April Griffin

The issues

Why are you running for this office?

I am seeking re-election to continue to be a voice for students, teachers, parents and the community.

In your view, what are the top three issues facing the school district? How are you qualified to address these issues?

There are many issues facing our schools and public education. Facilities needs, digital divide to address education disparities, and mental health/lack of services for students and families, are three that affect our schools in Alachua County

How would you assess the performance of Governor, President Trump and Secretary of Education when it comes to educational policy?

I believe all three fall very short on educational policy, especially in regard to public schools.  

Share your opinion on the changes to school safety and gun ownership enforced in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Act.

I am grateful that the legislature took this issue to heart and that they allowed districts some flexibility with regards to arming staff. I do believe that it was hastily put together and severely underfunded. I am hopeful that improvements will be made in the next legislative session.

Share your opinions on the guardian program and arming teachers.

I believe that the only armed persons on our school campuses should be law enforcement. I do not agree with arming any of our staff and voted to continue our policy to only allow law enforcement to carry guns on our campuses.

What are your plans for school safety and how do you plan to accomplish it?

The law requires that we “harden” our schools but there has not been any guidance given on this by the Department of Education.  We have done complete safety checks of all campuses, and a safety plan has been admitted to the state. We have also trained all staff in ALICE over preplanning and all students during the first week of school. We will continue to do all that we can to ensure the safety of everyone on our campuses.

Alachua County Public Schools has shown to have an educational gap, where more white students are passing tests than black students. What are your plans to approach this educational divide?

We have implemented many programs to address this. As you know, not all students learn the same and not every program will work for everyone.  We have also added staff to address guidance and dropout prevention and behavior. We are doing universal gifted screening of our second graders and giving every eighth grader the PSAT in order to identify students that may qualify for advanced classes. All of our middle schools are also doing guidance sessions to encourage students to apply for our high school magnet programs. I would like to see the Community School Model spread across the district to other schools. The Community School brings all of the social and mental services in to the school in a coordinated effort to help the students and teachers. I believe more emphasis should be given to mental health as we continue this work. I worked with The Education Foundation to bring two 21st Century teaching and learning pilot classrooms to Alachua County. They will be up and running after Labor Day. I believe we need to change the way we “do school” and will work to get funding to spread this model throughout the district. I would also like to have our middle and high school libraries opened later in the day. We can stagger our staff so that there is someone ready to help students and their parents when they come in. As we continue our work, assessing all of the programs and supports to make sure they are effective will be important. If it’s not working, move on and bring in another to try.

Do you have any plans or policies that involve the University of Florida, and if so, explain.

Our district is fortunate to have the University as a partner in many programs. The Community School, College of Dentistry, College of Medicine, UF Athletics, sororities, fraternities, etc. all work with our students and schools. All of our fifth grade students have been invited to attend a UF football game in the next few weeks. Project Makeover, a UF student-lead event, works to makeover a school each year. We are also on the committee to curb underaged drinking that UF instituted and work closely with UF Lastinger Center for professional development. I believe we need to continue to look for ways and programs to work with UF moving forward.

What are your opinions on school choice and opening charter schools?

We have a very active school choice program in our county. We also have fabulous charter schools, and I support the good work they are doing. Currently, we do not have any for profit charter schools. I would not be in support of a corporate, for profit charter school but the legislature has limited the local school board’s control of approving/disapproving charters.

What are your stances on current teacher pay? If you plan to implement raises, how would you go about it and would class sizes be affected?

Over the past 6 years, we have given raises and worked toward a “living wage” for our hourly employees. Currently, we cover the cost of our employees’ health insurance. I will continue to look for ways to increase salaries and wages. We have a constitutional amendment limiting class size and work diligently to keep our class sizes down, especially in our most vulnerable schools.

What are your views on high-stakes testing?

I believe in accountability, but I do not agree with the high stakes placed on testing for our students or teachers. I have advocated for less testing and for other ways to judge our students’ and teachers’ performance in our classrooms.

Share your stance on basing teacher pay off of performance reviews.

Again, I believe in accountability. I do not agree with the way a teacher’s VAM score is calculated or with this being the state’s sole measure of a teacher’s performance. Teachers should be held accountable for their students’ mastery of the material for the classes they teach.   

What is an example of a policy or issue you have changed your view on in the last 20 years?

Since I have been serving on the School Board, I have learned a lot about our community and schools. I have visited every school each year and worked on many civic boards during my term. I have a better understanding of the issues that our students and families face and have gained a better understanding of the impact our schools can and do make on our students, their families and communities.

Do you support voting on college campuses?

Yes.  

The campaign

Is there anything you want us to know about your opponent(s)?

Why should voters vote for you?

I have a legacy of advocacy and action for public education, I have a legacy of bringing innovative ideas and programs to our schools and I bring the leadership needed for the next 4 years and beyond!

Miscellaneous

What type of student were you in college?

I put myself through college by working on and off campus jobs.  I was also active in college life. I didn’t make outstanding grades, but I did complete my degree and enjoyed myself along the way.

What is the last music concert you saw?

The Eagles

Who is your political hero? Why?

Anyone who stays true to themselves and their ideals while serving their constituents.

What is the best advice you have ever gotten?

Always remember to stay focused on doing what is best for students!