plan to reduce overcrowding and the need for trailers?

George: Over the past four years, I have volunteered on three boundary committees, two of which were for new elementary schools, and all of them to reduce trailers. My opponent touts a 70% reduction of trailers for Neabsco schools since she’s been my representative, but the last committee I did, we provided a recommendation that would have eliminated ALL trailers in Neabsco. That proposal my representative voted against. We need to consider additional designs for eastern end schools, such as taller schools, so we can reduce the land needed to build upon.

Gotthardt: How do you plan to support CTE programs, students and teachers?

George: As previously stated, CTE is one of my top three priorities for our students, in order to reduce or eliminate the dropout rate for our high school students. The other priority, community engagement, is the way I plan to support our CTE programs, students, and teachers, which includes those industries and unions that operate in those CTE fields. Additionally, I would advocate having previous students return to high school to discuss their experiences after graduation so that current students can be aware of what to expect, but also to allow our educators to adjust lesson plans to reflect more of the “real world” and properly prepare our students for life outside of high school.

Gotthardt: How would you support the needs of students and teachers in programs such as ESOL, special education, etc.?

George: There are many ways to support the needs of the students and teachers in specialized programs, like ESOL and SPED, by ensuring that they are not only properly funded, but that their programs are not the first to have funds diverted from when a school discovers a financial need, as well as they should be one of the first considered when a surplus of funds are found. Additionally, we need to ensure that the families of these students are aware of what their rights are, how they can advocate for their student, as well as promote those organizations that would champion those families in need.

Gotthardt: How important are the arts in K-12? How do you plan to approach supporting the arts?

George: My two oldest daughters attended high schools that had the Center For the Performing Arts (CFPA) Program (Woodbridge and Colgan), but I’ve come across many students that have found their niche through creative writing, graphic design, choir, band, orchestra, or a number of other disciplines. We need to ensure that our students have a variety of options to express themselves artistically so that they can enjoy their experiences as much as possible, while certifying that those opportunities can be translated into career choices.

Gotthardt: Regarding school safety and security, how do you plan to help make our schools safer?

George: My first responsibility will be to get selected as one of the two School Board representatives on the Safe Schools Advisory Committee, which will work with the School Division’s Threat Management Department and other areas within PWCS, based on my experience as a senior criminal investigative analyst with the Department of Defense. Many of the information sources the schools, police department, and other emergency management professionals have access to, I do as well, and I will use that knowledge to improve upon what safety measures the schools have already taken, as well as be aware of the tactics that criminals use to exploit vulnerabilities that our schools may have (and one school’s vulnerabilities are different from another).

Gotthardt: Many people believe there is a socioeconomic disparity between school jurisdictions. How would you approach zoning and asset allocation to prevent such disparity?

George: The diversity of a school can only enhance that place of learning, which has been proven over the years in PWCS. Students should not be separated by economic statuses; in retrospect, the mix should be as balanced as possible, in order to benefit the learning environment for all involved. Even though there are socioeconomic disparities between school jurisdictions, schools like Occoquan Elementary and Fred Lynn Middle have shown that having the right leadership within that school can make the difference. Furthermore, community engagement with the school will increase parental involvement, and it has been proven that parental involvement in the schools improves the students’ learning experiences.

Gotthardt: How do you plan to attract and retain quality teachers to the school system?

George: I will encourage step increases and raises until our educators’ salaries are comparable to the surrounding jurisdictions. Additionally, I’d like to work with the PWC BOCS to see if we can get tax benefits allotted to educators that purchase property within Prince William County. The more teachers live in the County they work in, the more likely they can stay after school to assist students that need help, or be more involved with afterschool programs, or have their own children go to the schools they work in, or just so happen that their students will see them in the mall/grocery store/beauty salon/barber, and realize that they are the same as they are. Many even encourage more students to become educators too (Growing Our Own Teachers Program).

Gotthardt: Anything else you'd like to add?

George: I am passionate about the improvement of our students’ educational experience. I am a highly active parent, I have been on field trips, gone to school concerts, and sat in on administrative meetings. Since moving to Prince William County, I have been an active member of the community. My participation includes being the President of the PTA/PTO at the elementary and middle school levels; served on Principal Advisory Councils at the elementary and middle school levels; served on three Boundary Committees to be the voice for the communities that were affected by shifts in school boundaries; previous Chair of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs of the Prince William NAACP; current Board Member and Assistant Coach for the Prince William Girls Fast Pitch Softball League; and previous Correspondence Secretary and Communications Chairman for a local political party. Our current representative has a history of not responding to emails or answering phone calls. That will NOT be me. I want to be the voice on the Prince William School Board as the Neabsco District Representative. A voice that echoes the concerns of Neabsco residents. A voice that matters to your interests. A voice that cares about your well-being.

If you’re interested in assisting me in becoming the next Neabsco Representative on the Prince William School Board, reach out to me at josephgeorge4neabsco@gmail.com or josephgeorge4neabsco.com for more about me and my intentions.