The Roanoke Star asked both candidates for the Vinton District School Board race to engage in a Q&A interview by email. The candidates did not know what the other candidate was asked, and they did not see the other’s responses before they were published.
The term is for 4 years; the last day to vote is Nov. 4. This interview is with Tim Greenway, local realtor and the current incumbent.
1.What is your primary reason for seeking re-election to the school board this year?
I have five primary reasons—my five grandchildren—along with many other reasons, including the children of our friends who attend schools in the Vinton District.
Our school board has worked closely with Dr. Nicely and his staff to make our division one of the best in the region. We are currently ranked among the top school divisions in Virginia—6th in math and 7th in reading out of 131 districts statewide. I am proud to have been part of that success, but more importantly, I don’t want to see us take a step backward.
We need to keep our foot on the gas pedal and continue moving forward. Too many other divisions are struggling under social pressures and distractions from outside the classroom. Our focus must remain on supporting our teachers, empowering our students, and maintaining the academic excellence our community has worked so hard to achieve.
2. What is your plan to combat bullying in schools and help students’ mental health?
Along with my fellow board members, we have continually sought ways to strengthen our policies and practices in this important area. None of us condone bullying or accept it in any form. We take this issue seriously because every student deserves to feel safe, supported, and respected at school. Under Dr. Nicely’s leadership, several initiatives have been implemented to help students recognize, report, and cope with bullying. These programs also focus on building empathy, kindness, and positive relationships across all grade levels. We will continue to review our progress and address this issue at every meeting and every opportunity, ensuring that our schools remain a safe haven for all children.
As for the mental health and well-being of our students, we have made it a top priority. Each year, we have added more counselors—specifically life counselors—in every school. This support became especially critical after COVID, when we saw a significant rise in anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges among students. By providing consistent access to trained professionals, we’re helping students build resilience, learn healthy coping skills, and feel seen and heard. We remain committed to expanding these efforts so that every student has the tools and support they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom.
3. What is your position on biological males competing in female sports?
That it absolutely should not be allowed and will never see a vote of affirmation from me….simply put absolutely no!
4. What is your position on Gov. Younkin’s policy mandating students use bathrooms and locker rooms based on their specific, natural sex at birth?
Again, it’s pretty simple for me — I agree 100%. I will not support any policy that allows biological males to use female restrooms, and I will stand firmly against this notion at every opportunity. The safety, privacy, and comfort of our students must always come first.
As a grandfather of two granddaughters, this issue is personal to me. I want them — and every young woman in our schools — to feel safe and protected. As long as I have a vote on this board, I will continue to advocate for policies that maintain that standard.
5. What is one positive thing you’d like to say about your opponent?
My opponent is a school teacher, and she has my utmost respect and appreciation for the work she does with children. I believe Amber teaches 4th grade, and my own sister teaches 4th grade in Roanoke County, so I understand firsthand the dedication, patience, and heart it takes to guide students every day. I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face — teachers deserve to be paid like doctors and lawyers. Our society must do better when it comes to supporting those who educate our children and those who protect our communities, including our law enforcement officers.
Let me also say that Amber appears to be a kind, thoughtful, and respectful person. While I don’t know her personally, she seems to possess many admirable qualities, and I have nothing but good things to say about her.
6. How important do you think grade-appropriate writing, higher-level thinking, and reading entire books should be in our curriculum?
There’s a lot to unpack in this question, and it’s difficult to cover it all in just a paragraph or two. I’ll start by saying that if a child isn’t reading proficiently by third grade, research shows they are statistically far more likely to struggle academically for the rest of their lives. Many experts in the field of education have emphasized this, which is why it’s so important that our students get off to a strong start.
Roanoke County has made significant efforts in this area by providing tutors, additional resources, and after-school programs designed to bridge learning gaps and support every student.
This is also one of the main reasons I was so passionate about keeping our elementary-aged children in school full-time during COVID. While I wanted all grade levels to return to the classroom, it was especially critical for our youngest learners. Those early years are foundational, and missing in-person instruction during that stage can have long-term effects on reading and comprehension.
When it comes to higher-level thinking, our students have access to a variety of enrichment opportunities — from STEM projects and the Governor’s School to other advanced programs that encourage curiosity and innovation. I do believe that the emphasis on SOLs can sometimes limit opportunities for deeper, creative thinking. However, our teachers do an outstanding job of finding ways to integrate critical thinking, problem-solving, and real-world learning into their lessons. Dr. Nicely has also made it a priority to ensure that students continue to have opportunities that challenge and inspire them.
As for reading entire books, I’m a firm believer that the more students read, the more they grow — not just academically, but personally. Reading full books builds comprehension, vocabulary, focus, and a love of learning. We should always strive to encourage our students to read as much as possible, especially complete works, whenever we can.
7. How do you respond to this article? Specifically, do you think the article’s title and overall tone are accurate or misleading? (Specifically, the headline from Cardinal News reads “Greenway’s election fraud charge (….)” but there seems to be some dispute as to if it constitutes actual election fraud or is a case of paperwork or deadline errors.)
I’ll say the same thing I’ve said before — I made a simple mistake, and I took responsibility for it immediately. From the moment it happened, I owned it. I pled not guilty and agreed to complete community service, which is something I’ve always valued and practiced throughout my life. My commitment to serving this community has never wavered, and I was glad to fulfill that obligation and move forward, keeping the focus where it belongs — on our schools, our students, and our community’s future.
– Scott Dreyer
