Cathy Kowalewski
Running for school board in Harford County District C
Email: CathyKowalewski4BoardofEd@gmail.com
Website: www.cathykforboardofed.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/4230030603878930
How old will you be on Election Day (Nov. 3)?
65
Are you currently employed? If so, where, and what is your job title?
Yes. I am a school psychologist with Harford County Public Schools.
What is the highest level of education that you completed, and where did you get that degree?
Master's degree plus a certificate of advanced study from Loyola University, Maryland
Why are you running for the school board?
I am running for the Board of Education to be able to have a positive influence on what happens in our schools and to make sure policies are geared toward helping all students be safe, make academic gains and feel welcome. I also want to make sure that educators have a voice at the table with what is happening in our schools, as they are primarily the ones who have to implement policies in our schools. I want to to help educate everyone, including the public, regarding how things work in our school system and rely on research to make decisions, placing facts over feelings. I want to help ensure transparency and accountability, which extends to staff, students and families, so that all are working together to help students enter our school buildings ready to learn.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I have worked in education for 43 years and understand the needs of our educators and students. I also understand how schools work and what the strengths and needs of our school system are. My husband and I have lived in Harford County for 30 years and raised two children who went through Harford County Public Schools. I serve as a team member on many different teams as part of my role as a school psychologist and know how to work together with others to accomplish common goals. I am the only candidate in my district that has a background in education and direct knowledge of what is happening in our schools and the needs of our students.
What is the most important issue facing your school board and what would you do about it if elected?
The most important issue right now I believe is safety of all who enter our building. We have some safety initiatives in place including the use of weapons detection systems, school safety liaisons and school resource officers. I would advocate and work towards expanding these initiatives so that they are available in every school in Harford County.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
I admire Pope Leo XIV because he stands up for all people regardless of race, religion, socio-economic status, gender identity, etc., and he is a man of peace.
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 believe that the Blueprint has many positive aspects to it, including universal pre-K. However, the cost of implementing the Blueprint without significant financial support from the county government, which Harford County Public Schools does not receive, presents significant challenges.
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?
The current rate of chronic absenteeism in Harford County Public Schools is roughly 15 to 16%, which is lower than the state average. Individual schools have attendance incentives and for some schools attendance is part of the individual school improvement plan. The Board of Education can encourage schools to engage in interventions that will improve attendance such as providing appropriate staffing like our Pupil Personnel Workers who reach out to families about attendance and making sure schools have what they need to do attendance incentives.
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?
The school system is in the process of ongoing changes and training in the use of AI as well as restricting the overall use of computers in the lower grades. Right now, there are restrictions by grade level on the use of AI in classrooms and I think ongoing evaluation of the restrictions and procedures needs to occur and revisions made when needed based on research and observations.
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?
I think that Harford County Public Schools needs more school psychologists, school counselors and school social workers to address the mental health needs of our students. There are suggested student ratios for each of these positions by their respective professional organizations and I believe these should be followed. Our school counselors, school psychologists and school social workers are all doing their best but are overwhelmed by the number of students needing assistance.
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?
I do not believe that books should be removed from school libraries. I trust our librarians to curate books for their library collections. Our school system serves children of all races, religions, gender identities, etc. and students should be able to find themselves in the books in our libraries. Parents already have the option to contact their child's school media specialist and prohibit their child from checking out any book that they have concerns about and each parent should be monitoring what their child is doing.
