Meet your candidates - Gregory Scott Johnson - Candidate for Hutchinson USD 308 school board

Candidates' responses have not been edited.

1. What is your background, and how will it help you to serve this district?

I am a retired educator of 33 years. My previous positions were for the Cunningham School District USD#332 for 29 years and for Friends University for 10 years. All of my past experiences within the classroom, dealing with administration, faculty, parents and students will help me greatly in my serving of the district.

2. Describe your qualifications and experience for this office and explain your reasons for running. How would you be an asset?

I received my Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Emporia State University and my Master of Music Education Degree from Wichita State University. I have taught for the Kansas Public School System for 33 years and for Private Education for 10 years. I truly feel that by serving on this board that I will be given the opportunity to help others by putting the “unity” in USD #308 and to continue utilizing my experiences, gifts and talents as an educator.

3. What are the priority issues facing our district, and how would you address them if elected?

Teachers have noted an increase in disruptive behavior among students which in turn is tied to the concern of teacher retention. One of the first things would be to hire more school resource officers and to establish Student Mentor Programs. If teachers didn’t have to deal with discipline problems and were allowed to concentrate on teaching, the retention issue would decrease. They are hired to teach , not to just survive. They want to be supported, know that they are appreciated and that they are a core part of the team.

4. What are the most important challenges facing our district, and how do you propose to address them?

Please refer to the previous question (3) for this answer.

5. Describe your commitment to public education.

After teaching within the classroom for 33 years, that record speaks for itself. I am and have always been a lifelong learner and teacher.

6. A district is only effective if it serves all constituents. What specific steps would you take to ensure that from all walks of life benefit from equity, access, an inclusive opportunity? How will YOU ensure all students are “welcomed” in your district?

I believe in “equality of opportunity” education not “equity” education. I believe all students are equal and none should be given special treatment. When the rights of one group seem to be more important than the rights of other groups, you do not have a welcoming atmosphere. Students are not stupid and pick up on this “favoritism.”

7. Specifically, how should “school safety” be enhanced or improved in your school district?

Hire more school resource officers.

8. There is great national concern regarding the status of the teaching profession and whether there are adequate numbers of highly qualified teachers to fill current teaching positions. How will you work with district leadership to ensure vacancies are filled with highly qualified staff, new teachers attracted, and senior staff supported?

In addition to my answer in question 3, increase salary pay and benefits, provide meaningful in-services that actually give educators tools not just meet a quota of “how many in-services does the state require.” Seriously how many times does one need the blood borne pathogens video in their career? Over 30 times was a little much!

9. If you are elected (or re-elected) how should constituents measure your performance at the end of your term? What would you need to do to earn an “A” (excellent) grade? Identify specific benchmarks. If you are currently serving on the school board, how would you grade your present leadership?

This could be measured just like it is within the classroom. I am a retired music teacher so I would see where each student was at the beginning of the year by giving a grade appropriate music test. I would then decide what “collectively” needed to be taught or retaught and establish individual student goals for that year. At the end of the year, I would repeat the beginning of the year test and check their growth or my need to teach a concept in a different way and I would check off what was successful in my teaching approach. Constituents could see if I achieved what I wanted to achieve, if my approach was satisfactory and if the school system was better as a whole during my term. (I would emphasize that an “A” grade does not always guarantee success. I taught my students that to pass while trying was just as good.)

10. Transparency is critical in order to develop trust, improve community engagement and ensure support for public education. How will you ensure the district is transparent with the community?

In order for transparency, the web-site for the board needs to be user friendly. The minutes need to reflect what was voted on not just document 3 etc. In order to improve community engagement, the meeting area for the board needs to be a friendly area. It needs to be well-lit and not cramped. If people were welcomed at meetings and noticed, the trust would improve.

11. What are the strengths of the district, and what do you see as its biggest challenges?

Please refer to the question (3) for this answer.

12. How can the board be more accessible to the entire community?

Board members attending school events, K-12 and by setting up times to visit each school.

13. An individual school board member has no authority; decisions can only be made by the Board as a whole. What skills or traits will help you contribute to its functioning?

Currently I serve as the President of the Board for the Fair Price Clothing Store, in our meetings several viewpoints are heard and as a leader it is my job to see that all are heard and that decorum is upheld. From my serving on committees during my teaching career, I will use these skills to help contribute to the functionality of the board.

14. School issues have become fiercely divisive. Can the school board do anything to lessen the rifts in the school district?

I am running on what I taught my students at Cunningham: values of Citizenship, Discipline, Honesty, Integrity, Moral Character, Respect and Sportsmanship. I plan on bringing these to every vote. If you have ethics and are a role model, you can help eliminate rifts and division

15. Do you believe charter schools strengthen or weaken public school districts? (and why)

I have never had any experience with charter schools, so I can not truly answer this question. I am willing to research it though and learn about it. I do know that within the music classroom that sopranos learn faster when worked on collectively as a group, the same goes for Altos, Tenors and Basses as well.

16. Anything else our readers should know?

At my previous school, we (the school staff, community and parents) worked hard as a team to educate all students and to prepare them for life after high school whether that be college, vocational training, straight to the job market, establishing a family or to the farm. Life-long learning should always be the goal and I hope to bring this to the Hutchinson School District and to the community of Hutchinson