Background: Polhamus, 60, is married to a retired Danville Public Schools teacher. He has two sons, two stepchildren, one grandchild and a second grandchild expected in June. He earned his B.S. in mathematics from Michigan State, his M.S. in mathematics at UNC-Chapel Hill and his Ed.D. in community college education from Virginia Tech. He retired as a professor of mathematics at Danville Community College (and now teaches part-time at DCC). He has lived in Danville for almost 36 years.

1). Why are you running for a seat on the Danville School Board?

The past four years on the School Board for me have been challenging, exhilarating, and very much worthwhile. I have time, knowledge, commitment, and passion to continue to work to improve the public schools of this city.

2). Are Danville’s schools getting enough money from Danville City Council?

Even during difficult fiscal times, City Council has done a reasonable job of allocating funds to Danville Public Schools, including significant amounts beyond those required by the state. When their economic development activities begin to improve the city’s financial picture, I would welcome the opportunity for the School Board to discuss with Council the possibilities of allocating more-than-just-reasonable funds.

3). What are your views on the SOLs and the No Child Left Behind Act? Have they helped or harmed public education in Danville?

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has an admirable title, but the details have been frustrating. Likewise, the state’s expectations on SOLs have forced school divisions throughout the Commonwealth to focus on very specific knowledge at each grade in core subjects. These outside mandates have helped public education in the sense that there is a clear focus on the annual tests, giving administrators data that drive steps for improvement on subsequent tests. However, SOLs and NCLB have harmed DPS in some cases where teachers cannot take time to explore topics which are not expected to be tested. NCLB and SOLs have narrowed the definition of education in ways that I personally find disturbing.

4). Is the school system adequately preparing its students for the work force?

DPS offers a variety of programs aimed at employment immediately upon graduation, along with programs that lead directly to technical programs at DCC or National College or DRMC’s School of Health Professions, and a solid program of academic preparation for the finest universities in the country. Students with a sense of their future direction are well-served by DPS. The students for whom I am most concerned are those with no sense of direction for their lives.

5). Are there programs within Danville Public Schools that deserve more funding? What are they and why are they important?

The current School Board has tried to maintain adequate funding for non-SOL programs, including music and art and technologies. Educating the “whole child” is still important to me, but it is much harder to do under current federal and state mandates. Also, the preschool program at Grove Park deserves more funding because we cannot currently accept all deserving applicants. We need to be financially able to assist more young children, recognizing that early intervention will reduce future costs of remediation.

6). How would you grade Superintendent Sue Davis on her job performance?

Dr. Davis is doing an outstanding job of leading DPS. Her knowledge of the inner workings of this system and her commitment to excellence, coupled with her enthusiasm and her energy, have enabled her to keep everyone focused on the goals.

7). How serious is the gang problem in particular, and the crime problem in general, in Danville Public Schools?

There is little evidence of gang problems within the schools. The schools, working closely with the police department and social service agencies, have developed good programs for educating children about the perils of gangs. The bulk of our current discipline problems seem to be related to the inability of children to respect authority and to respect each other. The schools need more help from the broader community in helping young people develop better human relations skills.

8). How would you cope with declining enrollment and the state and federal budget cuts that would come with that?

DPS has been coping with slight declines in enrollment each year I have been on the School Board, but the decline seems to have slowed this year and may have stabilized. Each year the administrative leadership has evaluated school-by-school enrollment patterns and made appropriate adjustments in staffing for the next year. This is made possible by their knowledge of the various funding formulas, where they can predict future funding with good accuracy. Then, each September, Dr. Davis and the administration look at the new actual enrollments and will add a classroom teacher or paraprofessional as needed to keep things running smoothly.