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Carly Bosco

Tell the voters a little about yourself. (Where are you from, family, work, hobbies, etc.)

My husband and I have lived in Hampton Roads since 2006. We moved to Driver in 2018 with the birth of our third child. I’m originally from suburban Detroit and I have earned degrees in Chemical Engineering and Technology Management. My career over the past 20 years has been spent in engineering and program management. I am currently a senior leader for an aerospace research and STEM education non-profit, enabling my passion for nurturing students pursuing STEM pathways. Much of my free time goes to supporting the extracurricular pursuits of my children. I also love to dance and practice yoga.

What made you decide you were interested in serving as a member of the SPS school board?

With 3 students in the district, I am an active volunteer with SPS, spending time in classrooms, libraries and at special events.  I am committed to doing things within my capability to better the district for all students while creating a welcoming and supportive culture for students, staff and the community.  I have been interested in serving for several years, back to 2021 when I sought the appointment to fill Mr. Mitnick’s vacated board seat. I am a strong leader, with strengths in fostering conversation to create transparency and decisions that are founded on a common understanding of core issues.

What do you see as the board’s roles and responsibilities?

The School Board should be setting an example of excellence for the district to follow. Officially, School Board responsibilities are defined by Virginia statute and primarily involve oversight and compliance. Board governance in all forms serves to hold the organization accountable to the stated mission. More generally, I believe the board’s responsibility is to foster a district in which each child attending Suffolk Public Schools receives high quality instruction and has access to appropriate enrichment opportunities, allowing them to forge their own path to successful adulthood.

How would you describe an effective school board member?

The most important traits to being an effective board member are engagement through listening and learning; welcoming to the voices of those who know more ; and a spirit of collaboration especially with those who have different viewpoints. All groups function better and achieve better outcomes when they leverage the strengths of individual members.  Success requires active conversation which relies on mutual trust. An effective school board should be unified in wanting to serve the best interests of  students and teachers at large, not personal agendas.

How will you engage the community to improve public schools in the SPS division?

Firstly I would revisit the current policies governing how the public are able to engage and address the board at the monthly meetings to make it easier for invested parties to have their voices heard and noted on the record. I would also love to make it easier for community members with talents to share to be afforded more opportunities to volunteer. We should welcome those willing to share their talents with our students. Fostering greater engagement builds our sense of community and will help rebuild trust between the board, the district and the public.

What in your background leads you to believe that you would be an effective school board member?

Throughout my career, my positions have always required balancing competing stakeholder demands. Rarely does anyone get exactly what they want, but when everyone feels heard and understood, buy-in to a fair solution is realistic. As I have advanced thru levels of leadership, I have learned that there is always more to the context of a situation than shows on the surface. I have learned to communicate honestly about what can be shared and what remains private, but with trust and credibility there is no presumption of deception or negative intent in what is left out.

In your opinion, what are the most important issues facing Suffolk Public Schools?

Staff recruitment and retention is at the top of the list. We cannot provide high quality education in overfilled classes with overworked teachers. We need our classrooms fully staffed with permanent teachers. We need our buildings fully staffed with support personnel to allow teachers to focus on instruction rather than ‘everything else’. We need administration support in handling disruptive classroom behaviors.  Secondly, managing the impact of the city’s growing population. We must work with the City Council to ensure adequate infrastructure enhancements and capital expenditures are supported as more residential development is approved and the student population continues to grow.

What are the educational gaps or weaknesses in your district?

I believe the most room for growth lies in support for the students and teachers in Special Education. The responsibilities are too great on individual teachers and the result is frustrated caregivers and teachers both, who spend too much time fighting to get children the support and services they need and are legally entitled to. Another area where growth is needed is ensuring adequate accountability and follow thru for disruptive and inappropriate student behaviors. Negative behaviors impact the teachers’ ability to maintain a class environment conducive to learning for all students; administration and families must be willing to address this.

What are the educational strengths in your district?

I think Suffolk has an amazing collection of dedicated teachers providing outstanding education with the resources available to them. The high school specialty programs offer great opportunities for career and college readiness and the soon-to-come STEM elementary program will expand on differentiated options. It would be great to build on the strengths at individual buildings with more direct support and knowledge sharing so more of the ‘extras’ can be standardized across grade level schools – like STEM clubs, Battle of the Books and other enrichment clubs that currently rely on a teacher to initiate and support beyond their contract duties. 

What is something voters may not know about you that you would like them to know?

I attended Catholic school K-12 growing up. I was unsure what to expect when we opted for public school for our children. I have truly been blown away by our experience. It has not been all sunshine and roses, but I am so grateful for the relationships and friendships our family has been able to develop with staff and the other families we have been lucky enough to meet. I want every Suffolk family, regardless of their zip code and every student, regardless of their ability, to have a similar positive reflection of their experience in SPS.

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Heather Howell

Tell the voters a little about yourself. (Where are you from, family, work, hobbies, etc.)     

I was born and raised in Suffolk, Virginia. I graduated from Nansemond River High School in 1995. I taught in SPS from 2001-2012, with a brief gap when my son was born. I have a background in special education, with a master’s in mental health counseling, and an endorsement as a reading specialist. I live in Brittany Farms with my husband and two children. I love traveling, especially to the beach and the mountains. Currently, I serve as a special education advocate and offer reading tutoring services. 

What made you decide you were interested in serving as a member of the SPS school board?  

When I first ran for the school board in 2021, I did so because I saw a need in my community. After a great deal of prayer and family conversations, I took the steps to be certified to the ballot. The process has pretty much been the same when deciding whether or not to seek re-election. I’ve spent a great deal of time in prayer, consulting with trusted church mentors, and discussing the idea with my family. Having served the past 3 years, I felt led to run again.

What do you see as the board’s roles and responsibilities? 

Per the state code (and many, many board conversations), I see the 3 primary roles of a school board to be hiring and evaluating the superintendent, evaluating and approving the superintendent’s annual budget, and crafting and evaluating policies to promote the success of SPS.

How would you describe an effective school board member? 

An effective school board member must have strong communication skills, be discerning and do research, approach every task with humility and a willingness to learn, and be accessible to their community and the SPS family. It also important to be collaborative, flexible, and engaged.

How will you engage the community to improve public schools in the SPS division? 

There are a multitude of ways to engage the community, including town hall meetings, attendance at civic league meetings, and use of social media. I think it is also important to participate in school activities and events, making sure the community is aware of them and included as well. In the past, I have even met constituents for coffee to address concerns and questions. 

What in your background leads you to believe that you would be an effective school board member? 

Serving on the board the past three years has provided the most valuable and relevant experience. I have grown so much personally and professionally during this journey, and I am ready to continue the work and build on the relationships developed and progress made. With a background in education, I am able to navigate the ins and outs of policy development and budget review while keeping the daily impact on students and staff at the forefront of the process.

In your opinion, what are the most important issues facing Suffolk Public Schools? 

The two most important focal points for me are supporting and improving academic achievement and building a sense of unity in our school community. Our students perform better when there is an open and strong relationship between schools and families, between SPS and the community.

What are the educational gaps or weaknesses in your district? 

Per the recent data, science continues to be an area requiring focus and improvement. With new English SOLs on the horizon, as well as math, those core areas will need purposeful planning and training. Our special education population continues to require our persistent and fervent advocating. 

What are the educational strengths in your district? 

At the secondary level, we have several specialty programs, such as Project Lead the Way and the Center for Fine and Performing Arts, that provide our secondary students with real life experience, knowledge, and training. CCAP allows for our students to graduate “work-force ready.” Per the preliminary data from 2023-2024 SOLs, our students maintain achievement in English and math. STEM continues to be a focus and innovative field in SPS, preparing our students for careers in the future.

What is something voters may not know about you that you would like them to know? 

I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I could remember. I used to make my little brother complete homemade “worksheets” before he could even write his name. After my first babysitting gig during my junior year of high school, my passion for education honed in on the area of special education. The only other career I have ever truly considered is that of a library media specialist. I love books!

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