Meet The Candidate: Tammy Ignacio For Alexandria School Board

ALEXANDRIA, VA — As voters begin casting early ballots for Alexandria's Nov. 2 general election, one of the races they will decide is the Alexandria School Board.

The school board is made up of three districts, each of which has three board members who serve a three-year term. Members who are elected in the Nov. 2 election will take office in 2022.

Voters will either vote for Alexandria School Board District A, B or C depending on which district they live in. There are five candidates running for three seats in District A, seven candidates running for three seats in District B, and three candidates running for three seats in District C.

One of the District B candidates is Tammy Ignacio, a retired Alexandria City Public Schools administrator and former educator. Three of her children graduated from newly-renamed Alexandria City High School.

For more information about the upcoming election in Alexandria, visit www.alexandriava.gov/Elections.

Learn more about Tammy Ignacio and why she is running for Alexandria School Board District B in 2021:

Editor's note: below are the unedited views of the candidate.

Age (as of Election Day)

54

Position sought

School Board - District B

Party Affiliation

Nonpartisan

Family

My husband, Victor and I have 5 children (blended family), Victoria, Dylan, Samantha, Madison and Tony. 3 of our 5 children have graduated from ACHS (formally TCWHS). We have been part of this community for over 30 years and have loved raising our children in such a diverse community.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My husband works for the Alexandria Sheriff, Our son, Dylan Ignacio works for the APD.

Education

Masters Degree in Education - George Mason University

Occupation

Retired School Administrator

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

This will be my first time running for public office.

Campaign website

https://www.ignacio4schoolboard.com/

Why are you seeking elective office?

Three of my children graduated from ACPS, and I could not have imagined a better experience for them. I want this experience for all of our students in ACPS and I will work to make that happen. I feel the time is right to continue my passion for caring for the students of Alexandria. I want to ensure all students have equitable access to programs and services and I wish to continue to be an active voice for all students and staff.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The immediate issues are learning recovery and the mental health of our staff and students. I will support direct funding to our schools and staff giving the staff the support and tools they need to meet the needs of their students. Additionally, capacity and dated school buildings are an issue. Our students deserve a clean, safe place to learn. I will continue to advocate for new schools and modernization of our school buildings.

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

I have an extensive 30-year career in ACPS as both an educator and as an administrator. This experience, along with my passion for ACPS students and staff are the reasons I believe I would make and excellent member of the School Board. I love and care about the education of the students in ACPS and will fight for what is best for each of them. I will always be an advocate for students, families and staff. I am well aware of the in's and out's of ACPS, from academics to operations. I feel this will help me get ahead of the learning curve that others will need to overcome when elected to this office.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

We were all trying to lead during COVID and that was very difficult. A pandemic is something no leaders had ever dealt with including the School Board. Sometimes we get things wrong and sometimes we get things right. Although there is always an opportunity to learn and grow from mistakes made, I do not feel the current School Board has failed the community. I feel it is important to communicate these mistakes and our learning process.
There will be a number of vacancies this term. Some, who have served a long time, are taking a break. The current Board attracted an experienced superintendent and have decided to extend his contract. They funded a number of new schools, and a new high school stadium with lights. They crafted several important partnerships with City Council. I prefer to focus on what constructive things we need to accomplish to move us forward. Focusing on negative concerns does not necessarily strengthen our work. There is always work to be done and lessons to be learned.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

There is always room for improvement but I feel that ACPS did very well under the circumstances of a pandemic. We were fortunate to already have a one-to-one ratio of Chrome books to students for 3rd grade and older. We have a wonderful technology department which worked to ensure internet access and technology to allow a more seamless transition to virtual learning. My concerns have been primarily with creating safe and effective learning opportunities for students with disabilities, younger students, and students that struggle with virtual leaning. There is still work to be done around safety and security, transportation, learning recovery, and communication with the ACPS community. Many of this can be expected when dealing with a pandemic and extraordinary times.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Issues that are particularly important to me are: Increasing student achievement, transparency and accountability, equity, special education, facilities, safety and security, learning recovery, social emotional recovery, staffing recruitment and retention.

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

30 years of experience as an educator and administrator in ACPS and I am a parent of students who attended and graduated from ACPS. This has given me a unique perspective of the needs of students, families and the ACPS community. I am an independent thinker who is not afraid to ask tough questions. I am good at thinking outside the box and problem solving to get issues addressed. I am very passionate about our facilities, and played a significant role in moving us from the "Old TC Williams High School into the present building now, ACHS." Those that know me and have worked with me in the past, know I get things done.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

"Take special care of your support staff (cafeteria, janitorial, bus drivers, professional assistants), because they are responsible for making sure the day-to-day tasks take place." Without these remarkable individuals we could not open schools for our students and staff.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I do not believe it was in the best interest of our students and staff to remove SRO's from our secondary buildings. The decision by council was a decision that should be made by our school leaders and school board. Until our school leaders tell us differently, they should be returned. School administration now have less involvement in how officers might interact with students in the school environment as it relates to the safety and security of our students and staff. We had a MOU (Memorandum Of Understanding), with our local police department, that was developed through a positive relationship between ACPS and APD.