A career educator from Caddo Parish says he plans to run for the 4th District Board of Elementary and Secondary Education position.

Victor Mainiero graduated from Caddo Magnet High School, Louisiana State University in Shreveport and Centenary College. He began his career in education as a Social Studies teacher at Southwood High School, where he later served as an assistant principal. Four years later, he was named principal at Youree Drive Middle School, where he served five years.

Mainiero has been a leader at the district level for the past three years, serving as Director of Communications and currently as the Director of High Schools for Caddo Parish. He and his wife Melissa, also an educator, are the parents of three children ages 7, 17 and 18. A news release states his role as a parent of a first-grader, a high school child with a disability and a college freshman only increase his desire to serve the state as the next BESE member.

The 4th BESE District represents 10 parishes: Caddo, Bossier, Webster, DeSoto, Red River, Bienville, Sabine, Natchitoches, Winn and Vernon. The primary election is scheduled for March 28, 2015.

Mainiero sent out this statement on his position on Common Core State Standards:

I support the standards chosen for the students of Louisiana. Many parents and educators, myself included, in collaboration with business and industry have validated the standards as what is needed to ensure students are prepared for a productive future like other students across the country.

 

My goal is to bring both sides of the debate together to move this conversation out of political venues to productive conversations about what is really needed for teachers and students. It is then that we can examine where we are, where we need to go and how we get there. This is the only way to move forward in a collective way so that students, teachers, and families feel supported.

 

It is my belief that at this point in the transition it is possible to come together to:

 

CELEBRATE all we have accomplished while staying mindful of how far we have to go.

 

FOCUS on what matters most - Louisiana’s children who deserve experiences that expand their future
opportunities.

 

SUPPORT those leading our children into the future - teachers, families and communities.

 

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