Cheryl Caulfield, candidate for Wake County Board of Education District 1
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District 1 candidates for Wake County Board of Education
Heather Scott is not running for another term in 2022. Those running to replace her are Cheryl Caulfield and Ben Clapsaddle. Get to know the candidates with our 2022 NC Voter Guide.
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Name: Cheryl Caulfield
Political party: Republican
Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 52
Campaign website: Cheryl4wakeschools.com
Occupation: Property management, previously a senior mortgage underwriter
Education: F.I.T. Design and studied business management at Farmingdale State College SUNY
Have you run for elected office before? No
Please list highlights of your civic involvement: WCPSS volunteer for 11 years working with teachers and students. I enjoy seeing the children grow, but have also always wanted to find a better way to support our teachers in their struggles and obstacles. They play an invaluable role in our children’s lives. Other volunteer services: after-school/sport programs (theater backstage help and football); Cub Scout family, part of many community service projects; Active Good community services; and town community advocate regarding community needs.
Why do you want to serve on the Wake County Board of Education?
Over the years I have seen the struggles our teachers and students face. I feel the decisions made affect the lives of all of us, and we can do better with their education needs. Our teachers are well-trained, and they know how to teach, but that ability is not being utilized. Our children, and teachers, are struggling, and I believe their true needs are being ignored. I would like to remove politics from the classroom and focus on the basics so they can reach their true potential.
What are the Wake County Public Schools doing well?
WCPSS has a good variety of programs and choices available for students and their individual needs. There are great opportunities for after-school programs like theater, arts, music, sports, TSA and student-run leadership clubs. I have been fortunate to be involved in many of these opportunities and love seeing the energy and growth in our children. Our teachers are also a major support for our children. Many times I have seen our teachers at our plays and sporting events. It is a true community.
What would be your three top priorities if elected? Choose one, and explain how you would address it.
Transparent curriculum, parent involvement and supporting our teachers, all go hand in hand. Our teachers struggle with lack of support and feel their hands are tied. They need resources, help with discipline so focus can be on lessons, tutoring for learning loss, mental health support, and more pay. Our teachers are wearing too many hats.
Fiscal accountability to put our funds where they need to be to best support them.
School safety — if we do not have a safe environment, we cannot learn.
What should the district do in response to calls to remove books from schools that some say are inappropriate for students?
Educational material should be age appropriate. Our focus should be on learning materials. With grades like 79% not-proficient in Math 1 (HS), Reading 50% non-proficient, and 42% in Science (proficiency is only 60% to be at grade level), I would like to see our focus go on what we can do to help our children reach their potential. I would like to remove politics from the classroom, and focus on our learning loss and mental health struggle, and give our students the support when needed.
How should schools discuss issues involving discrimination based on race, gender and other factors?
Every child should have a safe, comfortable environment where they can learn how to learn, and reach their true potential. This may look different for children, and they may have different needs. Teaching our children how to learn, problem solve, and to be critical thinkers through team building allows them the opportunity to grow, and be part of something positive. Our focus should be on unity, and community.
How would you go about making schools safer in the aftermath of school shootings such as in Uvalde, Texas?
WCPSS has protocols to keep our schools safe, but always needs improvement. Having an SRO for every school is important. Currently we only have three drills (lockdown, weather, tabletop). Currently we only have one per year. I suggest two, and/or repeat of drill when school does not meet expectation. SROs share keys; I suggest one per uniform to improve response time. Discipline, bullying, and mental health are huge factors and need to be addressed.
What would you do to try to address student learning loss that was exacerbated by the pandemic?
Tutoring resources, working side by side with teacher/student needs. More mental health counselors, so children can focus better on their learning needs, and feel that there is support to help get them back on track. Many students feel frustrated, lost and need to know they can reach success, but the gaps are growing. This is adding to high levels of depression. Rework curriculum. Open Up Resources (Common Core aka MVP) is our current Math/EL program and it is failing our children.
What’s the appropriate level of funding that should be provided to Wake County schools?
WCPSS receives $2.1 billion, plus $400 million in COVID relief funds. We have over 80 administrators making well over $100,000, and have one of the highest paid superintendents in the nation, yet our teachers are near the lowest. We spend millions on textbooks, when none come home. There are many examples of ways we can be more efficient with our funds, and at least reflect on things we spend money on to see if it has produced results. Our budget needs to reflect better results for our students and teachers.
This story was originally published October 20, 2022 at 11:14 AM.
