Re-Elect Dr. Helen Davis-Frazier for CCSD School Board

VOTE TO RE-ELECTDr. Helen Davis-Frazier

“EXPERIENCE MATTERS" 

I am Dr. Helen Davis-Frazier. I have been serving families and children in the educational and social service arena for over 50 years; 20 of those with the Charleston County Schools. After my retirement, I continued my service as a District 23 Constituent School Board member.  I started my career as a teacher’s aide and have increased my commitment to education systematically with purpose in earning the bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees. My previous work experiences include the Dept. of Mental Health, Dept. of Social Service (DSS), Dept. of Health & Environmental Control (DHEC), Dept. of Corrections and the Dept. of Juvenile Justice. I have also provided social work outreach services to patients at Franklin C. Fetter and Sea Island Home Health agencies. I am a veteran of the U. S. Army. When not engaged in my favorite past-time fishing, I am involved in my Reiki practice.

       I was the first to implement a State sponsored child development program in South Carolina; a child development program for the U. S. Dept of Army, and a CCSD parenting program. I support and encourage a focused and diverse district-wide literacy strategy to correct the persistent lack of commitment to addressing the unacceptable reading levels of our most vulnerable students. 

     A study commissioned by me reviewed results of the SC Ready test scores from 2017-2021. The findings revealed that English Language Arts (ELA), for Black and Hispanic 4th graders consistently declined throughout these years. The study showed that 50 percent of all CCSD students did not meet expectations for their grade level. Most alarming, the 2021 state test scores revealed that 82 percent of our Black students are reading below grade level and 75 percent of our Hispanic students are mirroring the same dismal results. It is important that members of the community focus on solutions to the problems facing our students rather than becoming side-tracked by issues that are counterproductive to student achievement.  The adage, “the chain is no stronger than its weakest link”, gave me the impetus to concentrate on our low-performing schools.  My travels to Europe and Africa also heightened my awareness of the need for effective public education and affirmed my unwavering support.

 The community must be informed, and parents must have the opportunity to become more involved in the educational process. Increasing public awareness regarding school board operations is one of the deciding factors in my decision to seek a second term.  The Board of Trustees has the major tasks of choosing the Superintendent, evaluating his/her performance, development of policies, goals, and fiscal oversight. CCSD policies prohibit members of the Board from becoming involved in the day-to-day operations, including personnel matters. I cannot and will not make promises to my constituents regarding matters that are not within my realm of authority.  If elected, I will continue to be forthright, honest, and transparent to the needs of our children, families, teachers, and staff.

   The promises of increasing teachers’ pay and reducing class sizes cannot be actualized without the consensus of the Board. To accomplish student centered- goals, the elected Board member must be able to work harmoniously with others without a personal agenda.  Too often, the task of focusing on student achievement becomes lost in the fight for individual self-centered reasons. 

The most crucial decision that will be made by this upcoming Board is to support the Superintendent. He has demonstrated experience and commitment to address disparities, restore public trust, transparency, fiscal accountability, and most importantly, creating a path forward that ensures a quality education for all students in Charleston County.

   We must continue the path to foster community engagement, increase parental involvement, and implement diverse programs that will provide educational opportunities for all students to leave school with a career path of their choice.  These are the promises made during my first term, and with your support, I will continue to deliver if re-elected to the CCSD Board of Trustees.