Mariya Calkins has been a Santa Rosa County resident for 14 years and is the founder and vice-chairwoman of the Moms for Liberty Chapter in Santa Rosa County.
Q: School safety is always a hot button issue for parents. Are there additional safety measures you are in support of if you’re elected?
A: School safety is a top priority for me. If elected, I will advocate for increased security measures, including enhanced surveillance, secure entry points, and regular safety drills to prepare students and staff for emergencies. Additionally, I will advocate for more comprehensive safety measures, such as having monitors on school buses to assist drivers and better and safer routes for school buses to ensure children are not walking too long. Currently, school bus drivers are using paper routes, and there is no navigation system. I will push for the implementation of a modern navigation system to improve safety and efficiency.
Q: What do you see as the biggest infrastructure needs for the school district over the next five to ten years?
A: The biggest infrastructure needs for our school district include modernizing our school buildings, ensuring they are equipped with the latest technology, and expanding facilities to accommodate growing student populations. Investing in safe, state-of-the-art learning environments is crucial for our students’ success.
Q: What are classroom-specific issues that you plan to tackle to ensure improved education for students?
A: Classroom-specific issues I plan to tackle include providing teachers with the resources they need to succeed and removing inappropriate materials from the curriculum. I will focus on implementing rules to improve discipline and prohibit cellphone usage during instruction time. Additionally, I aim to promote a curriculum with a strong focus on civics, problem-solving, and a solid foundation in core subjects.
Q: Ultimately, test scores serve as a report card for a district and provide an easy way for parents/staff to evaluate performance. Looking at current test scores, how do you evaluate the status of the Santa Rosa School District?
A: Test scores are important, but they only show part of the picture. The Santa Rosa School District uses the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) for grades 3-10 and other end-of-course exams. Recent scores show we have areas to improve, especially in math and reading. The district has made progress with accountability measures under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). However, we need to focus on providing better resources for teachers, engaging students more, and ensuring a strong curriculum. By doing this, we can improve test scores and better prepare our students for the future.
Q: Why should a voter choose you over your opponent? Most political candidates will tell you they are a good person, who works hard and has the best interest of students in mind. So we recommend keeping that in mind as you write your answer.
A: A voter should choose me over my opponents because of my proven track record of advocating for conservative values and parental rights in our schools. As the founder of Moms for Liberty Santa Rosa County Chapter, I have consistently fought against inappropriate materials and radical left propaganda in our schools. I am committed to transparency, accountability, and ensuring our education system aligns with the values of our community. My dedication to supporting teachers, especially veteran teachers, and my focus on practical, effective solutions set me apart as the candidate who will bring real, positive change to our school district.
Elizabeth Hewey is seeking her second term representing District 2 on the Santa Rosa County School Board. She is a former high school teacher, division head in two community technical colleges supervising in state systems: (South Carolina and Florida), and retired business executive as a VP of Research and Market Development.
Q: School safety is always a hot button issue for parents. Are there additional safety measures you are in support of if you’re elected?
A: For the 23/24 year, Santa Rosa School District has budgeted $4,277,390 for security. This includes the Safe School project, the off-duty deputy budget, the Guardian program budget, and the School Security budget. The Safe School Budget is what we get from the state. It is a restricted categorical. The amount is $2,183,099. The amount does not cover the full cost of the deputies. The school district then puts in $2,205,036 from the General Fund balance to cover the rest of the cost of putting deputies in the schools. In addition, we have cameras, door security, and classrooms are locked.
Q: What do you see as the biggest infrastructure needs for the school district over the next five to ten years?
A: Since no high schools had been built for 10 years, building high schools is the biggest and most expensive infrastructure need for the Santa Rosa School District. Also, maintaining our aging school buildings will continue to be a challenging funding source since the PICO monies have been transferred to charter schools. The charter schools are now also getting monies from the school districts capital funding.
Q: What are classroom-specific issues that you plan to tackle to ensure improved education for students?
A: During 2023-24, I had the privilege of being on the committee reviewing the seven-period day. That effort should be renewed because it enhances our ability to offer more accelerated advanced classes and career technical courses for our high schools. Adding back the 30 minutes a day instructional time gives our students more opportunities. It helps provide additional remedial time in elementary and middle schools to improve gains for students in our lower 25%. In high schools, student safety could be increased by adding one period a day for teacher duty.
Q: Ultimately, test scores serve as a report card for a district and provide an easy way for parents/staff to evaluate performance. Looking at current test scores, how do you evaluate the status of the Santa Rosa School District?
A: According to the Santa Rosa School district Press release dated July 8th, our test scores for assessments rank: Algebra – 3rd highest in the state; English (ELA) – 4th highest in the state;
Math – 5th highest in the state; Biology – 6th highest in the state; US History – 6th highest in the state; and Geometry – 9th highest in the state. With these test scores, we will remain an A ranked school district. That is what our families want. They want us to focus on the students and academics to insure that their children are competitive and have future opportunities.
Q: Why should a voter choose you over your opponent? Most political candidates will tell you they are a good person, who works hard and has the best interest of students in mind. So we recommend keeping that in mind as you write your answer.
A: Hewey attended school board meetings for three years, salary negotiations for two years, worked to elect other members, and volunteered at Chumuckla Elementary before running for school board. Elizabeth Hewey is a charter member of Pace Rotary, Impact 100 Women, member of four Chambers of commerce (Jay, SRC, Gulf Breeze, and Navarre), and reads four local newspapers a week. I have perfect board attendance, top state awards, and volunteers in schools (Wallace Lake K-8, Central Berryhill, Chumuckla, and Jay). I am teacher-endorsed by Santa Rosa Professional Educators (SRPE) for the second term in a row. Teachers are the gold standard.
Oscar Locklin’s family has been in Santa Rosa County for generations. The Locklin family has been in education for over 100 years, including his uncle being the namesake of Locklin Technical College. Oscar himself has been an attorney in Pace for 19 years.
Q: School safety is always a hot button issue for parents. Are there additional safety measures you are in support of if you’re elected?
A: More fully implement the Guardian Program: recruiting and hiring more individuals willing to serve, including additional pay for teachers who would like to participate. Confirming and strengthening the SRC policy that will never allow boys to use the bathroom with the girls.
Q: What do you see as the biggest infrastructure needs for the school district over the next five to ten years?
A: New schools are being built and are needed, but we have many aging facilities across the county that will continue to need upgrades and refurbishing.
Q: What are classroom-specific issues that you plan to tackle to ensure improved education for students?
A: Student discipline. The behavior-coach model with rewards for minimal progress and zero consequences is not successful. Developing policies with specific standards and specific consequences would be a great start. Example: curse the teacher and be suspended the next day.
Q: Ultimately, test scores serve as a report card for a district and provide an easy way for parents/staff to evaluate performance. Looking at current test scores, how do you evaluate the status of the Santa Rosa School District?
A: Current test scores rank among the best in the state. However, looking at the raw numbers demonstrates that the state-wide standards are not lofty.
Q: Why should a voter choose you over your opponent? Most political candidates will tell you they are a good person, who works hard and has the best interest of students in mind. So we recommend keeping that in mind as you write your answer.
A: I am the only candidate with children in the Santa Rosa County Public Schools. What happens at our schools affects my family every day. I have the perspective of a multi-generational resident of this county, and a vested interest in our schools. I am a conservative Christian, and as an attorney can hold fast to our American Family values, while navigating federal and state regulations.