Shannon Hinkhaus
Running for school board in Carroll County
Email: shannonforcarroll@gmail.com
Website: www.shannonforcarroll.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/p/Shannon-Hinkhaus-for-Carroll-61582805082966/
How old will you be on Election Day (Nov. 3)?
49
Are you currently employed? If so, where, and what is your job title?
Yes, legal assistant for estate administration practice
What is the highest level of education that you completed, and where did you get that degree?
B.A. in business administration with a minor in accounting from McDaniel College
Why are you running for the school board?
I am running for school board because the experience of COVID-19 showed me how important it is to have local elected officials who are engaged, willing to do the work and accountable to the community they serve. Since 2020, I have paid close attention to Carroll County Public Schools and the issues facing our schools. I have seen that there is no shortage of challenges—from academic achievement and classroom priorities to technology, school safety and responsible use of taxpayer dollars. I believe our school board needs members who will roll up their sleeves, ask questions, dig into the data, listen to parents and teachers and make thoughtful decisions based on what is best for students and our community. With my background in business, finance and accounting, I bring a practical, detail-oriented perspective to the board. I want to help ensure that our schools remain focused on academic excellence, that parents have a meaningful voice, that teachers are supported and that taxpayer dollars are used responsibly. I am running because I believe Carroll County deserves school board members who will work hard, lead with common sense and be accountable for results.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I believe I am a good candidate for the board because I bring a combination of firsthand experience with Carroll County Public Schools, a background in finance and accounting and a willingness to dig into the issues and do the work required to make informed decisions. I am a lifelong Carroll County resident and the mother of three children who each attended Carroll County Public Schools from kindergarten through graduation. I have volunteered in our schools in many capacities, giving me an appreciation for both the opportunities and challenges within our classrooms. Professionally, my background in business, finance and accounting has taught me to pay attention to the details, ask questions, analyze information and understand how decisions affect a larger budget. I would bring that same approach to the board, particularly when reviewing a school system budget that involves hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. I also believe effective school board members need to listen. I want to hear from parents, teachers, administrators, students and taxpayers, consider different perspectives and then make thoughtful decisions based on facts, data and the needs of our community. I am not running because I believe I have all the answers. I am running because I am willing to learn, ask the difficult questions, work collaboratively and remain accountable to the people I represent.
What is the most important issue facing your school board and what would you do about it if elected?
It is difficult to choose just one issue facing our school system. We have declining enrollment, significant capital needs, school safety and classroom-environment concerns and financial pressures. However, my top priority is student achievement, particularly ensuring that every child leaves the early grades with a strong foundation in reading, writing and mathematics. I would begin by taking a closer look at student performance beyond simply reviewing annual Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program results. We need to understand where students are struggling, identify what is working and establish measurable goals for improvement. I would also examine the factors affecting the classroom learning environment, including how we use technology in grades three through eight and how we address ongoing classroom disruptions. I believe technology should be a tool, not the default method of instruction. Children need opportunities to practice foundational skills through direct instruction, reading, writing and hands-on work. Pointing and clicking to identify the 50 states, for example, is not the same as writing those state names on a map. Students also cannot learn effectively when classrooms are repeatedly disrupted. We need to support teachers in maintaining orderly classrooms while ensuring that students who need additional support receive it. If elected, I would focus on measurable academic outcomes, examine the effectiveness of current instructional practices, listen to teachers and parents and make decisions that put learning at the center of the school day.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
I can easily identify a public leader I admire: Donna Sivigny, who served on the Carroll County Board of Education from 2016–2024.
Sivigny was an admirable board member because she took the time to learn the issues, ask thoughtful questions and work toward real solutions. In the board meetings I watched, I was consistently impressed by the questions she asked of staff. They were purposeful, informed and demonstrated that she had taken the time to understand the issue before reaching a conclusion.
I admire that approach to public service. I believe elected officials have a responsibility to do their homework, ask questions, listen carefully and apply logic and reason rather than simply react to the issue of the day.
That is the example I would strive to follow if elected to the Board of Education.
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, passed by the General Assembly in 2021, is a 10-year plan that includes increased funding to support early childhood education, higher teacher starting pay, college/career-readiness standards for high school graduates, and expanded services to multilingual and impoverished families, among other goals. Since the Blueprint's implementation, test scores have increased modestly in many parts of the state, but some school officials complain about the costs and administrative burdens placed on them by the Blueprint. Please tell us your views on the Blueprint and how it is affecting your school district.
I recognize that the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future includes goals that I support, particularly improving academic achievement, supporting teachers and preparing students for college and careers. However, I have concerns about the cost, mandates and especially the loss of local flexibility that come with its implementation. For Carroll County, the Blueprint has brought additional state funding, but it has also created significant financial and administrative challenges. Carroll County Public Schools has had to seek an extension of its Blueprint fiscal compliance requirements, and we continue to work through how to meet those requirements. As a school board member, I would focus on ensuring that Blueprint requirements actually translate into better outcomes for Carroll County students. I would want the board to carefully evaluate the return on every dollar being spent, distinguish between requirements that are producing meaningful results and those that are primarily administrative, and advocate for greater local flexibility when state mandates do not fit our community’s needs. I believe Maryland should set high expectations for its schools, but local school boards should have meaningful input into how those expectations are achieved. Carroll County has unique demographics, resources and challenges, and our board should have the ability to make decisions based on what works best for our students, teachers and taxpayers.
Chronic absenteeism has been a problem in many schools since the Covid-19 pandemic. How big of a problem is absenteeism in your school district, and what if anything can the Board of Education do about it?
Chronic absenteeism remains a concern in Carroll County, even though our rate is below the statewide average. Nearly one in five Carroll County Public Schools students is chronically absent, representing a significant amount of lost instructional time. Carroll County Public Schools already has attendance interventions in place, including Pupil Personnel Workers who monitor attendance and work with students and families, as well as school-level attendance initiatives and support plans. As a board member, I would want to understand what the district is learning from these efforts and where additional strategies may be needed. We should continue to examine attendance data, identify the factors contributing to chronic absenteeism and build on interventions that are demonstrating success. Schools and families both have an important role to play. When legitimate barriers exist, schools should work with families to address them. At the same time, we need to reinforce the importance of regular attendance and parental responsibility. Every instructional day matters, particularly for students who are already struggling academically.
Are you satisfied with your school district's policy on AI use by students? If so, why? If not, what would you suggest to improve the AI policy?
I believe the board should have a specific discussion about the use of artificial intelligence by students and whether our current guidance adequately addresses it. Carroll County Public Schools has developed guidance regarding the instructional use of generative AI, including expectations around teacher-approved use and academic honesty. I believe the board should review that guidance in light of Maryland’s current AI framework and determine whether additional local policy is needed. My concern is that AI can become a substitute for the thinking, writing, research and problem solving students need to develop themselves. Students should learn about AI and how to use it responsibly, but that is different from relying on AI to complete their work. I would support clear, age-appropriate expectations across all grade levels, including guidance on student use, academic integrity, privacy, approved tools and parental transparency. Technology should support learning, not replace it, and students should continue doing the work necessary to build strong foundational skills.
Youth mental health has been a growing concern for years now. Do you think your school district has the resources and personnel in place to deal with this issue adequately? If not, what would you suggest to improve the situation?
Carroll County Public Schools has resources in place to address student mental health, including school counselors, psychologists, therapists and behavior support specialists. I would want the board to understand whether those resources are meeting the needs of students and families. Schools have an important role in identifying concerns, supporting students and connecting families with appropriate resources, but schools cannot and should not replace parents or outside mental health professionals. Families should be partners in addressing concerns and deciding what support is appropriate for their children. I also believe we need to maintain the proper balance. Schools should provide a safe, supportive environment and address legitimate mental health needs, while keeping their primary mission focused on education and academic achievement. We should evaluate whether our current resources are effective, identify gaps in service and work with families and community providers to address those gaps without shifting responsibilities that belong outside the school setting.
Do you think there are circumstances when books should be removed from school libraries? If so, what kind of books should be removed, and who should make those decisions?
Yes. I believe there are circumstances when a book may be inappropriate for a school library, particularly when its content is not age-appropriate or contains explicit sexual content that does not belong in a school setting. At the same time, I do not believe books should be removed simply because they contain difficult, controversial or unpopular ideas. Students should have access to quality literature that challenges them and expands their understanding. Carroll County Public Schools already has a formal reconsideration process for parents, teachers, students and community members to raise concerns about instructional and library materials. I believe this is a good process because it provides an opportunity for concerns to be reviewed thoughtfully rather than allowing one person to make that decision. I would support continuing to use that process, with careful consideration of the age of the students and whether the material is appropriate for a school library. Parents should also have a meaningful voice in determining what is appropriate for their own children.
