Candidate Profile: Kendall Bradshaw (Portsmouth School Board)

Name: Kendall Bradshaw
Age: 56
Website: Facebook page at Kendall Bradshaw for School Board

Biography: I was born in Portsmouth and my family has lived here since the early 1800’s. I have been married to Scott Bradshaw, Professor of Psychology at Elizabeth City State University, for 32 years. I have 2 grown children, who both graduated from Portsmouth Public Schools, and one grandchild- all living in Portsmouth.

I graduated from Old Dominion University (ODU) with a degree in Criminal Justice and went to work as an Adult Probation and Parole Officer in Suffolk. After 14 years there, I attended the ODU Career Switcher program and started my teaching career in Portsmouth Public Schools at what is now Waterview Elementary. I earned a masters degree from ODU in Reading Education in 2008. With 16 years of service with Portsmouth Public Schools, I retired in 2020. I am currently a licensed REALTOR® in the Hampton Roads and northeastern North Carolina areas and have been serving in that capacity for 11 years.

Why are you running for this office?
I am running for office because I am an educator, and I want to share my vision for students and be a voice for teachers.

My own children went to Portsmouth Public Schools. I want to champion our students and make sure they are served by this school board through opportunities, experiences, and state of the art programs that will set them up for success and a thriving future.

Students are our future and they deserve the best.

I know teachers want pay that reflects their time, efforts, degrees, and experience. Teachers are professionals and should be treated and paid that way. They deserve someone on the board who has been there and knows how they feel and can fight for them. “If you don’t have a seat at the table, you might be on the menu”, as the old saying goes. I want to make sure that not only are their pay needs addressed, but also their burn out and mental health needs. There is a lot more we can do on this front, and while some strides have been made, it will be my honor and duty to make sure their voices are heard and they are fully supported by the board. I want Portsmouth to be THE place to be a teacher in our greater Hampton Roads area. We can achieve that through funding, collaboration, support, and a positive and energetic atmosphere.

What is the top challenge facing Portsmouth Public Schools, and how would you address it?

Teacher retention is the top challenge facing Portsmouth Public Schools. When teachers leave, we lose their years of classroom experience: how to build an effective classroom, innovative instructional strategies developed from hands-on experience, and how to differentiate instruction to reach students at different ability levels. All of these skills take time to develop and nurture, and our students suffer from that loss. Teachers are leaving because we are not competitive in our salaries with surrounding schools, and our step system is deeply flawed. A study for compensation has been done, and I will support changes that address and correct the step system, yearly cost of living raises, and an overall adjustment to the pay scale that addresses the deficiencies as they compare to surrounding districts. Until we address this issue and dedicate and commit ourselves to making sure we fund it fully, we will not begin to solve this issue.

Additionally, we need to address the burnout teachers face by making sure we put supports in place such as counseling, mentorship, and the protection of planning and other scheduling that respects teachers’ time.

The top challenge facing students right now is mental health. Our students face multiple pressures including, but not limited to, academic pressure, social media, problems at home, and other things that might be affecting their mental health, school performance, and attendance. As a school division, we should be mindful and put supports in place to address these issues using best practices, professional development for faculty and staff, and student outreach.

How do you feel about the politicization of public education?

Public schools exist to serve the community- everyone in the community. Schools should be a place of acceptance, support, enrichment, and enlightenment through academics and opportunities for growth. Each child should be able to find themselves in school, and be able to maximize their unique potentials. Partisan politics has no place.

How will you still value constituents with whom you disagree with?

All opinions should be valued and heard. I intend to be transparent and responsive to my constituents by listening and informing through open communication. My decisions will be based on all the evidence and how the teachers and students are affected. They will always be my priority.

What is your view on the Governor’s Executive Order to ban cell phone use?

I believe cell phones are a distraction in the classroom. They were when I was a teacher, and they still are. The consideration is really about how to implement the Governor’s order in a way that is respectful of the students and their families, while still protecting our faculties, staff, and administrators. We will need a policy that is safe, enforceable, and effective. I also think it needs to be addressed at the beginning of the year, so it needs to happen before school starts, if at all possible. It would be difficult to change a policy and enforce it adequately if done in the middle of the school year.