Jon Pepper
Dulles District School Board
Empowering students.
Empowering educators.
Empowering the community.
Empowering PUBLIC Education.
Meet Jon
Jon Pepper has dedicated his career to public education in Northern Virginia. Over the past 20 years, he has served as a middle and high school science teacher, coach, student activities director, dean, curriculum developer, and assistant principal in several public schools.
In addition to his full-time work in the public schools, Jon serves as a professional development facilitator for math and science teachers across the United States and internationally, with a focus on incorporating online simulations into math and science curriculum. He holds master's degrees in curriculum and instruction and education administration and supervision.
Jon has been a Loudoun County and Dulles District resident since 2015 and is the parent of two elementary-aged children who attend LCPS. He currently resides in Aldie with his wife, two kids, and goldendoodle.
Issues
Educator Recruitment and Retention
The greatest current challenge facing our public schools is the ability to recruit and retain high-quality educators for our schools. While there are many factors that go into recruitment and retention such as administrative support, community involvement, and access to resources, there is perhaps no bigger factor that salary and benefits. Many educators in LCPS cannot afford to live in Loudoun County and this minimizes their ability to connect with and be involved in the day-to-day life of our schools. Despite being the wealthiest county in Virginia, compensation in LCPS lags behind nearby jurisdictions and prevents LCPS from recruiting and retaining the best possible staff.
Student Safety and Wellness
Public schools are the place where America educates ALL students to prepare them to become active contributors in a 21st-century society. As such, we need to ensure that our students feel safe, secure, and welcomed in school. Prioritizing student health and wellness is paramount in my campaign and I will work tirelessly to ensure that all students have access to the resources they need to feel both mentally and physically supported in a school setting -- while still maintaining accountability. Additionally, protecting our students, especially those in marginalized groups, from the attacks of others (including the federal and/or state government) will be central to any school board policies or programs that I will support.
Fiscal Responsibility
As elected officials, school board members hold the responsibility to ensure that tax dollars are spent in a manner that provides the greatest benefit for the greatest number of students. While we appear to be entering lean budget times in our near future, I will work to ensure that our dollars are maximized in the places that we need it most -- those positions, people, and programs that are explicitly student-facing and give us the most benefit for our money.
Communication
Many community members feel disconnected from the school board, only look to their school board representative if they are having issues, and have little knowledge of the day-to-day workings of our public schools. I plan to be a tireless communicator through social media and newsletters to ensure that the citizens of the Dulles district are aware of the issues facing the schools and children of Loudoun County.