QUESTIONNAIRE: Shannon Fingerholz
Candidate for Stafford County School Board - Hartwood District
Questions
FXBG Advance: Have you previously run for office?
Fingerholz: No
FXBG Advance: Have you previously held office?
Fingerholz: No
FXBG Advance: Have you ever been convicted of a felony?
Fingerholz: No
FXBG Advance: Briefly explain the experiences you would bring to this office should you be elected.
Fingerholz: As a mom of a daughter who started preschool at 3 years old with Stafford County Schools, I have been engaged in our education system on a personal level for many years with multiple schools in the Hartwood district. As an advocate, I have been vice chair of an advisory committee that mainly focused on math readiness. I have consistently attended School Board and Board of Supervisor meetings, work sessions, townhalls and retreats. This dedication over the last several years has given me the ability to hit the ground running with knowledge of the history of the Board’s decisions and the administration’s plans for the future. Both in my professional life and as a volunteer I have developed a strong reputation for successfully working with people from different backgrounds, being dedicated to the work and a determination to do the job well.
FXBG Advance: Briefly explain two issues that are most important to you as a candidate.
Fingerholz: One of my foundational beliefs that has driven me to grow my advocacy into being a candidate for our Hartwood community is that all kids should have access to an excellent and safe educational and social experience in their own community. While that is multifaceted in Stafford County, two of the issues which strongly impact that are a holistic approach to safety and responsible school budgeting. Every child, whether at an event, in the classroom, or riding home on the bus should be able to focus on what they are learning or the activity they love, not worrying about physical or mental harm. Consistent expectations and consequences need to be continually communicated and adhered to while supporting staff in holding everyone to those behavior standards. Safety is one the most basic needs that is required before anyone can truly learn vocational skills or academics.
For learning to be at a level which provides our kids with a variety of hands-on experiences and instills critical thinking and problem-solving skills, we must have quality learning materials, manageable classroom sizes, highly qualified staff and a well-maintained infrastructure. The schools can only accomplish those things by planning long range with a dependable, transparent and true-to-needs budget that can also help insulate Stafford from state and federal fluctuations. Because the Board of Supervisors approves or denies the money allocated to the schools, they need to not only be an informed and engaged partner with SCPS but also need the ability to plan ahead with tools such as a revenue-sharing agreement between boards, which I will strongly pursue.
FXBG Advance: Briefly explain why you would be a good fit for the office you are pursuing.
Fingerholz: When you love something, you learn about it, fight for it, support it, and help it grow even when things are tough. I have watched politics and infighting restrict the possibility of what Stafford County could offer to our students and school employees. I am dedicated to putting the focus back on working as a team to strengthen the quality of our school district. I have a wealth of knowledge from advocating and being in the meeting rooms to accomplish just that. I welcome taking ownership, open to different perspectives, work strongly in a team, have empathy for others’ experiences, embrace long hours and have the courage to have hard conversations. My family and I are rooted in our Hartwood community. This will remain our family’s home as we navigate the teen years and work toward retirement. I’m not doing this to fill in a box or because someone asked me to. I am doing this because I am deeply passionate about our kids and our schools. Seeing them flourish would be incredibly impactful for our county.
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