HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — The following is a transcription of an interview conducted with Harrisonburg City School Board candidate Kaylene Seigle. To hear his full interview along with other candidates Matt Snyder, and Tim Howley, click here. Please note that Rocktown Now and WSVA attempted to contact Harrisonburg City School Board Candidate Hazzar Pastor Perdomo multiple times, but received no response.

Question 1
Why do you believe you should be reelected to the Harrisonburg City School Board?

Kaylene Seigle: Well, I believe that I bring a different perspective to the board, and I enjoy being on the board even though I face the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s also rewarding at times. I would be honored to be to be reelected.

Question 2
You’ve been on the board how many terms now?

SEIGLE: 2 terms.

Question 3
So that means you were there pre COVID, during COVID, and now post COVID. When you take a look at those years that you’ve been on the Harrisonburg City School Board, are there specific issues that you think your point of view has been very important to help the board deal with whatever that issue was?

SEIGLE: Yes, it is pretty wild of how  your views, yeah, are definitely different from others, but going through those experiences has been quite interesting and it has been challenging. But you know, if I had to do it all over again, I would.

Question 4
What’s the toughest decision you’ve had to make during your time on the board? Or maybe I should ask, prioritize them, maybe from 1 to 5, because I would assume there’s been more than one.

Seigle: Yes. So, voting on the new high school, which is now Rocktown. Voting on the collective bargaining regardless of if my vote was yes or no. Actually, those are the two big ones.

Question 5
Do you think there’s one solution out there that can be utilized to try to either eliminate or minimize what seems to be the series of threats that schools, not just in Harrisonburg, but across the country are now facing these days?

SEIGLE: So, the Harrisonburg City Schools have put in place protocols, weapon detectors, certain things to help eliminate threats. We have our school resource officers as well. And I think communication and being aware of your surroundings, whether you’re a student or a  staff member that you just have to be more aware of not just of where you are, but be aware of your fellow students, what is going on in in their lives or their behaviors in case of a inside threat, but I think that that would be a key solution.

Question 6
Do you think that the protocols that you mentioned that Harrisonburg City Schools have put in place encouraging parents, students, staff to basically, and I don’t think there’s a better way to say it, if you see something say something has been effective.

SEIGLE: One thing I will say when, well, not just with one shooting, but when the recent shootings had occurred, especially in Georgia, Harrisonburg has taken steps to get ahead, and not just wait around, but to be proactive and I definitely admire that.

Question 7
Are there particular areas of the school system that you would like to see get more or increased funding in the future?

SEIGLE: Personally would like to see a little more or have an extra SRO in the schools.

Question 8
Final question for you, is there a main area of emphasis that you’ll be concentrating on if you get reelected to the school board?

SEIGLE: Well, I would like to continue my relationship with Massanutten Technical Center and right at the moment, there’s not a particular issue, but that that is one of my goals, is to continue that relationship.