Kyle McDaniel Running For At-Large Seat On Fairfax County School Board

FAIRFAX COUNTY — Kyle McDaniel, a local business owner and former Fairfax County government employee, is running to serve on the Fairfax County School Board.

Endorsed by the Fairfax County Democratic Committee, McDaniel is running to fill one of the three at-large seats on the school board.

The general election ballot in Fairfax County will also include countywide races for 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 at-large seats on the Fairfax County School Board to fill out a candidate questionnaire with the same questions. Here are McDaniel's responses:

Name

Kyle McDaniel

Age

34

Family

Katie, wife

Alice and Charlotte, daughters

Education

• B.S. Public Administration, George Mason University
• Master of Public Administration, American University

Occupation

I am an Airline Transport Pilot, entrepreneur with eight-plus years experience in startups, and a local business owner. Prior to entering the corporate world, I worked in Fairfax County Government for five years.

Campaign Website

www.KyleMcDaniel.com

The single most pressing issue facing Fairfax County Public Schools is helping every child live up to their full potential and realize their unique talents in a safe and welcoming environment, and this is what I intend to do about it.

1. Address our teacher shortage through robust recruitment incentives; retention bonuses; increasing the top tenure pay bands; entering into fair collective bargaining agreements; funding teacher pathway programs; partnering with teacher colleges; and, most importantly, setting an expectation that our teachers be treated with the respect they deserve as professionals.
2. Address mental health challenges by hiring more counselors; partnering with federal and state agencies to deliver wrap-around services; enhancing peer support and mentorship programs; enhancing mental health insurance benefits for employees; and offering tele-health counseling sessions.
3. Address academic achievement gaps by delivering targeted, needs-based resources to schools; addressing the teacher shortage as outlined above; funding tutoring programs and offering supplemental learning opportunities; ensuring academic achievement performance goals within the strategic plan are met through accountability; and accelerating pre-K program expansion across Fairfax County.
4. Address school safety by enhancing red flag policies and procedures; lobbying state lawmakers to implement common sense gun reforms; making mental health a top priority as outlined above; working closely with principals to address bullying within each school; and promptly and transparently addressing individual cases of bullying within schools.

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

I have lived in Fairfax County for over two decades, and I have chosen to raise my family here. I love our community, and our schools. I am pro public education, and I will champion each and every one of our schools, and celebrate our accomplishments.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I am passionate about relieving families of burdensome school lunch debt and phasing out lunch fees across Fairfax County. I have made a Day One promise to enter a budget item eliminating all school lunch debt County-wide, around $1m, and initiating a process to phase out fees. Kids don't learn on empty stomachs, and we have a responsibility to ensure every child is well-fed during the school day.

As a parent, school shootings are a large motivator for my candidacy, and I will be a strong voice on the School Board pushing for state and federal legislation to bring common sense gun reforms. I have proposed a County-wide task force to bring together experts and stakeholders to draft recommendations for the School Board to consider. My vision is a practical list of actions that we can take to help prevent these tragedies.

Special education service delivery across the County needs more consistency. I want to work with our staff, stakeholders, and families to help bring more consistent service, and make the IEP process smoother.

Constituent services are important to me. I want the public to understand that I have an open door policy and would be happy to help them with any matter they bring to me. As an elected leader, my job is to be your advocate to the school system.

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

I have been an active member of our community since my first volunteer county advisory board appointment when I was 19 years old. My track record is one of service, integrity, and dedication to promoting our Fairfax values. My professional work shares some parallels. When I started my company, I had 1 airplane and 5 customers. Today, we have nearly 40 airplanes with hundreds of customers across the region. I approach business and public service the same way: working hard, serving customers, building relationships, and persevering through setbacks. I will bring the same work ethic and attitude to the School Board.

Why should voters trust you?

In my career field, aviation, there is zero tolerance for dishonesty because it can get people hurt. I bring this same approach to public service: I do not tolerate dishonesty. After listening to all sides of an issue, and consulting experts in the field, I will tell the community where I stand. While we may not always agree, you will know where I come down, and why.

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