Seven individuals, including two incumbents, are seeking to fill three spots on the Fort Thomas Independent Schools Board this November. As part of LINK nky’s efforts to keep our community informed and prepared for the upcoming elections, we have asked each of the candidates to answer the same five questions. Without further ado, here are their questions and answers.
Lisa Duckworth (incumbent)
1. Why are you running for this office, and what would be your top priority if elected?
My involvement with Fort Thomas Independent Schools began in 1996 when my daughter, Laura, was in first grade. Over the years, I have given my time and talent to PTO boards (Moyer and HHS) and SBDM councils (Moyer Elementary, Highlands Middle School, Highlands High School). In 2012 I was appointed by then Commissioner Terry Holliday, to fill a vacancy left due to the passing of Board Member Gail Federle. Our schools are consistently ranked the highest in Kentucky and nationally. I have helped maintain the education excellence Fort Thomas residents and students expect and deserve. I am honored to have earned your trust and look forward to continuing to serve our community.
2. What are some challenges facing the district, and how would you address them?
It is important to me that the commonwealth of Kentucky realize the funding formula currently used creates financial challenges for school districts similar to Fort Thomas. It is imperative our district leaders continue talking and meeting with our elected officials in Frankfort to get the formula changed. As it stands now, too much funding falls on our residents to ensure our tradition of excellence at Fort Thomas Independent Schools.
3. Fort Thomas schools are consistently rated top notch in the region, state and country. What do you see as the strengths of the district, and how would you support those strengths?
FTIS strengths are our students, teachers and community. Students come to school ready to learn and work hard for their education. Teachers give students knowledge, confidence and support to be outstanding future citizens. Our community supports our schools financially and through our traditions. As an experienced board member, myself and my colleagues give the students and teachers tools and support they need to be successful in their educational career. We give the community support by being responsible stewards and making sound decisions with financial support they give our district.
4. Across the country, school safety is of great concern. How would you address these concerns for parents, students and staff?
The Fort Thomas Independent School District has a great partnership with our first responders. It is our priority to keep all our schools safe. In doing so, we have installed vestibules, security systems and training for our personnel in safety measures. We continually work with our law enforcement to make sure our students and employees are and feel safe. The city of Fort Thomas has, in kind, provided our schools with an SRO.
5. One of the district’s strengths has been in their staffing, yet there is a teacher shortage across the country. What will you do to attract and retain top talent?
Our district believes to attract the best faculty and staff, we need to offer a competitive salary and benefits package. In addition, we need to ensure that our educators have the resources, tools and facilities to offer our students one-of-a-kind experiences and opportunities. Finally, we need to make sure our professionals are treated with respect. To continue to be the best district, we have to attract and retain the best faculty.
Clem Fennell
1. Why are you running for this office, and what would be your top priority if elected?
I’m running because I deeply care about our schools and city and want to unify our community around our school system. My top priority would be to review and update our educational curriculum to be sure that it is providing our children their best chance to be successful while also improving our rankings and returning Fort Thomas Independent Schools to the #1 school in Kentucky.
2. What are some challenges facing the district, and how would you address them?
Fort Thomas has thrived for years because of the strong family environment and parental involvement in our schools. That positive trait is what is also a major challenge for the district today because I see frustrations from some parents who feel there is a lack of transparency in decision making from the school in regards to curriculum, after school organizations and other related school decisions. I believe that our schools thrive when parents, students, teachers and all administration are on the same page and working together. I believe we could make improvements in communicating via email or on the schools’ website a full description and details of all classes, teams and any school-related organizations to provide all parties (students, parents, teachers) better clarity. I also believe that the administration could provide more direct answers and clear goals for the school district to teachers, students and parents in print, online and in person.
3. Fort Thomas schools are consistently rated top notch in the region, state and country. What do you see as the strengths of the district, and how would you support those strengths?
While Fort Thomas schools are well-known for high scores and rankings, in recent years we’ve seen those drop. We are still a very high quality school district; some of our biggest strengths are great teachers, parents who care and hardworking students. We also have amazing facilities and an environment that can allow students to thrive. I believe that having clearly defined goals (both short term and long term) between students, parents and teachers would help us further improve. I also believe that we need to focus on fundamental curriculum that will get us back to being the #1 school in Kentucky.
4. Across the country, school safety is of great concern. How would you address these concerns for parents, students and staff?
School safety has to be a top priority, and while we are fortunate to live in a very safe small community, school shootings and violence are not immune to cities such as Fort Thomas. I believe that we should explore having some sort of armed security at each school at all times, possibly utilizing retired police or army. While our facilities are locked down and you have to check in to any school at the front desk, there are times that school access seems too loose, such as the first day of school or when large events are going on. I believe an immediate improvement would be to make sure this check-in process is always in place and we are never letting our guard down. Additional and continued training for staff and students is vital as well.
5. One of the district’s strengths has been in their staffing, yet there is a teacher shortage across the country. What will you do to attract and retain top talent?
We are fortunate that we are a desirable district for teachers, not only because of renovated schools and strong pay, but because of the types of students and parental involvement that we have. I believe that we have the best teachers, and I think that they should be paid well. However, that is only half the battle. Teachers must be provided all of the resources that they need to perform their job to the best of their capabilities. I would like to have continual surveys from the teachers to get their feedback on what they do need to be sure that we are providing those materials, equipment, staff help, etc. FTIS has done a great job of staying on the forefront of technology, and we need to stay the course in that regard and always be looking at what new and additional technology is needed for our teachers to make sure Fort Thomas is giving them all of the tools to do the job.
Sarah Foster
1. Why are you running for this office, and what would be your top priority if elected?
First, thank you LINK for this opportunity! I am running because my range of volunteer experience and professional background have prepared me for school board service. I’m also the only candidate from the Woodfill side of town and believe board representation is important.
By day, I’m an attorney and run the mediation program at an appeals court in Cincinnati, helping folks locked in legal disputes find common ground. My husband, Charlie, and I are the parents of a fifth grader at Woodfill and an eighth grader at Highlands Middle. I’ve been elected to the Woodfill School-Based Decision Making council for the past four years by fellow parents. I’ve served on the PTO board for seven years. I’ve also been present for the daily hum of school activities: I’ve been a room parent, kept Big Top Festival candy buckets filled, dressed up for classroom parties, arranged snacks for middle school dances, tagged along on field trips, read books to the kids and served hot dogs at school cookouts.
If elected, my top priority will be the students. My focus will be on developing well-rounded students who are prepared to contribute positively to the community once they graduate high school. I’ll always ask: “Will this contribute to, or take away from, the well-being of our students?” The answer to that question will guide my decisions and my direction as a school board member.
2. What are some challenges facing the district, and how would you address them?
One challenge is that we are still learning the extent to which the pandemic impacted the students. Students who began kindergarten remotely may exhibit early reading deficits now as second graders, or students who began middle school early in the pandemic may struggle to connect with peer groups. Student athletes who lost opportunities may still be working to make up ground. If elected, I will continue the work of identifying deficits and appropriately meeting each student’s needs.
Another current challenge is the movement to prevent learning opportunities and to remove certain materials from the schools. I will work to ensure that our teachers remain able to provide our students with a first-class education and experiences. To further this goal, I’m committed to working respectfully and collaboratively with the other board members and the community.
3. Fort Thomas schools are consistently rated top notch in the region, state and country. What do you see as the strengths of the district, and how would you support those strengths?
One strength is the number of opportunities available to our students. We have a full range of classes for every academic capability, a variety of clubs and sports for every ability. An example is Woodfill’s Unified Bocce Club, where students with and without disabilities partner as teammates and compete — and it reaches full enrollment each season. My children are probably tired of me pestering them to try this or that club, class or sport, but I don’t want them to take any of this for granted. I currently serve on one of the district’s leadership implementation teams, focusing on student experiences and opportunities, and it is exciting to be part of that team. If elected, I will continue to support that work. As I said earlier, I will make sure these opportunities are not curtailed.
Another strength is our community support, whether it comes from parents, grandparents, caregivers, teachers, residents, business owners, you name it. Everyone shows up for our kids. This is the superpower that keeps our schools consistently top notch. I will work to strengthen community relationships by listening to concerns, carefully weighing all stakeholder input and building bridges in the community.
4. Across the country, school safety is of great concern. How would you address these concerns for parents, students and staff?
My daughter was five when Sandy Hook happened, and my son was in fourth grade this past May when Uvalde happened. I was wrecked both times. I ache to think about what those little children and teachers’ last moments must have been like. As a school board member, I will work to ensure that all five schools comply with safety protocol and that each receives up-to-date training as crisis and emergency response practices evolve. Nothing is more important than making sure each student and every staff member who arrives to school in the morning returns home safely each afternoon. It is a community effort. We also have an excellent school resource officer for our schools, and I would support adding additional SROs, if it is economically feasible.
5. One of the district’s strengths has been in their staffing, yet there is a teacher shortage across the country. What will you do to attract and retain top talent?
The secret to attracting and retaining top talent is pretty universal — employees must be supported, trusted, able to thrive and paid appropriately. The teachers in our district have been providing excellent educations to our students for decades. Our students and families directly benefit from this public service through the number of doors that open for each student following their graduation. I know I continue to reap the benefits from my teachers several decades ago! So as a board member, I intend to attract and retain top talent by providing teachers and staff with the tools they need to be successful, serving as a first line of defense for them against unwarranted criticism, holding them accountable and always advocating for commensurate pay.
Noah Gibson
1. Why are you running for this office, and what would be your top priority if elected?
As a lifelong resident of Fort Thomas, I wanted to give back to the city and schools that have given me and my family so much over the years. My top priority is to make sure parents are involved and maintaining the long standing traditions and values our schools represent.
2. What are some challenges facing the district, and how would you address them?
I think over the past couple years a lot of people have felt their voices were not heard; I am hoping to fill that void for those parents and kids.
3. Fort Thomas schools are consistently rated top notch in the region, state and country. What do you see as the strengths of the district, and how would you support those strengths?
Having a close knit, involved community in the schools is one of our biggest strengths. People come to Fort Thomas and stay in Fort Thomas because of the schools, and I will do my best to maintain those traditions and excellence that people love so much.
4. Across the country, school safety is of great concern. How would you address these concerns for parents, students and staff?
School safety is a huge issue with a lot of parents. I will make sure each school has an officer, and if that’s not possible, someone that’s capable of maintaining the safety of our kids and teachers at all times.
5. One of the district’s strengths has been in their staffing, yet there is a teacher shortage across the country. What will you do to attract and retain top talent?
Doing our best for our kids and staff at all times, keep a positive work environment and have fun while doing it! This has always been a positive place for anyone to work in.
Ann Meyer (incumbent)
1. Why are you running for this office, and what would be your top priority if elected?
I am Ann Meyer, current chairman of the Fort Thomas Board of Education. My reason for running for reelection to the school board this year as well as in 2018, is the same. It is about learning and giving students the opportunities and advantages that I had as a graduate of Highlands High School. I want your children and my grandchildren to get the quality education and foundation that my siblings, my children and I got in the Fort Thomas Independent schools. It may not look the same but will provide learning for a world of options for them like it did for us.
I spent my entire life’s journey in education as a family and consumer/career and technical education teacher and then counselor for 28 years, retiring from Highlands in 2015. I have a world of experiences at the school level, which served me well during the last four years as I served on the school board. I believe that my experience helped me ask the right questions about education and the state of the district.
The top priority is providing a quality education and being a destination school system for students and teachers, one that is valued and sought after, one that people stay to graduate or retire from. I value public education and care about our students, their parents, as well as other community members. It took hard work and purposeful choices about learning to get us where we are today and to continue that tradition takes hard work. It is imperative that students are in class with direct instruction from quality teachers along with up-to-date technology as needed. My priority is to “Keep calm and educate”
2. What are some challenges facing the district, and how would you address them?
As a growing suburban independent school district with more local support of the budget than is provided by the state, Fort Thomas faces several challenges that require commitment and great leadership. I am on the budget committee, so I work with the numbers regularly and it is tight. When 82% of the expenditures goes to payroll and 4.5% goes to utilities, we must have a tight rein on spending. Because of this, Launch, although the idea was valid, became a want and not a need so we had to make the decision to move programs back into Highlands. We also want to hire and keep quality teachers and staff, and as a board have a commitment to give raises to our teachers each year. This is a priority to have our salary schedule on the top of Northern Kentucky. The need is to be intentional in all spending.
Teaching children has challenges as well. I am constantly looking at academic achievement and testing data. Are our children progressing, proficient in math and reading, is there rigor, are they being challenged are some of the issues that I worry about and look into. We need to provide a quality education in a changing world — with up-to-date teaching skills, technology, getting students ready for many options, jobs that we may not even know now.
3. Fort Thomas schools are consistently rated top notch in the region, state and country. What do you see as the strengths of the district, and how would you support those strengths?
I love being the chairman of the school board for one of the best school systems. The support given by the community is off the charts. Our small town of 17,000 remodeled and built five schools in 20 years! None of that could have been done without the support of our community, a community that says, “How can I help with time and money?”
The commitment of our faculty, parents, leadership team and students shows in everything we do. We are focused on opportunities for all students with a plan for their success. We have culture that looks forward and nurtures our students educationally. We have professional educators and a strong leadership team. Each of these strengths can be supported through our budget, but the more important support comes from high expectations and focus on individual students. We realize we have a commitment of excellence and provide the culture to support that commitment.
4. Across the country, school safety is of great concern. How would you address these concerns for parents, students and staff?
We are lucky that our facilities have been remodeled or built in the last 20 years. Of course, providing state of the art buildings set up with safety systems, technology for background checks of those entering through a single-locked entry are the obvious things you can see when entering the building, but it is about what is going on inside the buildings as well. The training and support of our faculty so that they feel secure in their abilities and safe in their locked classrooms, is a valuable part of what is going on inside. Having parents in our buildings to see how things are set up and feeling their children are safe is essential. We are now able to have parents in again, and my discussions with parents are impacted by their being in the schools. The intentional providing of more eyes on and interactions with adults for all children are a must.
It is important to the board that class sizes are smaller than the numbers supported by the state, and schools have teacher assistants where appropriate. When I came to the guidance office in 2001, district wide, serving about 1,000 less students, there were five counselors, two at the high school, one at the middle school and two counselors that split time at the elementaries. We now have 10 counselors, four at HHS, two at HMS, and one at each elementary. In the last four years we have increased assistant principals at each elementary as well, intentionally providing more eyes on and interactions with adults, who can assess and provide support for all students. Keeping in mind that staffing is 82% of our budget, but this is important to me that students have support in place at all levels of their education. I am a former counselor, one who values personal interaction, who takes being on the journey with students through our buildings seriously.
Providing activities and extra-curricular opportunities are important for safety, too. Not only are involved children more engaged in school, but they provide the places that children can “find their people.” Engaged children come to school, feel more a part of the school and excel, but being connected to the school is a part of safety as well. The activities give children more access to adults that can lead and support them.
5. One of the district’s strengths has been in their staffing, yet there is a teacher shortage across the country. What will you do to attract and retain top talent?
I have a personal interest in preserving and improving our school system and am the voice of a teacher in an independent school district. I care about the educators in this district and the future of our attracting and retaining the best and the brightest educators. We are in a time when less people are going into education so there are less applicants. The first answer is, of course, providing the wages to get the best to come, and the current board is committed to evaluating and providing increased wages every year.
We also are aware of other things that can be done to make us a place to come and stay. Continuous professional development opportunities are supported. Currently, the school board members donate our stipends back to support scholarships for teachers for continuing education programs. Teachers can bring their out-of-district children for a reduced tuition rate. The FTEF [Fort Thomas Education Foundation] provides teacher grants for the “dare to dream” opportunities of our staff. The board and FTEF meet and work together to discuss future opportunities for our teachers. We also have a commitment to “grow our own” leaders by nourishing our faculty to stay and take leadership positions as well as to “grow our own” future educators through Intro to Education classes and shadowing opportunities. As a counselor, I could always see those students who had a heart of a teacher, so let’s teach and support them and then hire them when they get out of school.
David Russell
1. Why are you running for this office, and what would be your top priority if elected?
I’m running for this office because I love The Fort, and I want to serve this community. I’m grateful to be a part of this school district and have been honored to serve on HMS and HHS SBDM councils for the past six years. I’ve had the opportunity to learn about many of the challenges our students, teachers and parents face. As a school board member, I will listen to your concerns and perspectives. I’m not afraid to ask the hard questions or challenge thinking to reach the best outcome. My day job requires the ability to engage in tough topics with consistency, reason and integrity. To understand how every part of the organization works, how decisions made today impact the future and how to best support the folks in each area and bring out the best in them. I do this everyday, and I’ll bring the fullness of these skills to the FTIS School Board.
My top priority will be to ensure that all students receive an awesome education. Our school board’s primary focus must be fighting for every student’s chance to reach academic excellence, with the courage to think outside the box.
2. What are some challenges facing the district, and how would you address them?
It is imperative that we have transparency throughout all facets of the district. I will champion the lines of communication, ask the hard questions and encourage safe, genuine dialogue between parents, teachers and students. Also, I’ll work for regular scrutiny. Our school board has a responsibility to press in and “check what needs checking.”
We must be consistently and excellently supporting our teachers and staff. Our teachers are the backbone of the district; let’s ensure they have whatever they need to maintain our tradition of academic excellence. That’s ongoing equipping, tools and resources. That’s ongoing gratitude and respect.
I’ll also advocate for the infrastructure of consistent parental partnerships. Parental engagement is key to student success. Parental communication should be invited, encouraged and respected. Period.
I want to underscore that I understand that my role as a member of FTIS School Board is to work as a team member in setting policy and providing resources to improve achievement for each student in the district. I look forward to hearing the perspective of other community members, consider their concerns and work toward solutions.
3. Fort Thomas schools are consistently rated top notch in the region, state and country. What do you see as the strengths of the district, and how would you support those strengths?
Our district has many strengths. I’ll highlight two:
A Strong Community. As a whole, this community cares about its neighbors, comes around anyone who is in need and celebrates when we win (we win, a lot). As a first-generation Fort Thomasian, I want to model and reinforce these attributes within our schools and community.
Academic Excellence. A high standard of academic success has been set that the community expects. I want to ensure that this standard is maintained. And, challenge us to consistently pursue ways we can support our students who don’t necessarily fit into a particular educational box.
4. Across the country, school safety is of great concern. How would you address these concerns for parents, students and staff?
First, I believe it’s important to clarify how we’re defining “safety.” That said, I’ll assume that in the context of this question, you’re referring to violent threats such as active shooters. What a great question. During this campaign, I’ve been working to meet with as many folks as I can, to hear different perspectives and gain better understanding about what’s happening in our district. I am very interested to hear from other folks regarding their concerns about this issue. Speaking as a parent, I personally became concerned when I recently realized that our district has one school resource officer shared between five schools. What’s the strategy there, and what emergency procedures are in place to support this strategy? I would also spark board dialogue to understand what our plan is, as a district, to adopt Kentucky Senate Bill 1 (SB1)/House Bill 63 (HB63), which requires one officer for every campus by 8/22/2022. While a challenge, as a district, this is a problem we need to solve. All of our teachers and staff deserve and should expect to learn and connect in a safe environment.
5. One of the district’s strengths has been in their staffing, yet there is a teacher shortage across the country. What will you do to attract and retain top talent?
FTIS is a destination district in which to teach, learn and live. Our district allocates additional staff well above the state requirement, and our teachers receive generous support that enables them to potentially instruct in this district for multiple generations, if they choose. These facts, along with the additional grants provided by the Fort Thomas Education Foundation, are compelling reasons on their own to teach here.
To continue to attract and retain top talent, we must:
- Create intentional opportunities to inform (and refresh) new and experienced teachers what makes teaching in Fort Thomas so special and the supportive community one can be a part of.
- Ask our current teachers why they stay, what is needed for success and what obstacles need to be removed (and actually work to remove them).
- Get creative in our search for talent. We want staff who will add to the culture, the expertise and tradition of excellence.
Pamela Schultz
1. Why are you running for this office, and what would be your top priority if elected?
I am running for school board because I care about our schools and community. I am an extremely qualified candidate who looks for the outcomes, not only the inception of new processes. As a graduate of School Board School, and as a Commonwealth Institute of Parent Leadership (CIPL) Fellow, I have put in the time, energy and effort to understand public schools from behind the scenes. As an engaged parent, and a substitute teacher, I have the knowledge to merge these two viewpoints into a unique perspective that benefits our district. I’ve been adding to my “toolbox” to best serve our students, staff and community as a qualified school board member, and I am ready to serve.
My top priority would be, and has always been, the students. What are their education experiences? Are we preparing them for a successful future? Are we empowering them to become good people? Are we providing them with the tools to succeed out in “the real world”? While I believe we do many of these well, are we doing the very best we can for our students?
2. What are some challenges facing the district, and how would you address them?
Our biggest challenge is remembering why we are here — the kids. Whether your kiddo graduated in the 1970s or will be starting kindergarten in a few years, they are the reason we are in Fort Thomas. This holds true for the families who send their children to private or out-of-district schools — the community we’ve built is our touchstone.
There needs to be a rational conversation about OUR schools and OUR city. As you know, the school board election is nonpartisan, but it does not feel that way, does it? It is supposed to be about the kids, the teachers and the schools, but seems to have evolved into something else. I believe rerouting our energies back into these fundamentals is a huge challenge right now and one I am anxious to focus on.
3. Fort Thomas schools are consistently rated top notch in the region, state and country. What do you see as the strengths of the district, and how would you support those strengths?
We have many strengths so I will just mention two.
- Being so involved in our schools really gives me insight into the “every day.” FTIS staff is in it for the kids. Their commitment to the well being and success of our students is apparent in their willingness to go above and beyond — every day. So many of our staff sit on committees, coach teams and lead clubs after being in the classroom all day. Why? Because they are in it for our kids — for now and the future.
- Another strength is our community. While in School Board School, I really realized how unique FTIS is when stacked up against other school districts. I was dumbfounded when some speakers discussed how hard it was to get parents to “show up.” I would raise my hand and confess that I could not relate to this because we have folks who show up — every day. Parents, staff and community members “show up,” and while we may not always see it, that is definitely a unique strength. I will always show up for our schools.
4. Across the country, school safety is of great concern. How would you address these concerns for parents, students and staff?
This is something I think about a lot. Being a cop’s kid, my initial thought is to beef up physical security at all our schools. While I do believe this has a place in the plan, it cannot be the only plan. Bullying is a prevalent issue and needs to be addressed. Mental health needs to be addressed. There is no ONE answer but a multilayered solution is needed, and conversations need to be had.
5. One of the district’s strengths has been in their staffing, yet there is a teacher shortage across the country. What will you do to attract and retain top talent?
- Competitive teacher and staff salaries. Local comparable districts pay more. To retain, and recruit, the best, we need to compensate them for what they bring to the table.
- Along with that, we need to acknowledge and reward those who participate and lead programs that benefit our kids now and in the future. Our electives and extracurriculars are top-notch and give our students a multitude of opportunities. These programs, and the educators who lead them, deserve our support.
- Support for our teachers is paramount through both professional development and collaboration. Teachers need to be listened to, consulted and supported by administration and the community. Conversations need be had rather than assumptions made. This is FTIS — let’s get creative. We have a wealth of knowledge and resources in our district, and by engaging all aspects of our community, we could be unbeatable!
- Why are educators leaving the field? This needs to be an open conversation with those who teach our students. And people need to be ready to listen.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 8
While Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, here are more opportunities to vote according to the State Board of Elections:
- The mail-in absentee request portal is open until October 25.
- Mail-in absentee ballots must be received by the clerk by 6 p.m. on November 8.
- In-person, excused absentee voting is available October 26 to 31 and November 1 and 2.
- In-person, no excuse absentee voting is available November 3 to 5.
- In-person Election Day voting runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on November 8.
To find your polling location, see the Polling Locations page on the elect.ky.gov website.
Note: Questions were sent to Toby Varland, but he informed us he has officially withdrawn from the FTIS school board election.