This is one of two stories highlighting the two candidates running for the Ward C seat on the Waynesboro School Board. Voters will be asked to vote for one candidate on the ballot.
Debra Freeman is running for her third term on the Waynesboro School Board. She has represented Ward C twice, first being elected in 2018.
"There's always consideration of not running," said Freeman, the current executive director of Waynesboro's Boys and Girls Club. "I think about it throughout my term. There are some people who just sit in the seat to fill it, and I try not to be that person. I always think, 'Am I contributing to the conversation? Am I contributing to the work?'"
She also considers her children and wants to make sure the role of being a school board member doesn't interfere with her role of being a mom. Her oldest just graduated, but she has two other students at Waynesboro High School. She talked with her children and other family members and friends. She did a lot of self-reflecting. She asked if she still had something to give to the community.
After all of that, she decided it was something she still needed to do.
"I feel like I have a different lens than most people at the table," Freeman said. "I think my colleagues would agree with that. Even when we don't agree, we can understand where the different perspectives are coming from so we can make a well-rounded decision."
In the last year, she has been part of a school board that oversaw the groundbreaking of the next phase of renovations at Waynesboro High School. Freeman said that was a big moment for her. She also knows there are changes coming from the Virginia Department of Education that the next board will see. And a new superintendent will likely be in place by Jan. 1, just in time for the new board.
"Experience matters right now," she said. "My work is not finished. Over the next four years there are important things for me to contribute."
While it wasn't a defining moment in her decision to run for reelection, knowing that there will be a new superintendent in Waynesboro Public Schools did make Freeman consider how important that experience would be in January and beyond.
"Steady, proven leadership is important," she said. "Last thing you need is a new superintendent and not have a good amount of experience on the board, not have people who understand kids, students and community. I always believe that I bring that to the board."
More: Waynesboro's Westwood Hills announces reopening following shooting
Freeman's dad died when she was just 16. An honor roll student at the time, she said losing her dad was a struggle. She started missing school and her mental health suffered. Her entire life was different. Instead of attending Waynesboro High School her senior year, Freeman was at an alternative school and said she barely graduated.
At the time, while she was going through a lot of pain, Freeman said there were adults that believed in her. As a school board member she feels she can offer the same belief and support to students dealing with difficult circumstances.
This is Freeman's first contested race, something she said is good for those she represents.
"It's an opportunity for the community to have a conversation about what type of experience do we need at the table," she said. "What type of leadership."
In the early years of Freeman's time on the board, the school system faced the COVID crisis. She feels they did a good, but not perfect, job of helping guide the system through that time. Now, six years later, there are still student needs showing up from the pandemic. She said there's been a lot of focus on mental wellness and making sure that social-emotional learning support is in place.
Freeman said the board is working to make sure teachers are compensated fairly for the work that they do. When she was first elected to the board, teacher raises were not consistent. She said that's been a focus of the board, making sure those raises do come more consistently, even though that can be challenging to do at times.
The board also works closely with the Waynesboro Education Association and sees them as partners, something that has improved over the last few years.
There has been a renewed focus on career and technical education since Freeman has been on the board, including a brand-new CTE academy. And the division put the Thrive Academy for exceptional learners at Berkeley Glenn Elementary, all school successes, Freeman said.
Election Day is Nov. 3 and early voting begins Sept. 18.
"In every area we still have a far way to go," Freeman said. "That's why I'm still here. We've made progress, but we're not finished."
More: Augusta County to revisit Flock camera contract following recent vandalism
Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips are always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at [email protected], on Instagram @hitepatrick and on TikTok @patrickfhite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Freeman feels she brings needed experience to Waynesboro School Board