Sandy Anderson For Springfield Seat On Fairfax County School Board

FAIRFAX COUNTY — Sandy Anderson, a native of the Springfield District and a former college English teacher, is running to serve as the Springfield District member on the Fairfax County School Board.

Endorsed by the Fairfax County Democratic Committee, Anderson is running to replace Laura Jane Cohen, who is the Democratic nominee in the election to the Virginia House of Delegates to represent District 15.

"My experience as an FCPS student, FCPS mom, PTO leader, military spouse, and higher-ed educator," Anderson says on her campaign website.

The general election ballot in Fairfax County will also include countywide races for the at-large seats on the School Board, Board of Supervisors chairman, Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney, Fairfax County Sheriff, and Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District.

Early voting for the general election began on Friday, Sept. 22. More information on how to vote is available from the Fairfax County Office of Elections.

Patch asked candidates running for the Springfield District on the Fairfax County School Board to fill out a candidate questionnaire with the same questions. Here are Anderson's responses:

Name

Sandy Anderson

Age

46

Family

Husband, Joe Anderson, and two sons that are FCPS students in middle and elementary school.

Education

• BA in English from George Mason University
• MA in English with a concentration in Teaching Composition from University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Occupation

For the last 12 years, I have been working with two DoD youth programs related to STEM education and at-risk youth. With some overlap, I previously taught at the college level for 14 years.

Campaign Website

www.anderson4schools.com

The single most pressing issue facing Fairfax County Public Schools is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing Fairfax County Public Schools is teacher and staff retention. While our children are the reason that we work so hard to create a world-class education system, we couldn’t do it without the amazing educators we have in our buildings every day. They are leaving Fairfax County, and we need to figure out why and fix it. We could start by taking the model from the Fairfax County Health Department and conduct stay interviews with our employees. We must listen to the feedback we receive and discover creative solutions that go beyond just the pay increases they deserve.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have a unique mix of experience that allows me to look at problems through a variety of lenses. This experience will allow me to be immediately effective in critical areas. I am also particularly excited about the opportunity to learn more about the aspects of our county essential to ensuring success for our students and staff.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

As I mentioned, I have several lenses that will guide my decisions, including things like increasing STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) opportunities and being cautious about impacts for military-connected families. However, we also must fight to preserve and increase public school funding. We all know that there isn’t an infinite number of resources available. To be successful, we must step away from operating in a business as usual model to create creative solutions to the complex issues we face. I am also extremely focused on ensuring our board works together as a team.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am proud of the experience I bring with me. I have worked for kids or the people who support them in almost every job I have ever had, starting as a camp counselor with the Fairfax County Park Authority to teaching hundreds of college students how to write and now supporting the staff of two amazing federal youth programs. These professional experiences gave me hands-on opportunities to know more about how our county works, what our young people need after graduation, and more about the intricate relationship between programs and the state government. The combination of this experience makes me uniquely qualified for the types of work that will be essential to my success on the board.

I also spent the last seven years on the Parent Teacher Organization Board at my sons’ elementary school, with five years as the president. That experience of being in and around all aspects of the school day helped me see just how hard our teachers and staff are working to support our students and families. I have done everything from helping to raise money to expand our playground during a renovation, supporting the new principal as she got acclimated to our school community, and bringing exciting events and programming to our school community. I also worked hard to try to build partnership amongst the parent groups in our pyramid.

Why should voters trust you?

I love our schools. I truly believe in FCPS, as a former student and as an FCPS mom. I want to get involved because I see the way I can help us improve by working from our strengths, not by tearing our school system apart. We cannot move forward by burning what we have to the ground, and anyone suggesting otherwise has ulterior motives that are dangerous for our kids. Beyond that, I am working hard to earn the trust of voters throughout our district…one door at a time!

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

In our house, we have a sign above the front door that says “Effort, not perfection.” Anyone trying is going to make mistakes. It’s how you respond to the mistakes that says more about your character than the mistake itself.

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