Chantal Wilford Runs For Manatee County School Board District 5 Seat

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — Manatee County voters will decide on the winner of the Manatee County School Board District 5 seat in the Aug. 23 primary election.

The following three candidates are vying for the position:

• James T. Golden
• Richard Tatem
• Chantal Wilford

Patch has asked all candidates to complete a questionnaire about their campaign and their priorities.

Wilford responded to our survey and his responses are posted below.

Campaign website

https://chantalwilford.com

City or town of residence

Lakewood Ranch

Office sought

School Board of Manatee County District 5

Education

After graduating from public high school in the US, I spent 7 years living in Europe either as a college student or teacher. I studied pedagogy at a college of education for two years in the Netherlands, then earned a Bachelor’s of Arts Honours degree in French, Russian, and Linguistics from the University of Durham in England, followed by a certificate to Teach English as a Foreign Language to Adults (TEFLA) in France where I taught for two years at businesses and a university in and around Paris before embarking on a year of post-graduate training as a translator and interpreter at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California.

Occupation

Translator (20+ years), childbirth education and birth doula (since 2005) and homeschool parent in Manatee County (14 years)

Family

Married with four children who all homeschooled K-4 and entered District 5 public schools for 5th grade. Two have now graduated, and we have one in middle school and one in high school.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Age

50

Previous public office, appointive or elective

No

Why are you seeking this office?

I have zero political aspirations beyond the school board - I am first and foremost a parent and educator. My primary goal is to support students and teachers in this district and throughout Manatee county. I want to support students, listen to teacher and parent concerns, and help to implement any changes that may further benefit our students, our community and our future. My belief is that our district is already strong in many ways but there is always room for reflection and improvement, and we should build on existing strengths as we look to the future. Let's ensure safe and high-quality public education for ALL students in Manatee County.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have been involved in education in some form or another for many years, from studying pedagogy and teaching English in Europe in the 90s to homeschooling my four kids over the course of 14 years here in Manatee County, where I've lived since 2005. I have had experience with kids in our public schools for 10 years now and have seven left to go. Having kids actively receiving education in this district provides me with insight into what really happens in our classrooms and the motivation to pivot my focus to ensuring the best educational environment we possibly can for ALL the students and teachers in district 5 and throughout this community.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

We need to stop over-testing our kids. We need to improve access to services at all levels, provide more guidance counselors and psychologists to support students and staff by identifying potential issues and de-escalating situations. We need to ensure everyone feels safe and welcome at school, everyone is supported with the necessary resources for them, whether that be for our ESE, ELL, gifted or any other category of students. It is critical that we attract and retain teachers and staff in order to achieve this.