Basic Information
Facebook www.facebook.com/Esther4BOE
Website https://voteforesther.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/estherlwells
Questions & Responses (All Candidates)
1 – What lessons learned do you have since the start of the pandemic?
As a parent of a developmentally disabled 4th grader in MCPS, I have learned that when systems collectively struggle to meet the needs of children, especially the most vulnerable, it is time for new leadership to step in.
Since the start of the pandemic and witnessing firsthand the failure of our Board of Education to step up for our children, I have learned that it is time for me to step up for my community and give back as a committed and dedicated member of the Board. Our children cannot be left behind and need to be priority number one for all board members. The outcomes at present speak for themselves. We need to prioritize our children and the systems that support them.
2 – If you could go back and do one thing differently from what was done in the last two years in Montgomery County what would you change?
I would have re-opened schools a lot sooner. Virtual only learning was a disservice to our students, specifically our students with disabilities. The prolonged disruption and continued mandates that serve to disrupt instead of support, has caused our children anxiety, depression, speech impediments and frustration with themselves and their schoolwork. The lifelong impacts of the disruption caused by the current leadership will last a generation without swift action to begin urgent repairs and supports.
The mental health crisis, learning loss, abnormal social development of our students, rise in disorderly conduct, community violence, among other things – was not worth it.
3 – What do you think are the 3 biggest and most pressing issues facing our county in the next 4 years? Why?
- Safeguarding Financials & Operating Budget: MCPS lacks transparency and accountability of its $3B operating budget.
- Learning loss: MCPS students are matriculating to higher grades, however, demonstrate immaturity in their proficiency, literacy, and social skills.
- Mental Health crisis: MCPS students were mandated to disconnect from their friends and isolate due to COVID-19, which has led to anxiety, depression, frustration, grief, misbehavior, violence, and suicide.
4 – What specifically do you plan to do in the 3 most pressing areas from Question 3?
- Safeguarding Financials & Operating Budget: My plan is to provide better oversight of MCPS financials and operating budget by collaborating with all stakeholders such as the Office of Finance, internal auditors and external auditors to ensure MCPS has adequate internal controls and proper risk ranking to deter and timely detect misappropriation of assets and remediate State audit financial management findings.
- Learning loss: My plan is to refocus MCPS on core subjects such as math, comprehension and reading. Offer Saturday school, night school and summer school to students that need additional support in core subjects. Allow teachers more time to teach and reduce the level of testing that we currently offer our students. It’s time to focus and rebuild our education system back to being best in class and nationally recognized for proficient students.
- Mental Health crisis: An “all hands on deck” approach to addressing mental health support for families AND teachers is needed. MCPS has a robust offering of mental health services, support and community resources available for students and teachers such as student support groups. A more concerted effort is needed to communicate with all families and ensure everyone is aware of them.
We need to offer mental health first aid for everyone in our community. Normalize seeking therapy and give everyone the attention they need to be okay. We need to ensure that students have a trusted adult that will listen and act appropriately in response to what they are saying.
5 – Would you consider supporting changes to electoral process such as open primaries or non-partisan elections in Montgomery County to allow 155,000+ registered Unaffiliated/Independents in Montgomery County to vote locally when it counts?
Yes, I would consider supporting changes to electoral process such as open primaries or non-partisan elections.
Questions & Responses (BOE)
1 – What will you do to ensure MCPS is accountable to the BOE for decisions, contracts, and spending?
As a Certified Public Accountant in Maryland for over 12 years, I plan to increase oversight and transparency in MCPS operating budget. In April 2022, I testified at BOE requesting that spending requests should be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound). Defining these parameters will ensure that objectives are attainable within a certain time frame. I want to hear what the estimated return on investment (“ROI”) is and a follow-up on actual ROI. To make progress, we need to revise the funding formula to support existing social programs that are effective and support new and innovative programs to test whether it is effective and can be scaled throughout out school system.
Deviations from competitive contract bidding process need to be communicated and approved in accordance with proper protocol. MCPS needs to present information in a user-friendly format that all community members can understand how their tax dollars are being spent.
2 – Would you ever consider going fully virtual again given the costs seen in hindsight (increased mental health issues, lowered test scores, and increased violence)?
Absolutely not! We have yet to experience the full impact and implications that closing our schools had on this generation of students and our community. Unfortunately, not all BOE candidates share this view and would have voted to close schools if on the Board.
It will take our students years, if ever, to recover from the learning loss experienced due to the current BOE’s failed leadership by keeping our schools closed as long as they did. Our children’s mental health crisis is the result of the current BOE, County Council and MCPS Superintendent’s inability and unwillingness to listen to parents’ plea to open schools. All of the damage, trauma, low proficiency levels, depression, anxiety, frustration, low self-esteem of our children rests in their hands.
3 – Do you support the shift from balanced literacy to structured literacy/science of reading?
I support the shift to structured literacy/science of reading.
4 – What is your plan for continued recovery from learning loss and proficiency issues related to covid and virtual?
My plan is to refocus MCPS on core subjects such as math, reading, and science. We need to create curriculum tailored to our students’ needs and not the other way around. Offer Saturday school, night school and summer school to students that need additional support in core subjects. Revisit the benefits of school start times and end times to ensure it aligns with the needs of parents and students. Allow teachers more time to teach and reduce the level of testing that we currently offer our students. We have enough data showing that there’s low proficiency and literacy in our schools. It’s time to focus and rebuild our education system back to being best in class and nationally recognized for proficient students.
5 – What do you think MCPS should do to deal with staffing issues, subs, and make MCPS a place that people seek out for employment again?
- Listen to the concerns of our current MCPS teachers, paraeducators and support staff via anonymous surveys, in-person listening sessions, virtual meetings in order to stop the bleeding.
- Provide work-life balance for our teachers.
- Ensure MCPS has the proper technology for teachers to efficiently complete administrative duties such as grading and reporting.
- Analyze all of the tasks that teachers are being asked to perform that do not directly relate to teaching and find viable solutions to outsourcing them to support staff and volunteers.
- Invest in our teachers’ continued education and training away from the classroom.
- Fund teachers and ensure they have all classroom supplies needed to engage and capture our students’ imagination and attention. Happy teachers lead to healthy students.
- Ensure teachers have adequate planning periods during the school day.
- Ensure teachers have lunch breaks for their self-care.
- Increase substitute teachers’ pay that rewards and reflects their performance and years of service.
- Grow our own. Create a pipeline of diverse high school and college students to enter the field of teachers by providing subsidies and incentives throughout their education journey to certification.
- Invest in a mentoring program where experienced teachers and first year teachers can discuss best practices, have a safe space to voice concerns and receive support as they navigate our school system.
Esther Wells is on the Moderately MOCO Recommended Ballot for BOE:
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