Cribbs, Robert - Forest Hills
Are you an incumbent?
No
Brief Intro of Candidate
I am a FHPS basketball coach, substitute teacher, and school bus driver. I am semi-retired businessperson. I am concerned about the kids, fiscal responsibility and lack of transparency. Spending should be for the kids, teachers and support staff (bus drivers, custodial, food service, classroom help), before doing major rebuilding projects when enrollment is declining.
I'm running for the Forest Hills Public Schools (FHPS) Board of Education to enhance educational excellence and foster community unity. As a long-time resident, parent, coach, and business leader, I offer a unique perspective combining passion for education with practical district experience.
My roles as a basketball coach, substitute teacher, and school bus driver provide valuable insights into FHPS's challenges and opportunities.
Recognizing growing community divisiveness in 2021 prompted my decision to run. I aim to refocus the district on academic excellence while creating an inclusive environment for all students. I believe in listening to all perspectives before making decisions, bridging gaps, and uniting people.
Key priorities include improving transparency and communication. I want school board meetings to be more accessible through live streaming and prompt recording uploads, ensuring community engagement.
I'm committed to addressing student safety, mental health support, and fiscal responsibility. Providing adequate counseling resources is crucial, especially given recent challenges. My business background will help maintain the district's financial health. I'll scrutinize spending proposals, ensuring they align with the district's long-term goals and financial capacity.
Promoting student involvement in extracurricular activities - sports, academics, social, and personal growth groups - is vital. I'll advocate for emphasizing both academic excellence and skilled trade pathways.
My campaign emphasizes a balanced approach, respecting diverse viewpoints while focusing on student achievement and well-being. By contributing my varied experiences and skills, I aim to help FHPS continue its tradition of excellence while adapting to evolving needs.
Endorsements
Do not accept endorsements, my campaign will always accept support. School board is a non-partisan position and will be representing all as best I can
Top financials Contributors
Website and social media links
At the moment mostly self funded
www.robertcribbs4FHPS@yahoo.com">www.robertcribbs4FHPS@yahoo.com, www.robertcribbs4FHPS.com; www.facebook.com/robertcribbs4fhps
How would you engage and include parents, caregivers, community members and students in decision-making in your district around things like curriculum, budgeting and district policy?
I will establish open communication with parents, caregivers, community members, and students to ensure their voices are heard. I will be available before and after meetings to meet and answer questions and emails. This includes focus groups and to receive feedback of issues discussed by the board, administration, teachers, and staff.
I propose as needed forming diverse advisory committees with representatives from all groups to provide input on curriculum, budgeting, and policy.
To empower students, I will advocate for their participation in school and activity meetings and join committees.
I commit to transparency by sharing information and updates on district initiatives.
Join community workshops to educate the community on key topics, fostering informed contributions.
Finally, I will request feedback to continuously improve our policies based on community input.
By engaging all members of FHPS and the community, we can collaboratively address issues and enhance the Forest Hills School District.
What are your thoughts on school discipline and the way it is exercised in your school district? What are your thoughts on restorative practices?
Regarding school discipline and restorative practices in our district, I believe in a balanced approach that prioritizes student growth and safety while maintaining a positive learning environment. Here are my thoughts:
Effective Discipline Strategies
Proactive Measures: I support implementing preventive strategies that create a positive school culture and reduce disciplinary issues. This includes clear expectations, consistent enforcement of rules, and fostering strong relationships between students, teachers, and staff.
Restorative Practices: Restorative practices can be valuable tools when used appropriately. They focus on repairing harm, promoting accountability, and rebuilding relationships rather than purely punitive measures. These approaches can help students learn from their mistakes and develop important social-emotional skills. For example, if students get into a fight, rather than consider suspension, have the punishment be centered around an assigned activity where the students involved will have to work together in hopes to resolve their differences and possibly develop a more cordial relationship going forward.
Tiered Interventions A multi-tiered system of support for behavior management allows for tailored interventions based on the severity and frequency of infractions. This ensures that minor issues are addressed appropriately while more serious offenses receive the necessary attention.
Balancing Accountability and Support:
While I believe in holding students accountable for their actions, it's crucial to understand the underlying causes of misbehavior and provide appropriate support. This may include counseling, mentoring programs, or connecting families with community resources.
Fairness:
It's essential to ensure that disciplinary practices are applied fairly and consistently across all student groups. Regular review of discipline data can help identify and address any disparities.
Ongoing Evaluation:
I advocate for continuous assessment of our discipline policies and practices to ensure they are effective, and aligned with our district's goals for student success and well-being.
By combining these approaches, we can create a school environment that promotes positive behavior, supports student growth, and maintains safety for all.
What are your thoughts on how to improve student mental health
As an educator who has worked with diverse student populations, I believe in implementing strategies that support the mental health of all students equally. Here are my thoughts on improving student mental health in our district:
1. Inclusive Mental Health Education: Incorporate mental health literacy into our curriculum for all students, teaching coping skills, stress management, and emotional intelligence - ability to manage their own emotions and understand the emotions of people around them.
2. Supportive School Environment: Foster a positive school culture where all students feel safe, respected, and valued, regardless of their background.
3. Early Intervention: Implement universal screening to identify students who may need additional support, ensuring equal access to resources for all.
4. Counseling Services: Provide adequate counseling staff and ensure all students have equal opportunity to access these services when needed.
5. Teacher Training: Equip all educators with the skills to recognize signs of mental health issues and respond appropriately, treating each student with equal care and concern.
6. Peer Support Programs: Establish peer mentoring initiatives open to all students, promoting a sense of community and mutual support.
7. Physical Activity: Incorporate regular physical activity into the school day for all students, recognizing its positive impact on mental health.
8. Family Engagement: Involve all families in mental health initiatives, providing equal access to resources and education about supporting student well-being.
9. Stress Reduction Techniques: Teach mindfulness and relaxation techniques to all students as part of the regular curriculum.
By implementing these and other strategies universally, we can create an environment that supports the mental health and well-being of every student in our district, regardless of their background or circumstances. This approach aligns with my belief in treating all students equally and providing opportunities for everyone to thrive.
What are your thoughts on ways to improve Black student achievement in your district and in Michigan schools overall?
Improving Achievement for All Students
As someone who has taught in diverse schools across Grand Rapids, including those with predominantly Black and Hispanic student populations, I've observed that effective strategies for improving student achievement are universal. My approach, which I would do in Forest Hills, as a school board member focuses on:
1. Equal Opportunity: Provide all students with high-quality educational experiences, regardless of their background.
2. Individualized Support: Identify and assist struggling students early, regardless of race or ethnicity.
3. Positive Learning Environment: Create a classroom atmosphere where all students feel valued, respected, and capable of success.
4. High Expectations: Maintain rigorous standards for all students, coupled with the support needed to meet those standards.
5. Cultural Awareness: Incorporate diverse perspectives and experiences into the curriculum to engage all students.
6. Family Engagement: Strengthen partnerships with all families to support learning at home.
7. Mentorship: Establish mentoring programs available to all students who could benefit from additional guidance.
8. Data-Driven Instruction: Regularly analyze performance data to identify areas for improvement across all student groups.
As a coach, I do not look at color or ethnicity, I look at everyone as being part of the team. I want my best players to continue to improve, but I also want the worse players to improve and work to achieve that goal. My success as a coach is to get the best ability out of all my players, color is not a factor. Teamwork of supporting and helping each other be successful is my goal.
By implementing these strategies consistently across our district, we can work towards improving academic outcomes for all students, including those from historically underserved groups of all races and ethnicities, while maintaining a commitment to equality and excellence for everyone in our educational community.
What are your thoughts on how to ensure that all students and their families, regardless of race, gender identity, sexuality, disability, religion, income status, etc., feel safe and included in your district?
Ensuring Safety and Inclusion for All
My approach to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all students and families, regardless of their background, is by treating everyone with equal respect and dignity. Here are some of my thoughts on ensuring this in our district:
1. Clear, Consistent Policies: Implement and enforce anti-discrimination and anti-bullying policies that protect all students equally.
2. Inclusive Curriculum: Ensure our curriculum reflects diverse perspectives and experiences, allowing all students to see themselves represented.
3. Open Communication: Establish multiple channels for students and families to voice a concern or report an issue, ensuring everyone has equal access for support.
4. Staff Training: Provide ongoing professional development for all staff, creating inclusive environments and addressing unconscious biases.
5. Equal Participation: Encourage and facilitate participation from all families in school activities and decision-making processes.
6. Accessibility: Ensure all school facilities and programs are equally accessible to students with disabilities.
7. Celebration of Diversity: Organize events that celebrate the diverse backgrounds of our school community, emphasizing our shared values and experiences.
8. Neutral Religious Stance: Maintain a neutral stance on religion, respecting all beliefs while not promoting any specific faith. However, I believe it would be nice to learn about the history and guidance of each religion as I did when I was a student. Helps bring a prospective of diversity and inclusion.
9. Economic Sensitivity: Implement programs that ensure students from all economic backgrounds can fully participate in school activities.
10. Uniform Application: Apply all policies and practices uniformly, ensuring no group receives preferential treatment over others.
By consistently applying these principles, we can create an environment where all students and families feel equally valued, respected, and included in our school community. My experience teaching in diverse settings has shown me that when we focus on our shared goals of education and mutual respect, we can create a positive learning environment for everyone.
What are your thoughts on how to recruit and retain staff, particularly staff of color, in your district with regard to pay, benefits, and working conditions?
I believe in creating an environment that attracts and retains high-quality staff based on merit, regardless of their background. My approach focuses on:
1. Competitive Compensation: Offer salaries and benefits packages that are attractive to all qualified candidates, ensuring we can compete for top talent across the board.
2. Professional Development: Provide equal opportunities for growth and advancement to all staff members, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
3. Inclusive Work Culture: Create a welcoming environment where all employees feel valued and respected for their contributions, not their demographics.
4. Fair Hiring Practices: Implement unbiased recruitment processes that focus on skills, qualifications, and potential, ensuring equal consideration for all applicants.
5. Mentorship Programs: Establish mentoring opportunities open to all staff members to support their professional growth and integration into our school community.
6. Work-Life Balance: Promote policies that support a healthy work-life balance for all employees, recognizing diverse needs and family situations.
7. Open Communication: Encourage transparent dialogue about workplace satisfaction and areas for improvement, giving all staff an equal voice.
8. Recognition Programs: Implement fair and equitable recognition systems that celebrate excellence and dedication among all staff members.
9. Community Outreach: Engage with diverse community groups to broaden our candidate pool and showcase our district as an employer of choice for all.
10. Regular Climate Assessments: Continue to conduct periodic evaluations of the work environment that FHPS currently does, to ensure we're maintaining a positive atmosphere for everyone.
By focusing on these areas, we can create an attractive workplace that naturally draws and retains talented individuals from all backgrounds, fostering diversity through equal opportunity rather than targeted initiatives.