Former Wootton Teacher Runs For MCPS Board

More than 40 years after starting his Montgomery County Public Schools career as a teacher at , Fred Evans announced in December his intent to run for the MCPS Board.

Evans, who retired from MCPS in 2000 as the principal of Gaithersburg High School, is seeking election in the county's second district.

and gave her father a ringing endorsement.

"My father has always believed in community involvement and he sees this as an opportunity to use his skills and experience in a positive way to help our community," Gomez said. "He understands the issues facing education including the budget, curriculum implementation, and building leadership capacity for the future."

Patch also had the opportunity to speak with Evans about his campaign:

Patch: You're running for the MCPS Board from District II. Which areas are a part of District II and how are the districts for the school board different than those of the Montgomery County Council?

Fred Evans: District II includes the Northwest High School, , Richard Montgomery High School, and Thomas S. Wootton High School cluster areas. Gaithersburg High School is also included in the District.

The Board of Education has eight seats— two at-large, five districts and one student member. The County Council has nine seats - five district members and four at-large (or countywide) members. A major difference in the election process is that all registered voters select the board of education candidates regardless of where they, the voters, live. Only the at-large County Council members are elected by all voters in the county. The school board districts and county council districts are not aligned.

Patch: You've worked as a teacher (starting with Thomas S. Wootton High School in 1970) and as an administrator (former Gaithersburg High School principal). What made you want to make the jump to board member?

Fred Evans: I have always been involved in our community since moving to Montgomery County in 1970. The school board opportunity made sense to me given my successful career as a teacher and administrator in the school system, as well as my involvement in community agencies such as the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County, the YMCA Board of Directors, and numerous political action groups. I believe that I bring an important historical perspective on where our system has been and where it should be in the future.

Patch: With three decades of experience in Montgomery County Public Schools, what do you think you can bring to the table if elected to the board?

Fred Evans: As mentioned in the prior question, I believe that my 30-year career in MCPS will serve me well as a school board member. Additionally, my experience and understanding of working effectively with a variety of community groups and agencies will be an asset to Superintendent Starr and the school board. 

Finally, I do not want our school system to be "satisfied" with our many successes. We still have work to do and we must bring new ideas to the table.  The persistent "achievement gap" that exists among our various student groups must continue to be addressed aggressively.

Patch: What are some key issues you're hoping to take on during your campaign and if you get elected?

Fred Evans: First, I want to continue to support and to seek improvements for our strong public school system. I believe that our school system is the foundation for our community and must be maintained and continually improved to meet changing needs. 

Secondly, I want to initiate a careful analysis of what works and what needs to be changed in our system. This should not be a one- or two-month study, but a comprehensive analysis that is based on best practices and sound examples from other school districts. 

Finally, we must make additional and long-lasting progress to close the achievement gap among student racial, ethnic, language and income groups.

Patch: You had an unsuccessful run for county council in 2010. How are you drawing from that experience and do you think it's made you better prepared to run for the a seat on the MCPS board?

Fred Evans: I learned a great deal from my county council run - most importantly how much work it takes to run an election campaign. I am prepared to be more visible during this campaign and visit every corner of our large community. I also believe that I come into this campaign with a stronger knowledge base of the issues facing us in education. I am looking forward to the opportunity and the challenge!