Three open Board of Education seats up for grabs

Terry Webster

Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2000 | 10:15 a.m.

Six candidates vying to bring fresh blood to the state Board of Education are running for three Clark County seats being vacated by incumbents.

Board members Doris Femenella and Frank Mathews did not file for re-election, and Liliam Hickey completed her maximum three terms on the 11-member board that sets statewide standards for elementary and secondary schools.

Bill Hanlon resigned from the board earlier this year after moving out of his district. Merv Iverson, who was appointed to fill the unfinished term, is running unopposed in District 2, Subdistrict F.

A Clark County School District administrator and a teacher are squaring off for Femenella's seat representing District 2, Subdistrict D. Edward Goldman, 49, the assistant superintendent of administrative services, and John Hawk, 26, a Green Valley High School teacher, were the victors in a primary race that eliminated John E. Scott II, district director of the Small Business Administration in Las Vegas.

An advanced placement and honors math teacher since 1996, Hawk says his key issues are school safety, accountability and growth. A discipline committee chairman, Hawk says he wants to pursue lawful ways of keeping weapons and alcohol off school grounds.

He also supports fair and consistent measurements for student performance and the expansion of programs to address overcrowded schools.

Hawk said he respects the Board of Education's push to increase standards but called it "top down management" because students are not being prepared for all of the items contained on the High School Proficiency Exam.

Hawk is currently working toward his doctorate in educational leadership at UNLV.

Goldman, who has 29 years' experience in education as both a teacher and an administrator, is running on a platform of "improving the quality of Nevada graduates."

Goldman, who holds a doctorate in education and is secretary of the Jewish Community Day School and a former board member for Jewish Family Services, says he wants to see power restored to the state board.

The state Legislature has moved to diffuse that power but failed in an attempt to abolish the board.

Additionally, Goldman says he opposes both unfunded mandates and allowing the teachers' union to determine who can be licensed.

Tracey Lewis, 31, a teacher family aide for the Clark County School District, and Marcia Washington, 47, a 19-year school district employee, are competing for Hickey's spot representing District 2, Subdistrict A.

"I have some serious issues that are of great concern to me," Washington said. Among those concerns are proficiency testing, zoning, more local control and public input, and improving the overall quality of education for all students.

Lewis, a seven-year school district employee, says her top concerns are proficiency testing and remediation, implementation of technology in all schools, the Safe Schools after-school initiative and programs for students who have a native language other than English.

Theresa Malone and Patricia Smith are competing for Mathews' seat in District 2, Subdistrict G.

Malone, 48, has experience ranging from a computer lab instructor at the Community College of Southern Nevada to 20 years experience as a businesswoman and property manager.

A UNLV student, Malone says she wants to increase per pupil spending in Nevada so it equals the national average. Her other concerns are increasing teacher salaries, getting textbooks for every child who requires one and creating incentives for students to get good grades and finish school.

Smith, a math teacher at Molasky Junior High, holds a bachelor's and a master's degree from UNLV, the master's in educational computing. She is the inventor of the "I Love Math" learning game.