Age: 53
Occupation: Attorney
Educational degrees and qualifications:
Donyele Darrough, a mother of 3 adult children, born and raised in the city of Flint, and a graduate of Flint Northern High School. A first-generation college graduate; Donyele graduated from the University of Michigan – Flint with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics; then attended Wayne State University obtaining a Master of Library and Information Science and culminating at Cooley Law School obtaining a Juris Doctor degree. Donyele is currently a licensed attorney in the State of Michigan.
Why are you running for Flint Board of Education?
My purpose for seeking a seat on the Flint Board of Education is to extend trust, transparency, and accountability, so that we can move Forward Together. I am running to ensure future generations of scholars will have the tools and resources needed to succeed.
Flint Community Schools continue to battle against financial hardships. If elected to the Flint Board of Education, how would you leverage the current Flint Community Schools properties, occupied and vacant, to alleviate this financial strain?
Current financial hardships of the FCS are exacerbated by the shuttered properties and the age of the buildings currently being used. The amount of the budget being used to maintain these shuttered and old buildings is a disservice to students, teachers, and the taxpayers in the City of Flint. As a board member I would work with the members of the board to devise a plan to sale or demolish current shuttered properties and focus on renovating vital buildings or building new facilities.
If elected to the Flint Board of Education, how will you ensure that the district attracts and maintains highly qualified teachers and other staff? Please explain any plan(s) for recruitment and retention?
The FCS has great teachers, staff and administrators that are working hard to make the district successful. To attract and retain additional highly qualified teachers and staff the district must be consistent, proactive, and progressive.
Retention
– Cultivate collaboration.
– Establish and maintain district wide communication.
– Teacher incentives.
– Establish a medium to address concerns and make suggestions.
– Attempt to alleviate the need for out-of-pocket expenditures.
– Increase professional development programs.
Attract
– Provide incentives.
– Provide new teacher training and support and mentor program.
– Advertise district goals and plans for growth.
– Leverage social media and electronic communications to advertise staff needs.
– Recruiting open houses.
– Advertise at and visit colleges.
Flint Board of Education meetings have become tumultuous and often inefficient. If elected to the board, what role will you play in returning decorum to the board and making it more efficient?
If elected to the board, I will follow the golden rule: “do unto others as would have them do unto you”. I will treat my fellow board members with love and respect, ensuring our focus remains on the most important reason we are there, the scholars.
In your opinion, what role does the Flint Board of Education play in improving academic progress of students in Flint Community Schools? Please explain any plan(s) to implement measures to improve academic progress.
The school board plays a major role in the success of scholars. The school board sets policy, creates the overall atmosphere of the district, as well as distribute resources. As a board member I will ensure that the policies set by the board and resource distribution focus to meet the needs of all scholar attending FCS.
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