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My name is Dr. Vickie Benson, and I am your next Cobb County School Board member, representing Post 1, which encompasses Acworth and Kennesaw. I am a well-informed educator and understand the ups and downs of education.

I have experience in teaching and school leadership roles for over 27 years in secondary and 10 years in postsecondary education. I have resided in Cobb County for 11 years. I am married to Lee, a proud mother and grandmother.

I formally taught science in the Cobb and Fulton County Schools, contracted 3 years as an Educational Consultant/Coach with Northstar Consultant Educational Group in Clayton County School District. I currently hold a Georgia Educators Certificate in Biology, National STEM Educator certified, and I am in the process of renewing my Educational Leadership Tier II certification for Georgia. Currently, I teach in Chambers County School District where I am a STEAM teacher and STEAM Specialist for grades K-8.

Presently, I serve on the board of Cobb County Alliance to Prevent Substance Abuse (CCAPSA), served on the board of Cobb Democratic Women (CDW) as Vice President of Membership. I have volunteered as the Evaluation Director of Programs and served as a mentor with Destiny Daughter’s of Promise non-profit organization, Kennesaw, Georgia. I am a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., member of Grace Nation of Atlanta in Kennesaw, Georgia, and a member of the National Education Association.

I am a graduate of Alabama State University where I received my undergraduate and graduate degrees, I received my doctorate from Argosy University Atlanta, Georgia in Educational Leadership K-12. I received academic training and a certificate in Medical Assistants (Clinical and Office Administration) from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama.

As your future Board of Education member, it is my primary duty to prioritize fiscal responsibility and ensure sound financial management for the benefit of our students and citizens. We must balance spending and taxes, maximize our income, and stop frivolous projects and initiatives.

We all recognize that the taxes we provide are an investment in our students and the community, therefore we must carefully balance these tax increases with the ability to continue providing a high-quality educational system. Prioritizing our professional teaching and support team, focusing on improving our aged buildings and assets while investing in enhanced academics will be part of my primary focus.

As a board member I will support the diverse needs of my district’s students, faculty, staff, and the community by addressing their needs, embrace learning about our many cultures, providing equitable resources, supporting diverse programs and learners, promote diversity and inclusion in the community, and enhance a safe learning environment for students, and workspace for teachers.

It is natural for me to build relationships with members of the broader community because I am an educator. My plan is to establish an advisory board to learn about cultures, values, and social networks within our community. I will conduct surveys to understand the community needs and what they care about. I will collaborate with their organizations to enhance the quality of education and engage in the process by being a good listener, being consistent, and authentic with open dialogue and feedback.

There are no specific groups, organizations, or stakeholders that I will target. I want to include everyone in the scope of the broader community as we redefine public education seeking to understand the needs and the concerns that foster a collaborative environment for meaningful partnerships. Assuring the parents through effective communication is a team effort for the success of the child.

Mental health is a major concern that I have for our children. Especially during the post pandemic. I will support our mental health programs of students/faculty/staff, support and advocate physical initiatives, and well-being programs. I want to ensure there is accessible professional psychological support-staff for every campus, support social emotional learning, advocate for funding and support for more staff training to identify those struggling with mental health issues, encourage mindfulness to create safe havens and conducive learning environments.

The school district policy is what I am most passionate about because it sets the tone on how to manage and govern using best practices for developing school board policies. The school board represents the community’s voice in public education where policies are enacted with concerns based on governance and knowledge of the school community’s allocation of resources and needs, accountability of schools’ financial uses, and the curriculum. The board members are the policy-makers closest to the students. The policies are a guide of priorities that provide direction, parameters, and commitments that amplify an investment that holds school board members accountable. It is critical that goals, structures, and practices support and sustain a school district’s continuous improvement efforts; ensuring that the best equitable practices are secure within our school’s community with effective written policies. Keeping in mind how the policies will benefit every child.

The district’s financial policy must be aligned with the foundations of education specifically written for students to have access to accelerating learning, provided with equitable resources, enhanced pathways to college and career opportunities that will allow them the quality of education they deserve, support the well-being of the students and teachers, empowering educators that enhances a cultivating positive and supportive school climate, resources, and professional growth, expanding multilingual learning, and definitely “Eliminating the Wasteful Spending”.

As I recall, certain board members wanted to remove the word “equity” from the board financial policy to make it more readable. However, other board members disapprove of the action taken for which I agree with their decision. Especially that our children were taken out of the equation.

What equity means in education and how it can strengthen and support our schools would address longstanding disparities in education that we have faced by underserved students, and families that have not been prepared to thrive academically in an ever-challenging and changing world. If the word “equity” is removed from the financial policy it will mislead how schools are to be funded which include access to resources such as books, technology, and academic programs that will increase student achievement. In fact, removing the word “equity” may eliminate state and federal funding according to the US Department of Education Equity Action Plan 2023.

Lastly, school safety is a critical issue that affects the well-being and academic performance of students. Schools should be safe havens where students can learn, grow, and thrive. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Therefore, enhanced weapons detecting technology as well as anti-bullying and hate curriculums are necessary to ensure schools are safe spaces where students can learn, grow, and thrive.

The vision must be shared, and expectations met while advocating for students’ safety and a positive school culture. Communicating with the community, parents, teachers, and students is bonded with a trustworthy partnership where everybody has a voice, and everybody must be heard.

Your vote for me, Dr Vickie Benson, will ensure we are accountable to the community, we are fiscally sound, and we must continue to provide a safe and supportive school environment! This is how we will continue to meet our mission of One Team, One Goal, Student Success.