PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Page Valley News will be publishing profiles of local candidates in two contested races in this fall’s general election in August and September. These Q&As will be published around midday on Mondays and Thursdays in alphabetical order for each race.
In September, PVN will be broadcasting pre-recorded candidate forums among the candidates in these two contested races through our YouTube channel. Click on the link here or the YouTube icon in the upper right on our Home page to subscribe to our channel ahead of time.
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Jon Griffith
- Age: 44
- Education: Bachelor of Science, Business Management & Organization Development, Eastern Mennonite University, 2007; Associates in Arts & Sciences Degree, Lord Fairfax (Laurel Ridge) Community College, 2003; Advanced Diploma, Luray High School, 1999.
- Work: Safety and Training Director, Harrisonburg Electric Commission – Harrisonburg, VA, 2016 – Present; Safety & Occupational Health Director/ Training Program Administrator/ Emergency Action Team – Brigade Captain, Axalta Coating Systems, (Formerly) E.I. Dupont de Nemours – Front Royal, VA, 2003 – 2016; Inventory Control Manager/ Safety and Risk Control Team, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. – Luray, VA, 1999 – 2003.
- Community involvement: Over 20 years of coaching and mentoring Page County youth through numerous youth sports programs — Co-founder, Board Member, and Coach – Luray Bulldogs Lacrosse (youth league); President, Board Member, and Coach – Page County Lacrosse (youth league); Treasurer, Assistant Vice President, Board Member, and Coach – Luray Youth Football and Cheer League; Vice President, Board Member, and Coach – Luray Little League.
- Family: Girlfriend, Jenny Mayes; son, Cade; daughter, Cara.
• Why are you running for public office?
I’m a parent, coach, and lifetime resident of Page County and District 2. I decided to run for the school board office because I care deeply about our schools and the future of our children. I have kids in our school system and every decision made by the school board directly impacts my family, just as it impacts our entire community in some way.
I’ve seen the strengths in our school system, but I’ve also observed where we need to make improvements. Through 20-plus years of being involved in youth programs in our community, I have seen that many families have needs that only our school system can provide. For many kids, school is the best part of their day, and it is our responsibility as a community to provide that for them.
My priorities:
- Improve communication and trust with parents and the community.
- Support and retain great teachers.
- Evaluate the amount of screen time and Chromebook use within our schools to ensure quality education is delivered to our students.
- Improve infrastructure for safe and secure school facilities, that makes sense for our current financial situation in Page County.
- Evaluate the use of taxpayer dollars to ensure responsibility and effectiveness.
• What makes you the best candidate for Page County School Board’s District 2 seat?
I have lived in District 2 my whole life. This community consists of my family, friends, neighbors and life-long acquaintances. I’m not a politician, and I’m not running for personal gain, for my own opinion, or as a stepping-stone. I am running to be a voice for our community. I believe our students deserve the best education possible, parents deserve a voice in the process, and our teachers deserve support.
I have been a voice for our students and community for many years. After COVID, I showed up to school board meetings and voiced my concerns to advocate for getting our kids back in the classroom full-time.
However, I do not claim to have all the answers and that’s where I want to hear the opinions of our community and make the best decisions possible to represent them so we can provide quality education and a great learning environment for our students.
• What is the most pressing issue facing Page County Public Schools and how would you address it?
Currently, I think we have three very important challenges facing our school system:
• Infrastructure/facilities – As many people in our county already know, we are at a very important crossroads for maintaining our school facilities. There are tough decisions to be made in the coming months about possible consolidation, renovation or building new schools in the future. The voice of our community needs to lead the process that makes those final decisions, as the future of our children and tax dollars could be greatly affected.
• Retaining Teachers – Our teachers need support. We need to make sure our school system is allowing teachers to give input without fear of retaliation, paying competitive wages/benefits, providing manageable classroom sizes, supporting appropriate discipline in the classroom, and ensuring that our teachers never have to purchase essential classroom supplies with their own money.
• Chromebooks/screen time – One of my biggest concerns for our students is screen time in the classroom. Technology has its place, but I believe we need a better balance that brings back textbooks, writing with pencil and paper, critical thinking, and hands-on learning. Globally and even neighboring school systems have already started phasing out screen time and Page County needs to follow as well for the health and well-being of our children.
• What is the best thing about Page County Public Schools and how would you maintain or improve it?
The best thing about Page County Public Schools is the small town, family-feel of walking through the school doors and down the hallways, knowing that our children are in good hands with friends, family, and neighbors who are teaching them valuable lessons for life. We need to preserve this character by maintaining our facilities and supporting our great teachers and retaining them for their entire careers. It is a great feeling to be out in our community and see your teacher from many years ago and know that they believed in you and changed your life! If we want consistent, quality education for our children then we must start sustaining the main source.
• Briefly describe a decision you have made in a leadership role and tell why you made that decision.
A decision I have made many times in my 25-plus years of safety leadership is to slow or stop productivity, when necessary, to ensure the safety of employees, as well as safe work practices and OSHA standards are being met. This can sometimes frustrate employees who take pride in their work and who have strong work ethics and values. My approach has always been to communicate the reason(s) behind the decision, listen to their concerns, and find common ground. I’ve learned that effective leadership requires mutual respect, understanding, and not just hearing people, but truly listening to them.
Early voting starts Friday, Sept. 18
For election information visit the Page County Voter Registrar.
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