Four candidates were seeking the seat for School Board District 5, currently held by Patrick Canan. As no candidate got more than 50% of the vote in the August primary, the top two candidates, Linda Thomson and Bethany Hilbert, advance to the general election.
News4Jax sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote -- in their own words.
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Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4Jax staff.
| CANDIDATES |
Bethany Hilbert
Occupation: Teacher
Age: 43
Family: Married with two children (10 & 13) who attend public schools in St. Johns County and one rescue schnauzer.
Education: Bethany’s journey into public education began in 1999 at Flagler College. In 2003, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. Since then, Bethany has obtained multiple certifications in the field of education. Her qualifications include certification in Early Childhood Development, Pre-K to 3rd Grade; Elementary Education, Kindergarten to 6th Grade; Exceptional Student Education, Kindergarten to 12th Grade; and she holds endorsements for 900 hours of coursework from the Florida Department of Education in the areas of teaching Reading, Gifted, and English to Speakers of other Languages. Recognized for her exceptional dedication and proficiency in her field, Bethany was awarded the title of Teacher of the Year for Ketterlinus Elementary during the 2019-2020 school year.
Political experience: Bethany is a teacher who cares about students and teachers. She is committed to putting students over politics.
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
In my opinion, the only big issue facing any school district is simply ensuring that all children receive a high quality education. In order to achieve that there are innumerable other issues that must be equally addressed; from providing a safe school environment, to adequate school funding, to teacher retention. I will use my experience as a mother, an educator and an educational advocate to ensure that our children are provided with the best possible educational opportunities. I will work to ensure that students, teachers, and staff feel safe and supported in their schools. I will work to establish and cultivate meaningful partnerships by engaging parents, teachers, school leaders, and community members to take active roles in our schools. I am committed to always putting students first.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
I am the only candidate running who has current relevant experience working and teaching in our schools and in our classrooms. I am also a parent invested in ensuring that our children are provided with a high quality education and feel safe and supported in our schools.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
I would hope to be remembered for establishing, cultivating, and maintaining a collaborative partnership with all school stakeholders: parents, teachers, students, administrators, and community members to achieve success for all students in St. Johns County.
Campaign website: hilbertforschoolboard.com
Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram
Linda Thomson
Occupation: 41 years in education (math teacher, principal, director of curriculum K-12), retired
Age: 75
Family: 2 sons, 6 grandchildren
Education: BS in Math, Jacksonville University
MA in Counseling, Kean College of NJ
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Supervision - University of Houston
Political experience: Elected to St. Augustine Port Waterway and Beach District - Seat 1 - November 2022
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
1. There is no educator on the school board. We have 5 school board members and not one of them has spent a day in a classroom teaching children. I have 41 years in schools, from being a Math teacher to a high school principal (Fairfax HS in Fairfax County VA and Nease HS in St. Johns County, FL) and the director of curriculum K-12 (SJCSD). We need someone on the board who has managed a school or curriculum for the district.
2. We need to focus on preparing students for college or a career. One out of four of our students are not reading on grade level when they graduate from high school. Whether their goal is college,the military, or a vocational career, they must be able to read to be successful anywhere! I would address this by a strong focus on academics from our school board, starting with preschool.
3. Teacher retention and teacher shortages in critical fields is a huge concern. Last year, we had more than 50 vacancies that were never filled. There were no applicants for the positions. Students were taught by substitute teachers for the entire school year. This is a dis-service to tax payers and a breach of trust for students who should have been prepared for advanced placement, AICE or IB testing to receive college credit. To correct this issue, we must, as a county, raise ourselves above our surrounding counties in pay. Teachers are paid more in Flagler and Duval County, and the housing is less expensive. We must address this through signing bonuses, retention bonuses, benefits (medical, tuition reimbursement, additional compensation for difficult-to-fill positions, bonuses for Title I positions etc.). This will require a serious analysis of our pay structure, steps, priorities, and resources.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
I am the only candidate who has had more than 41 years in schools. I am the only candidate who has managed a high school (hiring, budget, performance, community relations, etc.) and a district responsibility for curriculum, teacher training and resources, and ultimately, student performance, K-12.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
I would hope that we (1) improve our student performance in reading and mathematics and (2) hire and retain high quallity teachers for all vacancies.
Campaign website: vote4LindaThomson.com
Campaign social media: Facebook