This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Shawnna Hayes-Tavares, Why A Parent is the Solution to Student Success!

An interview with Shawnna Hayes-Tavares,

Candidate for Atlanta Board of Education, District 6

 

Find out what's happening in Cascadewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

Find out what's happening in Cascadewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

Why are you running for the Board of Education?

 

I have four children, one who has graduated from APS and three currently in APS.  As a parent, parent leader I have worked closely in Atlanta Public Schools and have seen the disparities and inequities south of downtown. My children have attended nine schools in APS and through that experience I realized we needed parents to advocate for quality schools in our community. I have attended over 98% of the Board meetings for the last 8 years and about 70% 7 years prior to that.  For too long I have sat in the audience hoping the Board members do the right thing for our children.  Although, APS has invited me to the table to serve on over 10 APS committees, there is still more to be done. Every one I talk to say that we need more parental involvement, and that parents are the key to student success.  I am offering myself as a current parent, who understands the urgency of improving APS, not in the future, but right now!  As a parent Board member, I believe I will serve as a model to other parents that they can be involved and really help improve our school system. 

 

You have done work in several communities throughout Atlanta, why are you running in   District 6?

 

I did consider running At-large, however I was raised and went to school in District 6. I was raised on and off Campbellton Road, which is the Therrell community and graduated from Walter F. George HS which is now South Atlanta HS.  I believe it’s a unique opportunity to serve the community in which I live and went to school.  As an advocate, I have volunteered with several District 6 schools.  I advocated for the renovations of Bunche, Continental Colony, Venetian Hills, spearheaded and was instrumental in the renovation of Sylvan Hills and Therrell HS.  I help with parent initiatives and have facilitated parent workshops at Perkerson, Sylvan Hills, Bunche, Therrell, Deerwood Academy, Humphries and Fickett. I helped to improve the Special Education compliance in the district including my advocacy for Deaf/Hard of Hearing students at Therrell to receive ipads as well as advocated for extended hours for interpreters so students could stay after school to participate like all other students.  I have worked with the South Atlanta cluster of parents to develop a parent advocacy group.  This is just a small example of my work in District 6. All of this I have done as a volunteer. I would like to continue working with the parents and schools to ensure that we have quality schools in the entire APS and that District 6 schools are schools of choice.

 

What qualities would make you a good Board member?

 

I believe I will bring very unique qualities to the Board. I am a former educator/administrator from 2 years through college. I served on the APS BOE Parental Involvement Task Force where I helped to write the current APS Parent/Community Involvement Policy. For over 15 years, I have been at the table with APS decision makers to improve educational outcomes for children. I served on two APS superintendent interview panels, as well as served on interview panels for the Executive Directors for Special Education, Talented & Gifted and principals.  As a parent leader, I worked with parents across the district to found CASE (Community Advocates for Special Education) and SNAPPS (SW & NW Atlanta Parents and Partners for Schools); both parent volunteer organizations to advocate for schools. I have leveraged partnerships with organizations such as CIS (Communities in Schools) and the GA DOE where my workshop “Navigating Atlanta Public Schools” was adopted by the GA DOE and is currently being used by 181 school districts in Georgia. My work with the budget has been instrumental in identifying disparities in allocations to north side schools, to ensure that there is equity with offerings, languages, resources, etc. My work on Congressman John Lewis’ Education Committee, testifying at a congressional hearing in Washington, D.C. on behalf of the re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and being chosen as one of fifty for a special Conversation with  Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, have given me the experience to make critical decisions for our school system.

 

 

Last week, the Patch reprinted a story from a school in Midtown about you. Can you speak to the article?

 

Yes, this has been a very interesting experience running for school board. I thought it was strange that an “anonymous” article filled with lies, innuendos and half-truths was submitted, as if we are to believe anyone from Midtown cares about children south of downtown.  Why do I say that, just 2 years ago, I was a parent at a Midtown school, I served on the Local School Council and was VP of the PTA and it was difficult to talk about issues concerning the black children, and special education students at their own school; often, the only concern was for a small population of students.  Also, when the CRCT cheating scandal was exposed, they realized no schools in their cluster were affected. I didn’t hear anyone from Midtown showing any concern for what was happening to children on the south side. So for me, the question really becomes, why all of a sudden is someone from Midtown concerned about the leadership of “black” children on the south side?!  It seems to me the real issue may be that if there is a leader advocating for equity on the south side, some may be threatened that it would impact the schools north of downtown. Now, I know people on the south side of town are smarter than to fall for nonsense like that.  My track record of quality work speaks for itself! People on the south side should really ask themselves, why all of a sudden a “so-called” anonymous letter, if they were really concerned about my leadership why not deal with me directly instead of taking such a cowardly approach. Maybe I should be flattered that they are working so hard to keep me off the board, but it saddens me too, because all I’ve done is work on improving educational outcomes for children in Atlanta Public Schools. I was warned that certain people would say or do anything in an attempt to discredit me, because they “could not control me”; I had to ask myself why would anyone need to control a volunteer parent?  I’m sure “they” know when I get on the school board it will not be business as usual for schools on the south side. I will challenge the status quo and ask the hard questions on behalf of our children, parents, teachers and community. I have been told throughout my life, that if you aren’t doing anything people don’t talk about you.  My intention is not to cause controversy, however my intention is to always fight for our children! As the great leader Frederick Douglass taught “there is no change without agitation”. 

 

 

What are your closing remarks?

 

As I have been saying throughout my campaign, I am A Parent, Not a Politician; I have been a voice for the voiceless and an advocate for the disenfranchised.  I have spent over 15 years volunteering my time, talents and advocacy to improve our schools.  I am the only candidate running in my seat who has current children in APS, the only one who is a product of APS and the only one who has worked to bring accountability, equity and attention to the needs of south of downtown.  I will empower other parents to be involved in the school system. I will engage the community by leveraging partnerships in District 6. I will enhance schools by ensuring that there is equity in the school system and teachers are valued. I will help to make sure that all children are educated by advocating that money is allocated directly to the classroom and that every child’s educational needs are met.  This is the work I have done as a volunteer parent, parent leader and advocate and I promise as a Board Member I will continue to do the same. I am asking for your vote on November 5th to put a current parent leader on the Atlanta School Board, District 6!

 

Interview conducted by: Concerned parents of SNAPPS

 

For more information on Shawnna Hayes-Tavares, www.shawnnaforourchildren.com
We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Cascade