Volusia County School Board Election: Al Bouie and Jamie Haynes run for District 1
Al Bouie is challenging incumbent Jamie Haynes for the District 1 seat on the Volusia County School Board, which includes DeLand, DeBary and west Volusia County. The election is Nov. 8.
The News-Journal posed the following questions to each candidate with a request to limit responses to 100 words. Answers that exceeded the word limit were edited for space; otherwise, answers are presented as they were submitted, save for minor corrections to punctuation.
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The candidates
Albert "Al" Bouie
Age: 76
Occupation: Professional educator of 47 years (Retired)
Political experience: Have not held political office.
What are your top three priorities?
1. Ensure safe schools and quality education for ALL children/students.
2. Enhance support for teachers, administrators and support staff to deliver quality school experiences.
3. Strengthen relationship with parents and the business community to support efforts for an “A” rated school district.
1. Why are you running?
I am running to bring my 40 years of experience with Volusia County Schools, which includes serving as a classroom teacher, district curriculum supervisor, principal at all three levels, and district administrator for teacher recruitment and retention, to the policy-making process of the school board with the intent to focus on what is best for children/students in the learning process. I believe my experience training in Effective School Education gives me the advantage to relate more fully to the concerns of teachers, administrators and support staff. We must listen and have a coordinated effort to ensure quality educational experiences for our children/students.
2. What is a life accomplishment that illuminates the kind of school board member you will be?
When I was a middle school principal, I was named “Principal of the Year.” It was a distinction I shared with my faculty and staff because they embraced the concepts I promoted and demonstrated out of the Effective Schools research on how to create a school children/students wanted to attend. My goal was to provide the leadership necessary to have a school that was student-centered and parent friendly. Our shared goal was to deliver quality educational experiences and make the overall school environment one that was nurturing and offered opportunities for student leadership development. I will bring those same qualities to the school board.
3. What is something about Volusia County Schools you treasure and will fight to protect, and conversely, what is something you will fight to change?
It is important that our students see and experience teachers, administrators and staff that reflect our commitment to diversity and they feel the benefits of inclusion in the various activities in our schools. I also strongly support the diversity in our curriculum offerings, although I would like to see it further developed to include more vocational offerings.
I would like to see the school board’s agenda focus more on meeting school staff's needs to ensure we start the school year with a teacher in every classroom.
I will also fight to change the hostile environment that currently exists on our school board.
Jamie Haynes
Age: 56
Occupation: Vice Chair Volusia County School Board, District 1
Political experience: Elected in 2018 to serve as the representative for District 1 on the
Volusia County School Board
What are your top three priorities?
1. Safety: Ensure that all students and staff are safe on our school campuses so that our primary goal of educational learning can be accomplished.
2. Fiscal and financial responsibility: Provide oversight of all funding to certify transparency of how funds are utilized to ensure that the budget is built from the student/classroom level first.
3. Technical educational courses/workforce development: Offer a variety of learning opportunities in middle and high school that allow students to choose a path towards a career upon graduation.
1. Why are you running?
I am running for reelection to continue to be a voice for our students first in all decision-making as I have the past 35 years as a K-12 educator, district administrator and current school board member. I plan on continuing to make progress in achieving the top priorities that I have shared with all parents and stakeholders, which includes ensuring our students will have access to high-quality instruction in order to successfully graduate with the knowledge and skills to be productive citizens.
2. What is a life accomplishment that illuminates the kind of school board member you will be?
There are many accomplishments in my life, including the opportunity to educate many students who have gone on to make a positive difference in our community, state and nation. However, my greatest life accomplishment is my own two children, who I was blessed to raise as a single mother. Both of my children were born at the hospital in DeLand, grew up in Volusia County attending our schools, participating in dual enrollment with Daytona State, and my daughter even earned her degree in elementary education from DSC. I now have two grandchildren with a third due any day.
3. What is something about Volusia County Schools you treasure and will fight to protect, and conversely, what is something you will fight to change?
I treasure every student in Volusia County and believe that they each deserve the very best educational opportunities. I also treasure all of the wonderful relationships I have built over the past 35 years with former students, parents, educators, neighbors and community members. I will continue to fight to protect and support parents' rights to choose the educational opportunities that will best meet the needs of their child(ren). I will continue to fight to build a budget that puts the needs of all students first since they are our future.
Check back later for interviews elaborating on each candidates' priorities and stances on different education topics.
Contact reporter Danielle Johnson at djohnson@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia County School Board District 1: Jamie Haynes vs. Al Bouie
