At-Large Candidates

School Board At-Large Candidate Responses to Fairfax FLAGS


Below are responses provided by all seven of our at-large candidates: Sheree Brown Kaplan; Lin-Dai Kendall; Lolita Mancheno-Smoak; Ryan McElveen; Ilryong Moon (incumbent); Steve Stuban; and Ted Velkoff.

Remember, you may vote for three at-large candidates!

Question 1: Do you support the School Board’s student achievement goal 1.2 – all students should graduate with the ability to communicate in at least two languages? Why or why not?

Brown Kaplan: Yes. Given the growing global economy, multi-lingual citizens are needed more than ever before. Becoming bilingual opens the door to communication with more people in more places, and many parents want to provide their children with skills to interact competently in an increasingly interdependent world community. However, I am concerned about requiring knowledge of a foreign language of students who have language-based disabilities or communication disorders. These students have difficulty gaining fundamental language skills even with their own first language and requiring a second language of them may not be realistic. In addition, FCPS does not offer team-taught foreign language courses (classes with both a subject matter and special education teacher) to help students with disabilities learn another language. Unfortunately, this leaves an entire class of students without the ability to meet the requirement.

Kendall: Yes, I support encouraging our students to master the English language and another language of their choice, made available in current curricula. Pedagogically it provides for broadening of cultural perspective, enhances the ability to communicate, adapt, and be flexible. It expands the individual’s reach fostering communication across at least one more cultural subgroup, fosters self-confidence and feeling at ease in different environments.

Mancheno-Smoak: Yes. (Note: Fairfax FLAGS received an email from Ms. Mancheno Smoak regarding her responses to our questionnaire. Here is an extract: "Please know that it is not out of any disrespect to your organization. Please know that I'm a strong advocate for language instruction at an early age, as I have been raised to speak multiple languages since childhood. Please note that your survey just happened to arrive at a bad time for me…my apologies.")

McElveen: Yes. As someone who has studied three languages and multiple dialects, I think it is imperative that our students are able to communicate in multiple languages and learn about other cultures. As the U.S. population becomes more internationalized and as barriers are torn down abroad, our students need to be proficient in multiple languages to succeed in the real world.

Moon: The United States is a world leader, and in order to maintain and best exercise our leadership role, we need to understand the Nations we are leading. The best way to do this is through language. More so than ever before, children today grow up in a global community that is increasingly interconnected, and language proficiency is now more than ever an essential skill. I support student achievement goal 1.2 and will look for ways to help foster more effective foreign language instruction in our schools. As a bilingual immigrant and a former ESOL student, I understand firsthand the value of being able to communicate in multiple languages.

Stuban: Yes, I strongly support the School Board's goal to have graduates proficient in at least two languages. I know the important benefits of language study first hand as I was raised in a tri-lingual immigrant family and, after receiving formal language studies, which extended through college level courses at the US Military Academy, I was able to use my language skills and cultural awareness in a professional capacity while serving abroad in the armed forces. Educating our children in foreign languages and about foreign cultures clearly benefits the individual and society. Language competency, especially in the so-called critical languages that include Chinese, Arabic and Russian, is a key means to promote the national security of the US and to maintain its ability to compete in the global economy. In addition, given the ever changing and increasingly diverse population of the US, many professions now call out for a multilingual workforce that would benefit from the intercultural awareness and tolerance associated with early exposure to language studies.

Velkoff: “Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq…” I learned to count in French as a child by listening to my Swiss-born grandmother when she dealt playing cards. When I studied German in high school, she spoke German with me. English helped her in her adopted home of the United States, and Spanish when she vacationed in Mexico. But even more than was true for my grandmother, today’s children must be able to communicate in other languages. FCPS should retain the goal of graduating students who are able to communicate in two languages.


Question 2: Do you believe that starting world language instruction in elementary school classrooms with teacher-based programs such as Immersion and FLES (Foreign Language in the Elementary Schools) is the best way to develop the higher levels of language proficiency needed to accomplish the above goal? Why or why not?

Brown Kaplan: Second-language instruction is critical in elementary school. Language fluency is best and more easily achieved by young children. However, studies have shown that most immersion students can be expected to reach higher levels of second language proficiency than students in other school-based language programs.

Kendall: Yes. Earlier start is a more natural process. I’ve read that the earlier you start the easier it is for the child pedagogically. My own experience speaking three languages and raising my children bi-lingual confirms this idea. I also support immersion programs. They seem to provide better results in gaining proficiency, literacy and writing capability in more than one language. It’s quite interesting to see how easily children make the differentiation between who they speak to in language A and who in language B.

Mancheno-Smoak: Yes.

McElveen: Yes. The earlier students learn foreign languages, the more likely they will retain them. It is much easier to acquire foreign languages at a young age, and different grammatical structures will actually aid in student understanding of English grammar. It must be recognized that foreign language study aids English performance on tests.

Moon: I support FLES and Immersion programs in our elementary school classrooms. It never ceases to amaze me the way a young mind absorbs a second language. I think our schools need to do as much as possible to seize this opportunity to foster new capabilities in our students at a moment when they are most receptive. Studies have consistently shown that students are not only able to learn content delivered in a foreign language, but that they tend to be highly engaged with the course material, and this is consistent with our experience here at FCPS. These programs are excellent additions to our curriculum that should be expanded as quickly as possible.

Stuban: Yes, beginning teacher-based language instruction in elementary school classrooms, or even in preschool, is optimal. Research indicates that the early study of a second language promotes a well-rounded, whole child education resulting in enhanced cognitive skills, gains in achievement, and positive attitudes toward diversity. In addition, educators maintain that the youngest brains have the greatest aptitude for foreign language (being better able to learn the language with near-native pronunciation), and early exposure to language instruction and an uninterrupted sequence of instruction results in higher levels of fluency in the language. In addition, studies confirm that students who are bilingual at a young age are best equipped to learn an additional language later in life.

I must add, however, that I have heard anecdotally during my conversations with voters that some of them are displeased with the particular foreign language immersion programs in which their children are participating. Their key issue is that students have not received the fundamental grounding in the language, which has then kept them from learning substantive concepts in math, science and other classes due to lack of foundational underpinnings (vocabulary, grammar and the like) in the subject foreign language that they use in the math, science and other classes. FCPS must carefully and empirically evaluate implementation of our foreign language immersion programs to maximize their effectiveness.

Velkoff: Programs like Immersion and FLES teach language skills to children during the years when they most easily acquire them. As a teenager in Ohio, I thought it peculiar that I could not start learning a language until ninth grade – but that was the model of the time. When I lived in Germany, most Germans spoke English much better than I spoke German, in part because their instruction began during elementary school. I fully support programs like FLES and Immersion that develop language skills during the elementary years.


Question 3: Do you consider second or multiple language skills to be an important aspect of 21st century skills for today’s students to successfully compete in the future? Why or why not?

Brown Kaplan: Yes, for the reasons stated in #1.

Kendall: Yes. Considering the diversity of our population and the globalization of our markets, proficiency in more than one language is an important asset in a professional resume.

Mancheno-Smoak: Yes.

McElveen: Yes. When our students graduate in 2024, China will have the greatest GDP, India will have the highest population, and the Middle East will still be full of quagmires. Languages will be vital to student understanding of the world and global citizenship.

Moon: I do. Gone are the days when Americans can rest on their laurels when it comes to foreign language acquisition. In an increasingly global community, being able to speak multiple languages is becoming more important for communicating with other people from around the world or in language-diverse environments—the type of people or environments our students will encounter in a world that is made small and interconnected by technology and ease of travel. The global marketplace does not respect national boundaries, creating opportunities for those with the proper skills to capitalize on them. Even here at home, language proficiency is a highly sought skill that major employers, such as the Federal government, look for. I feel it is our responsibility to foster these skills in our students so that they will be able to successfully navigate these waters.

Stuban: Yes, second or multiple language skills will be critical for the future success of our children. Our students will be part of a citizenry that is increasingly multi-cultural and multi-ethnic, and which must be prepared to participate in a society and workforce that are globally interdependent. Research shows that early foreign language study also gives students unique insights into other cultures and builds their cultural competency skills in ways that no other discipline is able to replicate – thereby fostering intercultural awareness and tolerance.

Velkoff: I have talked throughout my campaign about the 21st Century skills our children will need for their future success: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. Foreign language knowledge is among the essential skills to meet the need for international communication and collaboration. With a world that is interconnected electronically, language skills will be not only preferred but often required of tomorrow’s job candidates. Knowing another language is becoming an essential life skill for social and professional functioning both at home and abroad.


Question 4: Our elementary foreign language programs (Immersion and FLES) currently serve nearly 20,000* elementary students at 44 schools. Given that FCPS will continue to face budget challenges, do you consider it a priority to keep these programs intact for children currently benefitting from them at existing schools?

Brown Kaplan: Foreign-language instruction, if it is to reach goal 1.2, must be available in all schools for all students, including students with disabilities. Instruction must be delivered on a continuum from elementary through high school. To maximize our limited resources, the School Board and FCPS leadership need to ensure a thorough evaluation of foreign-language instruction in order to obtain desired outcomes at all grade levels.

Kendall: Once an independent external audit provides an in depth review of FCPS’s financial status we will be able to better prioritize the needs of the population served by FCPS. We need to recognize that one of the biggest challenges we face is ever growing demands and limited resources. Deciding that priority list needs to be data-driven and fiscally responsible.

Mancheno-Smoak: Yes.

McElveen: Absolutely.

Moon: I do. I think these are important programs that we need to support and expand. Our funding situation has still not improved, but as and when funds are available I believe we should expand these successful programs to complete the full expansion of FLES as we intended to do before the recession.

Stuban: If the central goal of FCPS’s elementary foreign language program is for students to attain a high level of fluency in a foreign language, I would consider it a priority to continue support for these programs. The fluency benefit of the early language exposure will only be realized if the program of instruction continues at the elementary school level and flows into the middle school and high school sequence of foreign language study without interruption.

Velkoff: The recent economic downturn has severely strained the school budget, and it is to the credit of the current School Board that language programs have not been cut or reduced. Language skills are increasingly necessary for operating in our globally interconnected world. I will oppose efforts to reduce funding for foreign language programs.


Question 5: The FLES program was originally scheduled to be implemented over a seven- year period; however, expansion beyond the existing 32 schools was put on hold due to the recession and budget constraints. Would you support continued expansion of the FLES program in the future to bring foreign language instruction to all FCPS elementary students? Why or why not?

Brown Kaplan: Before expanding, maintaining or eliminating any instructional program, there should be a thorough review that includes a benefit analysis: Is the program delivering its intended/desired outcome? If not, is there another delivery method that would meet targets? In this particular case, does immersion provide better comprehension and language retention than FLES? If so, should immersion be required at every school and what language would be selected? What options would students then have in middle school? These are fundamental questions that must be addressed prior to any decision regarding changes to the delivery of foreign language instruction in FCPS.

Kendall: I definitely would support expansion in the future. Multi-lingual education is a positive element to include in our public education. In the measure that the economy rebounds, partnerships with private sector institutions are sought and more funding becomes available, allocating funds to this type of programs is a great idea.

Mancheno-Smoak: Yes.

McElveen: Yes—I hope to see an expansion of both FLES and immersion programs in the future. Supporting language education at all levels will be a top priority for me.

Moon: I would. Obviously the recession has had a tremendous effect on what we are able to do. About half a billion dollars has been cut from our budget over the past four years, and we have had to eliminate hundreds of positions, freeze employees salaries and cut important programs like summer school. In this environment, it is understandable that we have had to put the original FLES implementation schedule on hold. But will seek ways to support these programs under current constraints to all FCPS schools. These are valuable programs which all of our students should have access to and benefit from.

Stuban: As we know, recent budgetary constraints and overriding concerns with meeting the Adequate Yearly Progress milestones of the No Child Left Behind mandates have shifted funding and focus away from language programs to math, reading and writing based curriculum initiatives. As sources of funding become available, I would support continued expansion of the FLES program to provide foreign language instruction to all FCPS students. In the meantime, I would like to explore alternative courses of action. In some school systems, the PTAs have created a nonprofit to offer before or after school foreign language programs for a fee at their elementary schools. For example, MCCPTA-Educational Programs, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation established in 1975 by the MCCPTA to operate as a nonprofit school providing fee based, after-school programs and services (such as FLES) to the PTAs in Montgomery County. Any PTA with a volunteer chairperson for a program is eligible to participate and this may be a viable option for FCPS in the interim. In addition, the National Security Language Initiative may be a funding source for language instruction, particularly for funding targeted, critical languages bearing on US trade and national security.

Velkoff: Expanding the FLES program is an excellent goal that I support. As a School Board member, I will be balancing this expenditure against other needs of our students and teachers. I strongly support, for example, compensation increases and solid retirement benefits for our teachers; and I would work to avoid an either-or choice about these two important goals. Since the School Board does not control revenue, funding for FLES will depend in part on resource levels set by county, state, and federal governments.


*Exact student enrollment numbers for FLES and immersion for the current 2011-2012 school year were not yet available from the FCPS World Language office at this time, however, should be available soon