Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
Richard S. Vallaster III
Richard S. Vallaster III was a candidate for an at-large seat on the Frederick County Board of Education in Maryland. He advanced from a primary election on June 24, 2014, to face seven other candidates for four available seats in the general election on November 4, 2014. Richard S. Vallaster III lost the general election on November 4, 2014.
Biography
Vallaster earned a B.S. in sociology and communications from Bridgewater College. He later received his MBA from Mount St. Mary's University. Vallaster is an entrepreneur. He volunteers his time with local organizations including the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce and the Frederick Festival of the Arts. Vallaster and his wife, Jodi, have one young child.[1]
Elections
2014
The June 24, 2014, primary ballot included incumbents Colleen E. Cusimano, April Fleming Miller and Brad W. Young as well as challengers Liz Barrett, Jonathan C. Carothers, Mike Ferrell, Millicent Hall, Kenneth Kerr and Richard S. Vallaster III. Board member Jean A. Smith did not file for re-election. All of the primary candidates except Carothers faced off in the general election on November 4, 2014.
Incumbents Brad W. Young and Colleen E. Cusimano, along with newcomers Liz Barrett and Kenneth Kerr, won the general election.
Results
General
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan |  Liz Barrett |
15.5% | 35,673 | |
| Nonpartisan | Brad W. Young Incumbent |
14.2% | 32,632 | |
| Nonpartisan | Colleen E. Cusimano Incumbent |
13.6% | 31,147 | |
| Nonpartisan | April Fleming Miller Incumbent |
12.9% | 29,700 | |
| Nonpartisan | Ken Kerr | 12.9% | 29,657 | |
| Nonpartisan | Mike Ferrell | 11.4% | 26,104 | |
| Nonpartisan | Millicent Hall | 10.4% | 23,984 | |
| Nonpartisan | Richard S. Vallaster III | 8.9% | 20,470 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in | 0.2% | 422 | |
| Total Votes | 229,789 | |||
| Source: Frederick County Board of Elections, "2014 Gubernatorial General Election Results," accessed December 20, 2014 | ||||
Primary
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Liz Barrett |
15.3% | 16,235 | |
| Nonpartisan | Brad W. Young Incumbent |
14.9% | 15,830 | |
| Nonpartisan | Colleen E. Cusimano Incumbent |
12.9% | 13,765 | |
| Nonpartisan | April Fleming Miller Incumbent |
12.3% | 13,044 | |
| Nonpartisan | Ken Kerr |
12.2% | 12,942 | |
| Nonpartisan | Millicent Hall |
9.5% | 10,131 | |
| Nonpartisan | Mike Ferrell |
8.7% | 9,250 | |
| Nonpartisan | Richard S. Vallaster III |
8.4% | 8,967 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jonathan C. Carothers | 5.9% | 6,270 | |
| Total Votes | 106,434 | |||
| Source: Maryland State Board of Elections, "Official 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Frederick County," July 16, 2014 | ||||
Funding
Vallaster reported $900.00 in contributions and $974.54 in expenditures to the Maryland State Board of Elections, leaving his campaign with $74.54 in debt as of June 9, 2014.[2]
Endorsements
Vallaster received the endorsement of the Frederick County Teachers Association (FCTA) prior to the primary election.[3]
Campaign themes
2014
Vallaster explained his themes for the 2014 race on his campaign website:
| “ |
Generative Thinking Strategic thought should be based on information and research, not personal feelings. If FCPS wants to continue to remain competitive and dynamic, the board must begin to think generatively. Boards across the country are tasking themselves and their entire organizations to think in new ways, challenge convention, embrace possibility and create new permutations and realities where none existed before. Understanding the Role of a Board Member Having served on and worked with numerous boards in the nonprofit and education world, I am an advocate for creative thinking. Board members need to strike a balance between their fiduciary responsibilities and how to best fulfill their mission to serve the students of Frederick County. I have been professionally trained on how to be an effective board member. More importantly, I understand what a board member is not to do. Too often candidates run to solve perceived or personal “issues or problems.” They ultimately delve into the day-to-day operations increasing staff workload on pet projects. Highly functioning boards trust the leaders in-place to provide those operations while they serve to set the vision and guide the strategy. I am running to serve the community, not my personal interests. Family and Community Engagement Engagement starts at the family level and expands into our community. Our definitions of “family” and “community” continue to change. We must accurately reflect that in our policies, communications and initiatives. We need to equip our parents with the knowledge and tools to be a part of the learning process. We need education to be a part of every family’s dinner table discussion. Candidate Accountability Many of my opponents took down their sites or drastically revised them so the voters could not compare their promises to their voting record. My website, Facebook and Twitter accounts will remain active all four years if I am elected. Not only does this create accountability, it creates a direct line to voice your concerns to me directly. School Governance The success of any school system requires exceptional leadership at all levels. If we want principals, teachers, administrators and staff to be excellent leaders in their schools and classrooms, the board must lead by example. The BOE election is nonpartisan and we need to take the politics out to work together. Our children’s education should not suffer because a board or particular members cannot resolve their differences to work together. Teachers One thing most citizens can agree with is that teachers have one of the greatest responsibilities in our society. We must do everything we can to support the needs of our teachers while balancing the needs of accountability and Frederick County’s high academic standards and ambitious educational goals. Technology Technology will not replace the classroom experience it will only enhance it. Watching my four year old use an iPad and get frustrated at the Smithsonian when exhibits aren’t touch screen made me keenly aware how I learned in school and the children of today and tomorrow will be completely different. Employers and jobs of nearly every type require some use technology. Colleges are adding Starbucks to their libraries and removing computer labs for just this reason. We must continually fund these efforts to remain competitive in the global marketplace. Strategic Planning All effective organizations start with developing their vision and strategy. Having consulted and developed plans for schools, I applaud the current board in taking the initial steps in developing a comprehensive strategic plan. With a strategic plan, every initiative can be tied back to this document. The board can illustrate our rationale for decisions. |
” |
| —Richard Vallaster's campaign website, (2014) | ||
What was at stake?
Issues in the election
June 2 candidate forum
Frederick Classical Charter School hosted a candidate forum on June 2, 2014 featuring all nine board candidates on the primary ballot. The candidates agreed on general principles related to charter school development including the necessity of parental choice. Most candidates also agreed that the state's approach to charter schools does not provide enough independence for local parents and education officials. Millicent Hall argued that state laws governing charter schools need to remain rigorous to ensure education quality. April Fleming Miller pointed out that the state's strict rules for charter approval yielded three successful charter schools in the county rather than allowing a flood of inadequate charter options. Hall, Kenneth Kerr and Liz Barrett received endorsements from the Frederick County Teachers Association (FCTA) but asserted their independence from outside influences during the forum. Incumbents Miller, Colleen E. Cusimano and Brad W. Young stated earlier in the forum that the FCTA was actively opposed to charter school expansion in the county.[6]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Richard + Vallaster + Frederick + County + Public + Schools"
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Friends of Rich Vallaster, "About Rich," accessed June 9, 2014
- ↑ Maryland Campaign Reporting Information System, "View Filed Reports," accessed May 23, 2014
- ↑ Frederick County Teachers Association, "Elections 2014," accessed June 3, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Friends of Richard Vallaster, "Priorities," accessed June 12, 2014
- ↑ The Frederick News-Post, "School board candidates debate," June 3, 2014
| 2014 Frederick County Public Schools Elections | |
| Frederick County, Maryland | |
| Election date: | November 4, 2014 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Liz Barrett • Jonathan C. Carothers • Colleen E. Cusimano • Mike Ferrell • Millicent Hall • Kenneth Kerr • April Fleming Miller • Richard S. Vallaster III • Brad W. Young |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
