1. Name/Phone Number/E-Mail: Dr. Alan B. Sowards, 936 468-1624 (work); 936 645-9742 (cell); asowards@sfasu.edu
2. District number: At Large
3. How long have you lived in Nacogdoches ISD boundaries? 16 years
4. What skills, experience, or philosophy do you as an individual bring to the school board?
My 38 years of experience in the public education system qualify me for this position. I have taught multiple content areas in grades K-12, supervised and evaluated teachers, reviewed and developed curriculum at the district and state level, and provided professional development training for teachers grade K-12. My doctorate degree is in Curriculum, Instruction and Supervision, with an emphasis in Science Education. I have taught in the College of Education for 16 years at SFASU. I have been responsible for supervising field experiences for university students in all elementary and middle schools in the Nacogdoches Independent School District and surrounding areas.
5. What is your process to seek input and opinions from the community and all stakeholders on issues that come before the school board?
I have been meeting with teachers, parents and community leaders to discuss their concerns regarding the education issues they feel are most important to them. I have two children at Nacogdoches High School and I visit with them and their friends. It is always interesting to get students perspective on what is happening in their schools.
I have set up an e-mail account, asowards4nisd@yahoo.com, which I have made available for anyone who would like to send me their questions or comments. I have also created a Facebook account with the same e-mail address hoping to reach all age groups in the community. My cell phone number has been made available on my Facebook account.
6. What specific goals and plans do you have for improving the quality of education in our district?
In my discussions with teachers and parents in NISD I believe that respecting and supporting teacher’s involvement in the decisions of education instruction in the classroom is essential. Teacher ownership is one of the key elements in providing academic excellence. We should do everything possible to help them be successful in their classrooms. Expecting and inviting more parental involvement in our schools is paramount. If what we have tried in the past hasn’t worked than we must try something else. We have to build trust between the parents and the school personnel. Parents must feel welcome in our schools and encouraged to participate. Discipline in the classroom is another issue that should be addressed. Student discipline should be consistent throughout the district and consequences enforced. Consideration should be given to promoting vocational and technological education programs as an option for our students.
7. Do you support the right of students to have a safe, secure and structured environment at schools? If yes, will you work with the teachers to see that environment maintained?
I believe as a community we are all responsible for securing a safe learning environment for our students. Parents must be held accountable for their children’s behavior if it disrupts the learning environment. Teachers must be supported by their administrators to determine what works best with their student population.
I will work with administrators and teachers to establish guidelines to make this happen.
Do you support the concept of rewarding teachers based on student test scores? Why or why not?
This is not a simple question. Not all teachers have similar students they are assigned to teach. Some teachers have more experience. There are many variables to consider. Test scores should not be the only factor used to determine rewarding teachers. Teaching to a test does not determine if a student is good at problem solving.
8. What do you see as the appropriate role of the board in comparison to the role of the administration?
I believe the board’s role is to work with the administration to determine the best strategies and policies that will benefit all students. I believe the administration should communicate and seek teacher input regarding the education curriculum that the teachers will be required to implement in their classroom.
Most importantly the board and the administration must be held accountable to the community in all decisions affecting the operations of the schools. Input by the community should be expected and encouraged. Listening and respecting others opinions should be the cornerstone of this school district. We may not always agree on the issues, but we must model to our children the importance of civility.
9. What ideas do you have to ensure that the voices of classroom teachers and paraprofessionals are heard and their ideas implemented?
I would hope that the school district already values the ideas that classroom teachers and paraprofessionals have to share. They are the closest to the students and knows their needs better than anyone else. We need to show our support to our teachers and ask them what we can do to help them in their classroom, instead of making them feel they are always being evaluated or monitored. The best thing we can do for our school district that will have the greatest impact on our academic success is to boost the morale of our teachers and let them know how much we appreciate their contributions.
10. What is your view on testing?
Testing might be considered a necessary evil. Most the testing is driven by state and federal requirements. Teacher creativity is lost due to the amount of time testing. There are other ways to assess student learning besides testing. Test moderation may be an answer. I’m not sure how we are testing students for problem solving or critical thinking using the current testing regiment.
12) What one idea sums up your candidacy the best?
Collaboration… We have to get more people involved in the process. More parental involvement; more support and respect for our teachers; better communication between our school district and our community; concerted efforts from everyone to address discipline concerns and parental involvement.
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