Pat Anderson District 8 Candidate Survey

Name: Pat Anderson

How long have you lived in Williamson County? Thirty years

Are you personally a graduate of the Williamson County Schools or the Franklin Special School District? No, I am a graduate of Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools where I attended grades one through twelve.

Do you have children and/or grandchildren that live in Williamson County? Yes

Do your children and/or grandchildren attend Williamson County Schools or FSSD? My children are graduates of Williamson County Schools attending kindergarten through grade twelve.

Where do you stand on the issue of vouchers and charters schools in Williamson County? I oppose vouchers and charter schools in Williamson County.

Which of the following statements best describes your position on the allocation of the County’s education resources:

I believe we need to continue investment in our current system and leadership to address challenges and opportunities.

Please explain your answer.

The District’s Strategic Plan which was adopted by the Board in January of 2011 following months of input sessions from parents, staff, business representatives, elected officials, and community members is a clear demonstration of our community’s shared support and vision for public education. Since the adoption of the Strategic Plan, the District has made exceptional progress towards achieving the District’s goals—the goals defined by our community set forth in the Plan. The Plan set ambitious yet achievable goals for the district to prepare our students to excel in and out of the classroom; and to provide our students with the tools they need to succeed upon graduation. The execution of the Strategic Plan by the current leadership has already benefitted our students.   Our students excel in academic achievement and growth measures—such as TCAP, ACT, and Advanced Placement—at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. I believe we have an obligation to our community to continue to support our current system and leadership to address the challenges and opportunities to achieve the community’s vision of becoming “a district recognized nationally for students who excel in academics, the arts, and athletics.”

If elected what is your priority for Williamson County Schools?

My priority for Williamson County Schools is to continue to work towards achieving the District’s goals as outlined in the Williamson County Schools’ Strategic Plan. We must continue our commitment to provide high quality programs for all of our students to ensure their success once they graduate from our schools; we must continue our commitment to attract, develop, retain, and support high quality teachers; we must continue to provide the necessary resources to meet the district’s capital needs, maintenance needs, and technology needs as our county and our school system continue to grow; and we must continue to pursue public and private funding sources to provide the necessary tools, resources, and facilities to meet the needs of our students and teachers ensuring success for all.