Chad Leo is a candidate for the Calvert County Board of Education. As a graduate of the class of 2019 and current political science major at Salisbury University, Chad brings the youth and awareness that Calvert’s Board of Education so desperately needs.
Calvert County used to be the best school system in the state of Maryland. Parents were excited to move here and enroll their students in our schools. Teachers, building service workers, bus drivers, and cafeteria cooks were eager to come work in our county. Students felt like they had the tools needed to thrive. But now, thanks to an out of touch superintendent and board of education, Calvert’s school system is far from the best it can be. The Board of Education and its current members refuse to listen to what teachers, students, and parents are really asking for.
This changes with me. As a son of two teachers, brother of two current students, and a recent graduate of the Calvert County school system, I understand what educators and students need to be successful. I know that teachers deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and supported by administration. While our Superintendent makes $20k more than our neighbor, our teachers still have not gotten their step increases and are constantly being asked to do more work. I know that schools need to be a safe place for everyone. And I know that students need to hear and see that the board of education cares about their concerns. We must also prioritize mental health, bullying, equitable education, and technology. As a board member, I will fight to ensure that every teacher and student in Calvert County has the chance to be safe, successful, and happy.
As a two term member of the Citizens Advisory Council, I fought for educators to be heard, especially when it comes to adequate staffing, mental health, and class size. In 2018, I was part of a select group of students invited to the Maryland Emergency Management Agency to provide first hand accounts to Governor Larry Hogan regarding school safety, and partnered with the administration to help strengthen their programs. That same year, I also had the honor of serving as the State Treasurer of the Maryland Association of Student Councils. While the budgetary numbers are not the same as CCPS’s the values by which to operate our. Leaders need to be transparent, accountable, efficient, and value-oriented with our taxpayer dollars. More money should be going to classrooms, not top-level salaries.
If elected, I will make history as the youngest ever Board of Education member and will be the only member to have graduated school in the past decade, giving me a valuable insight by which to govern.