Joyce Davis
From Ballotpedia
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Joyce Davis ran for election to the Henrico County Public Schools to represent Varina District in Virginia. Davis lost in the general election on November 5, 2019.
Davis completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. Click here to read the survey answers.
Elections
2019
See also: Henrico County Public Schools, Virginia, elections (2019)
General election
General election for Henrico County Public Schools, Varina District
Alicia Atkins defeated Joyce Davis, Michelle Roots Henderson, and Kandise Lucas in the general election for Henrico County Public Schools, Varina District on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Alicia Atkins (Nonpartisan)  | 44.6 | 7,627 |
| Joyce Davis (Nonpartisan) | 23.2 | 3,967 | ||
| Michelle Roots Henderson (Nonpartisan) | 20.8 | 3,551 | ||
 | Kandise Lucas (Nonpartisan) | 10.3 | 1,768 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.0 | 170 | ||
| Total votes: 17,083 | |||
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Campaign themes
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Joyce Davis completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Davis' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I am in a resident of Henrico County, Varina District where I have lived for the past 20 years. As a native of Norfolk, I moved to Richmond to attend college majoring in criminal justice. I have the blessing of being a good aunt with the joy of nieces and nephews and of my nephews' children, who are students of Henrico Public Schools. The first half of my work experience has been primarily in the field of criminal justice, when I worked with the court system with alternative to incarceration programs as a pretrial interviewer and probation officer for juvenile and adult offenders. In my later years, I began work as an educator training students in law related education (LRE) and court professionals in LRE, violence prevention and conflict resolution activities. Later, I worked as a public school teacher and as a college professor with VCU and VUU teaching criminal justice. I have experience in turning ideas into action and have been instrumental in bringing diverse groups together to successfully implement initiatives to establish an adult drug court, juvenile drug court, pretrial services program and a deferred judgement probation services program. For early education students, I started a tutoring program which was certified for reading and math services by the Virginia Department of Education. The supplemental educational services helped students in grades K-5 in five school districts receive tutoring in Title I schools and achieved educational gains in reading and math
- Accreditation of schools - The number of non-accredited schools in the Varina District have decreased, but too many non-accredited schools still exist in the district. There are also too many schools with poor reading scores and low academic achievement. If elected, I will advocate for allocations to create dedicated programs to improve student learning.
- Reducing suspension rates among minority students /students with disabilities - Suspension rates disproportionately affect students of color- Data shows that while there has been a decrease in racial disparity in discipline and suspensions in Varina District schools, suspensions remain at a high level and continue to disproportionately affect students of color and those with disabilities. High rates of student suspensions lead to a greater risk of students dropping out of school, and negatively affect the scores of those who were not suspended. If elected, I would recommend programs aimed to decrease the suspension rates of students: 1) mediation for certain level infractions, which would bring together those who were harmed, hold the stud
- Ensure teacher compensation strategies to hire and retain high quality teachers - Hiring of high quality teachers for Varina District Schools - Explore teacher compensation strategies for competitive salaries to attract and retain high quality teachers to join Henrico County Public Schools and ultimately placement in the Varina District schools. Our teachers are on the front line. Many come to teach, but serve daily as a social worker, probation officer and teacher. The goal is to attract the best, retain the best and reward the best. If elected, my priority is to review other school districts and their model of rewarding tenure and education beyond the master's degree level. Other school systems offer additional compensation for education
Education, Social Justice, Human Rights and Public Safety.
For role models, I didn't have to look far. As a child, I looked up to my mother and my older siblings who set an example of a hard work ethic, working together, having integrity and the importance of being in our community. My mother worked hard to raise her children and instilled within my brother and sisters that same work ethic. As a result , their work in the community and helping others contributed to their leadership roles in church and later in education programs. My older siblings believed in academic excellence and excelling in school. They took care of me when my mother worked and provided a roadmap with guidance and support through my early years of education and development. Later in life, when I became the older sister, I followed the same example and took care of my sister and helped to plan her education by ensuring that she participated in the best educational programs and had a sound foundation for early education. I followed the example of my mother and siblings. because of their hard work ethic and how they treated people and how they were perceived in the community due to their good reputation and in helping others. Even as children, we learned the importance of service to the community, being active in church, education, achievement and the difference all would make to change our lives.
Being honest, ethical, accountable, responsible and responsive are five top and most important characteristics and principles for an elected official. Additionally, elected officials should have leadership qualities and empathy to take action to move things along, compassionate and empathetic in decision-making and possess the skills to engage in team working for negotiating, collaboration and navigating resources.
I would like to leave as a legacy partnerships established within the community for faith-based institutions, educational institutions and business community to team up and work with students to provide career guidance and social supports to students. I would like to leave as a legacy programs that would continue to provide internships and apprenticeships for students to enroll in programs that promise a 100% placement rate in jobs upon completion and with mentors assigned to assist in job retention and job counseling. For middle school students, I would like to leave the legacy of a junior apprentice program for student participation and equally a program for young students at the elementary level. With pre-school and primary grades, I would like reading programs centering around discussions which are subjects focusing on careers with guest speakers and experiential activities and reading assignments and discussions for growth, exposure and early acclimation.
I can remember the historical event of Martin Luther King's death April 4, 1968. I was ten years of age about to turn 11. This was a significant time in the African American community and civil rights. There were multiple deaths of the President and Senator Kennedy occurring during the same time period.
My first job was as a teenager working as a cashier in a neighborhood store owned by my sister-in-law's family. I worked this job during the summer. My first job in the field of criminal justice was as a junior in college as a part-time counselor at a halfway house facility which expanded to my role upon graduation as a pre-trial interviewer and later a promotion to jail program supervisor. These positions were over a five year period with a non profit agency dedicated to providing services for offenders with alternatives to incarceration and re-entry services.
Successful Women Think Differently (Nine Habits to Make You Happier, Healthier, and More Resilient)
This book by Valerie Burton helped me and focusing on women to understand that successful women think differently. The book helps you to conquer your fears, make decisions, set goals and bounce back from failure differently. The book helps you to think positively and to respond properly in a non-adversarial way to garner power. It is a book that empowers you as a woman in professional relationships, personal relationships and your spiritual life.
This book by Valerie Burton helped me and focusing on women to understand that successful women think differently. The book helps you to conquer your fears, make decisions, set goals and bounce back from failure differently. The book helps you to think positively and to respond properly in a non-adversarial way to garner power. It is a book that empowers you as a woman in professional relationships, personal relationships and your spiritual life.
Keep the Faith - Don't let nobody turn you around. (Michael Jackson)
The primary job of school board member is to set policy, adopt policies for direction of schools, oversee the budget for operations, large capital expenses and small capital expenses of schools, along with hiring and evaluating the superintendent. As it is the governing body's responsibility to allocate the budgetary amount, it is the school board's responsibility to administer the funds and to work collaboratively with school administration to ensure the vision for the school district, setting goals and a method of evaluation the goals are achieved and resources are deployed for that achievement.
As a school board representative, the constituents are students, teachers, administration and parents but also the community and the community at large. Therefore, it is a responsibility as a representative to remember the separate decision-making that is needed to govern over school board policies and issues that arise within the school system.
As a board member, I would support the diverse needs of my district's students, faculty, staff and community by planning for the individual needs through assessment to identify the areas of needed improvement. Upon assessment, I would organize the priorities and set a plan of action with input from each group of how to shape recommendations. I would take into account the needs of gifted, talented, at risk learners and students with disabilities, as well as students with IEP and ELL classifications.
I would build relationships with members of the broader community with outreach and advocacy. I would educate and make the community aware of the needs as a result of the assessment and priorities identified, by determining action steps on how to specifically target and meet the needs with identified groups. I would utilize advisory groups to build a base for partnerships within the community through faith based groups, businesses, and organizations interested in working in the education system or interested in sponsorship. When there is a need for support on reform issues, I would educate the community making them aware of the issues and galvanize support for advocacy. Advocacy and support may consist of awareness sessions, town hall meetings, but also letter writing campaigns or petition signings. I would target sub groups of organizations and assign responsibility for areas and would encourage them to widen their committees by recruiting membership and workers to support the subject area of concern.
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See also
2019 Elections
External links
Footnotes
