QUESTIONNAIRE: Josh Regan
Candidate for Stafford County School Board - Aquia District
Questions
FXBG Advance: Have you previously run for office?
Regan: No
FXBG Advance: Have you previously held office?
Regan: No
FXBG Advance: Have you ever been convicted of a felony?
Regan: No
FXBG Advance: Briefly explain the experiences you would bring to this office should you be elected.
Regan: I will be starting my 19th year as a high school teacher in August. I taught in Stafford for 11 of those years. I bring an understanding of current educational trends as well as practical knowledge about Stafford County schools and students. I've also been a varsity basketball head coach for 10 years. This has taught me to understand how to work within a team and how to lead by example.
FXBG Advance: Briefly explain two issues that are most important to you as a candidate.
Regan: One of my top issues is teacher attraction and retention. The obvious answer is scaling staff pay to be on par with surrounding counties. SCPS has done a nice job with this over the last few years, but it needs to increase so we stop losing our best teachers. Beyond just compensation, teachers need to have a real voice - one that is heard - in decision making processes and curriculum. Teachers are content experts so we should be taking advantage of their expertise. We need to make SCPS a destination, not a stepping stone.
Another top issue is safety. Children thrive in a comfortable environment. This means creating a safe atmosphere in every school - physically, emotionally, and mentally. Chronic absenteeism is directly tied to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression and schools need resources to help these students stay engaged in the learning process despite these issues. In regards to physical safety, high schools have a full-time security staff. Middle schools need the same and I will be advocating for that as a school board member. Without full security resources, teachers are often asked to use part of their planning time to help in these roles, such as cafeteria monitoring. We need to teachers to be able to focus on teaching, so our students can excel.
FXBG Advance: Briefly explain why you would be a good fit for the office you are pursuing.
Regan: My almost 20 years of teaching experience, combined with my two Master of Education degrees (one in special education, one in educational policy, planning, and leadership) have given me the unique ability to understand all facets of the educational process, from the classroom to an administrative level. I have the knowledge and experience to know what is right for our students and I have the drive to make changes happen.
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