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Courtney Graves
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Courtney Graves is an at-large member of the Ferguson-Florissant Board of Education in Missouri. Graves won the general election on April 7, 2015.
Biography
Courtney Graves is a resident of St. Louis County, Mo. Graves graduated from Berkeley High School before earning her bachelor's degree from Talladega College and her Ed.D. in counseling psychology from Argosy University. She is employed as the director of the Salvation Army’s Veterans Housing Program.[1]
Elections
2015
The election in Ferguson-Florissant featured two of the seven seats on the board up for general election on April 7, 2015. Incumbent Brian Scott Ebert ran for re-election against challengers Donna Marie Dameron, Courtney Graves, Roger Hines, and Michael Arthur Person for the two at-large seats. Ebert and Graves won the election.
Results
| Ferguson-Florissant School District, At-Large General Election, 3-year term, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Courtney Graves |
33.7% | 5,279 | |
| Nonpartisan | Brian Scott Ebert Incumbent |
30% | 4,697 | |
| Nonpartisan | Roger Hines | 17.4% | 2,728 | |
| Nonpartisan | Donna Marie Dameron | 10.9% | 1,711 | |
| Nonpartisan | Michael Arthur Person | 7.3% | 1,146 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.5% | 82 | |
| Total Votes | 15,643 | |||
| Source: St. Louis County Board of Elections, "Summary Report," April 16, 2015 | ||||
Funding
Graves reported $1,220.00 in contributions but no expenditures to the Missouri Ethics Commission, which left her campaign with $1,220.00 on hand during the election.[2]
Endorsements
Graves did not receive any official endorsements during the election.
Campaign themes
2015
Graves published a list of her priorities on her campaign website:
| “ | ATTENDANCE
One of the most important things your child can do to ensure their academic success at school is the most basic thing, attend school everyday. Research has shown that those students who attend school 95% of the time have better scores on achievement tests. ACHIEVMENT Every child can learn, and every child will learn if the conditions are right. The key component to establishing the right educational environment is the relationship among students, parents, the school district and the community. Each needs to be accountable for sharing in the process. 2015 marks the first time 16 states will give the same assessments created through the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. As Missouri moves to new assessments aligned to the standards put in place in 2010, the yearly MAP assessments continue to yield important information about what children know and are able to do in each grade and whether or not they are achieving college and career ready goals. ACCREDITATION The Ferguson-Florissant School District is currently accrediated however our scores continue to drop. Our current score of 65.7%. What I have found is that there is a vast difference in performance throughout elementary schools in our district. As a district we must work together so that our lower performing schools show greater improvement and that our higher performing schools continue to excel. I believe the first step is to educate not only our children but the parents of this district. Do we really know as parents what is counted in accreditation? ACCOUNTABILITY The focus of the Ferguson-Florissant School Board should be on policies to improve student achievement, less focus should be on operational issues. We must establish a vision supported by policies that target student achievement. As a member of the School Board I would assist in providing oversight and set policies, and ensure that the superintendent is performing duties as the chief operating officer. I am a firm believer that it is the boards responsibility to hold the superintendant accountable, and allow him to lead. FISCAL RESPONSIBIILTY The Ferguson-Florissant School Board must remain fiscally responsible while continuing to provide quality education for all students.Extensive budgets cuts continue to threaten the variety of learning opportunities available to students in the district and staff to facilitate them. As a district we are hurting right now and if property values continue to decline we will be on a road to a serious crisis. However if we support Proposition I, the no tax increase bond issue on the April ballot. We can pay for all capital improvements for the next five years. The focus for the first two years will be improving security at each of the schools. TRANSPARENCY The school board must operate in a way that represents the collective interests and needs of the community. It is imporatant that there is a collaborative relationship with staff and the community in which we establish a strong communications structure to inform and engage both internal and external stakeholders in setting and achieving district goals.[3] |
” |
| —Courtney Graves' campaign website (2015)[4] | ||
Graves completed a voter guide profile for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
| “ | What are your top priorities for the district?
Ensure that the district remains fully accredited by focusing on attendance, high achievement for all, improvement of ACT scores and the number of college-bound students under the current MSIP 5 system. Supporting Proposition I and the district remaining fiscally responsible while providing quality education. Create partnerships between the district and community. Why are you qualified to serve in this office? As a product of the district and through experience I know what resources are available in the community, how to make financially sound decisions and how to evaluate data. I am highly educated, enthusiastic, dedicated and a driven leader ready to learn, listen and give more to the district as a team player to meet the future needs of our children and the community.[3] |
” |
| —Courtney Graves (2015)[5] | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Courtney Graves Ferguson-Florissant School District. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Courtney Graves - Ferguson-Florissant School Board, "Meet Courtney," accessed April 3, 2015
- ↑ Missouri Ethics Commission, "Candidates By Election Search," accessed March 26, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Courtney Graves - Ferguson-Florissant School Board, "List of Issues," accessed April 3, 2015
- ↑ St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Voters Guide," accessed April 4, 2015
| 2015 Ferguson-Florissant School District Elections | |
| St. Louis County, Missouri | |
| Election date: | April 7, 2015 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Incumbent, Brian Scott Ebert • Donna Marie Dameron • Courtney Graves • Roger Hines • Michael Arthur Person |
| Important information: | Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
