PROVEN LEADERSHIP and EXPERIENCE

In 2004 I was honored and humbled when elected to the Alamance-Burlington School System's Board of Education. I want to continue to serve our county as a member of this board because I believe that our school system is moving in the right direction, and I want to see further results of our efforts.  Our parents and community want quality, safe schools where children can learn to their potential in the core academic areas, and participate in quality arts and athletic programs.  If reelected, I will continue to work with parents, employees, and members of the community in order to have the best school system possible.  I will always listen to your ideas and concerns.

For 39 years, I have worked successfully as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and board member. I look forward to the opportunity of continuing to serve you as a member of the Alamance-Burlington Board of Education.

Personal Information

Career as an Educator

Steve retired in 2002 as Principal of Sellars-Gunn Education Center. While principal there, Steve initiated the Alternative to Suspension Program, a program for short term suspended students; and in cooperation with the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council , Children and Youth Services and Alamance Juvenile Justice, wrote and received a $500,000 grant to establish a Juvenile Day Reporting Center for Adjudicated Juveniles.

Steve also worked as Assistant Principal at Cummings High School for nine years, eight years as Band Director at East Rowan High School , and eleven years as Band Director at North Moore High School . Steve was the Moore County School 's Teacher of the Year for 1987-88. He served as Band Director at Clover Garden School for five years after retiring.

Community Leadership and Civic Activities

• Graham First United Methodist Church , 1989 to present. Chairperson of the Administration Council (2000 to 2005), member of the Finance, Education Committees; and is currently chairman of the Staff –Parish Committee. He is a member of the Chancel Choir, the JESS Quartet, and the Praise Ringers.
• A member of the Alamance Juvenile Crime Prevention Committee since 2004
• Boy Scouts of America , 1977 to present. Served as Cub Master and District Commissioner of Pack 88 in High Falls , 1978 to 1988. Was selected as Moore District, BSA “Commissioner of the Year” in 1980. Served as a member of the Alamance District Committee as the Chairman of the “Learning for Life” Program, 1992. He is currently serving as a committee member for Troop 41, First United Methodist Church in Graham.
• A member of the Alamance Chorale since 2002. Steve and his wife, Mary Ann, are currently serving as co-presidents.
• A member of the Alamance-Burlington Retired School Personnel since 2002, Steve is currently serving as Community Participation Chairperson.
• Robbins Area Civic Organization, 1979 to 1988. Held offices of President, Vice President, Secretary; and served as general chairman of the Farmers' Day Committee, Outstanding Citizens Banquet, and the Christmas Parade Committee.
• Member of the Literacy Advisory Committee for Alamance Community College , 1997 to 2004.
• Advisory Committee for Alamance Friends of Youth, 1998 to 2003.
• Alamance-Burlington Principals and Assistant Principals Association, 1988 to 2002. Vice President, 1991-92. President, 1992-93.
• Golf Coach at North Moore High School, 1985-1988.
• Earned the Eagle Scout Award in 1961, Troop 33, Kannapolis.

Education

• Catawba College , BA in Music Education.
• The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , MM in Music Education.
• North Carolina A&T State University , MS , in Public School Administration.
• The Assistant Principal's Executive Program, August, 1993. Served as a member of the Curriculum Advisory Committee for the Assistant Principal's Executive Program, 1992.
• Senior Fellow for the Institute for the Development of Educational Activities (IDEA), Dayton , Ohio , 1994 to 2002. Seminar Leader, 2000 to 2002.
• The North Carolina Principal Assessment Center (1987), and the North Carolina Assessment Center 's Springfield Developmental Program (1990).

Steve Van Pelt believes:

1. A strong economy for Alamance County means a strong, local educational system. People are Alamance County 's greatest asset. Our citizens are hard-working, loving, and honest people who care about their children and their community. They know that strong reading, writing, and math skills are a necessity for success. They also know that people without these skills are at a disadvantage in today's world.

The Alamance-Burlington School System is one of the most respected school systems in North Carolina . Our schools and students are so recognized because of our employees' dedication to our children. Teachers, staff and parents have worked successfully with students in order to raise and maintain test scores during the past few years. If our schools are to maximize the learning of all students, then the Alamance-Burlington School System must have competitive means to retain and recruit teachers and provide additional classroom resources.

Schools are about teaching and learning. It is necessary that ABSS recruit teachers and leaders with competitive salaries and good working conditions. Once hired, we must retain our teachers and leaders by providing training and good working conditions. Currently too many of them are driving to other nearby school systems after a short tenure here.

I support the development of a cooperative plan by our Board of Education and our County Commissioners , which will increase the resources for our schools until we are competitive with surrounding counties.

2. We, as a community, must deal with the school dropout problem. I believe that solving a 30% high school dropout rate cannot be accomplished by the schools and lawmakers alone. While we have reduced the dropout rate in the past generation our community must come to realize the economic impact dropouts have on a community. Studies show that because jobs for dropouts are limited and low paying, many dropouts turn to crime, are frequently unemployed, and are not as healthy. This high dropout rate impacts government services. Two years ago, I called for the dropout age to be raised from 16 to 18. While this idea is still being discussed, it will not do the job alone. School to work programs, additional guidance counseling, educating parents and students on dropout economics, and other interventions from elementary school through high school, will reduce the dropout rate, thus saving tax dollars by reducing the number of persons incarcerated, and seeking public assistance.

3. Good Schools are Safe Schools. I believe every student and employee should be free from harm and fear while at school or under the school's care, and I support strong policies dealing with student discipline. I support using any legal means to eliminate drugs and violence in our schools. It is the duty of the Board of Education to adopt policies dealing with school discipline and safety in the schools. In the past four years the ABSS Board of Education has initiated a drug testing program for students in extra-curricular programs and allowing parents to add in students who are not otherwise eligible for testing; we have added radios to our buses, thus enhancing our ability to communicate in case of bad weather or extreme disciplinary problems; video cameras have been added at our high schools and several other schools to monitor outside areas and other parts of our buildings. The current board is working proactively to make our schools safer.

4. We will need additional facilities in the near future. We have been good stewards of construction dollars given to us through the 2004 bond issue. Of the 36 million we were allotted, ABSS saved 3.5 million tax dollars which can be used for future school projects.

I also believe that it is now time to build an additional high school.
Alamance County has become and will continue to grow as a bedroom community for the Triad and the Triangle areas. The ABSS Board and administration are currently planning for this reality by studying growth patterns and identifying potential school sites in our county.

I believe that children should attend a school near their home community whenever possible. School loyalty is evident in parent and community support for every school in ABSS. Loyalty cannot be measured just in dollars, but can equally be measured in the good-will and support from the local community. Once a school community gets behind a project, great things happen. I believe it will be necessary to make adjustments to attendance zones as new schools are brought on line.

Major accomplishments of the ABSS Board of Education, 2004 to 2008

Teaching and Learning

• Have raised the teacher supplement from five to eight percent, making ABSS more competitive with surrounding school systems in hiring and retaining teachers.
• Have continued to stress the importance of reading, math and writing through continued staff development for teachers and other staff.
• Have continued to train teachers on how to engage students in authentic learning.
• Have maintained and raised state test scores on the NC ABCs of Public Education.
• Have initiated programs that encourage higher levels of learning for top performing students, and provide immediate remediation for low performing students.
• Restored zonal athletic funds in 2007.
• Initiated fine arts budgets for all schools in 2007.
• Gained accreditation as a school system through Southern Association in 2008.

Construction

• Completed all 2004 36.5 million bond package projects except for one in progress. This included a new elementary school ( Highland ). We were able to complete these projects on time for 3.5 million dollars under budget. This money can be used for future construction projects with approval of the ABSS Board of Education and the Alamance County Commissioners.

Safety

• Corrected the water problem at Western Middle School
• Installed two-way radios on all school buses.
• Installed video monitoring systems at all high schools.
• Initiated a random drug testing program for all high school students involved in extracurricular activities.
• Adopted a ‘Gang and Gang Related Activities Policy' forbidding certain acts and behavior related to gangs in the schools and during school events.
• Installed the Connect Ed Automated Phone Calling System which calls students, parents staff with prerecorded messages dealing with school closings or delays, reminders to students and parents, and other important announcements.

Personnel

• Hired Dr. Randy Bridges as superintendent when Dr. James Merrill retired.
• Have successfully replaced several central office administrators.
• Have successfully replaced several principals and assistant principals.
• Approved the installation of the AESOP substitute teacher calling program to ease the procurement of substitute teachers.