WFAE: 2022 Cabarrus County Schools Board: Melanie Freeman

Supports the implementation of parent and student volunteers as tutors during class time.

- Supports the implementation of parent and student volunteers as tutors during class time.

School Facilities & Resources

As of June 14, 2024, Melanie Freeman’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Access to Education

Believes that one of the district's most significant funding needs is funding teachers, "especially for robotics and other career/academic or arts-type clubs."

Advocates for reflecting additional degrees in teacher pay, suggesting a raise system similar to that of government jobs.

- Believes that one of the district's most significant funding needs is funding teachers, "especially for robotics and other career/academic or arts-type clubs."
- Advocates for reflecting additional degrees in teacher pay, suggesting a raise system similar to that of government jobs.

Teachers

Branch Politics Candidate Survey

Wants to "go back to the fundamentals of reading, writing, and math."

Opposes education about gender and sexual identity.  In 2022 identified an affiliation with Moms for Liberty,  a group that is active on this issue.

Opposes the use of iPads as primary learning tools in elementary grades, advocating for more direct teacher-student interaction.

- Wants to "go back to the fundamentals of reading, writing, and math."
- Opposes education about gender and sexual identity.  In 2022 identified an affiliation with Moms for Liberty,  a group that is active on this issue.
- Opposes the use of iPads as primary learning tools in elementary grades, advocating for more direct teacher-student interaction.

School Curriculum

Advocates for cameras in the classroom as a way to improve student safety.

Supports extending the Parents’ Rights Bill to age 18, advocating for parental consultation and transparency in child-related matters.

Supports extending the Parents’ Rights Bill to age 18, advocating for parental notification and consultation.

- Advocates for cameras in the classroom as a way to improve student safety.
- Supports extending the Parents’ Rights Bill to age 18, advocating for parental notification and consultation.

Student Wellbeing

Facebook

Melanie Freeman

Ballotpedia: Catherine Bonds Moore

Opposed the closure of Beverly Hills Elementary School.

Supports providing mental health resources for school staff.

- Opposed the closure of Beverly Hills Elementary School.
- Supports providing mental health resources for school staff.

As of June 14, 2024, Catherine Bonds Moore’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Opposes mandatory staff development on uncapped workdays.

Advocates for prioritizing current employees for new positions when qualified.

Supports anonymous teacher feedback systems.

- Opposes mandatory staff development on uncapped workdays.
- Advocates for prioritizing current employees for new positions when qualified.
- Supports anonymous teacher feedback systems.

Opposes focusing exclusively on test scores in teacher evaluation.

- Opposes focusing exclusively on test scores in teacher evaluation.

Emphasizes the importance of crisis management teams and drills.

- Emphasizes the importance of crisis management teams and drills.

Catherine Bonds Moore

Ballotpedia

LinkedIn

Supports a balance between district leaders and school administrators concerning school operations.

Wants to prioritize transparency between educators and parents to enhance parental involvement in their children's education.

- Supports a balance between district leaders and school administrators concerning school operations.
- Plans to address spending concerns.
- Wants to prioritize transparency between educators and parents to enhance parental involvement in their children's education.

As of June 14, 2024, Greg Mills’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Wants to invest in longer-tenured teachers and provide them support needed to assist newer teachers.

Supports providing affordable housing to teachers in the county.

Supports enhancing the work culture to improve teacher staffing and retention.

- Wants to invest in longer-tenured teachers and provide them support needed to assist newer teachers.
- Supports providing affordable housing to teachers in the county.
- Supports enhancing the work culture to improve teacher staffing and retention.

Instagram

Twitter

Greg Mills

Ballotpedia: Keshia Sandidge

Opposes the recent mandate requiring school board candidates to run with party affiliations, previously serving as a nonpartisan member.

- Opposes the recent mandate requiring school board candidates to run with party affiliations, previously serving as a nonpartisan member.

Opposes recent expansion of private school voucher funding, stating it diverts resources from public schools.

- Opposes recent expansion of private school voucher funding, stating it diverts resources from public schools.

As of June 14, 2024, Keshia Sandidge did not have a website or any information online.

Supports expanding trade and specialized courses to prepare students for diverse career paths.

- Supports expanding trade and specialized courses to prepare students for diverse career paths.

Keshia Sandidge

Mishell Williams, Ballotpedia

Wants to ensure teachers and students have access to up-to-date materials, adequate staffing, and support services.

Funding for up-to-date materials, adequate staffing, and support services must keep up with the growing county.

Supports increasing funding for essential support staff including speech therapists, occupational therapists, and counselors.

Opposes teachers and administrators having to use personal funds for essential supplies.

- Funding for up-to-date materials, adequate staffing, and support services must keep up with the growing county.
- Supports increasing funding for essential support staff including speech therapists, occupational therapists, and counselors.
- Opposes teachers and administrators having to use personal funds for essential supplies.

Candidate website

Believes every student deserves a high-quality education and supports collaboration with families and community members to improve schools.

Supports student access to a high-quality education and wants to collaborate with families and community members to improve schools.

- Supports student access to a high-quality education and wants to collaborate with families and community members to improve schools.

Believes retaining highly qualified teachers is crucial. Plans to support policies that address teacher pay, shortages, and training to keep top talent in the district.

Plans to support policies that address teacher shortages and training to keep top talent in the district.

Opposes the decision to end additional pay for Master's degrees, stating it deters prospective educators.

- Plans to support policies that address teacher shortages and training to keep top talent in the district.
- Opposes the decision to end additional pay for Master's degrees, stating it deters prospective educators.

Believes schools should support college and career readiness.

Supports rigorous curriculum and differentiated instruction, with a focus on special education and resources for educators.

Supports rigorous standards and differentiated instruction, with appropriate special education resources . Believes that training, collaboration/mentoring, and coaching allow teachers to achieve these goals.

- Believes schools should support college and career readiness.
- Supports rigorous standards and differentiated instruction, with appropriate special education resources . Believes that training, collaboration/mentoring, and coaching allow teachers to achieve these goals.

Believes the physical and emotional safety of students and staff is a priority. Supports policies ensuring school safety.

Supports policies ensuring school safety and prioritizes the physical and emotional safety of students and staff.

Believes in supporting the "whole child," including cognitive, social-emotional, physical, mental, and academic development.

Said, “I am a lifelong educator and a strong advocate for supporting the "whole child," which includes cognitive, social-emotional, physical, mental, and academic development.”

Advocates for reviewing and improving current anti-bullying measures.

- Supports policies ensuring school safety and prioritizes the physical and emotional safety of students and staff.
- Said, “I am a lifelong educator and a strong advocate for supporting the "whole child," which includes cognitive, social-emotional, physical, mental, and academic development.”
- Advocates for reviewing and improving current anti-bullying measures.

Mishell Williams

Ballotpedia, Namu Kachroo

Believes schools are overcrowded due to rapid county growth and plans to foster collaboration between city, county, and school systems to address this issue.

Opposes frequent school rezoning, citing disruption to students' social networks and academic consistency.

- Believes schools are overcrowded due to rapid county growth and plans to foster collaboration between city, county, and school systems to address this issue.
- Opposes frequent school rezoning, citing disruption to students' social networks and academic consistency.

Believes "it takes a village to raise a child" and supports community involvement in education to enrich students' experiences.

Supports community involvement in education to enrich students' experiences.

- Supports community involvement in education to enrich students' experiences.

Believes teachers are essential and supports "competitive compensation," personalized professional development, and access to resources to address teacher shortages and training. Plans to advocate for policies that empower and retain educators.

Supports competitive compensation, personalized professional development, and access to resources to address teacher shortages and training. 

Supports benefits based on qualifications, experience, and performance.

- Supports competitive compensation, personalized professional development, and access to resources to address teacher shortages and training. 
- Supports benefits based on qualifications, experience, and performance.

As of June 14, 2024, Namu Kachroo’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes recess is crucial for middle school students' physical, social, emotional, and cognitive well-being. Plans to ensure adequate time for unstructured play and relaxation in their educational journey.

Believes recess is crucial for middle school students' physical, social, emotional, and cognitive well-being. 

- Believes recess is crucial for middle school students' physical, social, emotional, and cognitive well-being. 

Namu Kachroo

Ballotpedia: Rob Cerulo

As of June 14, 2024, Rob Cerulo did not have a website or any information online.

Rob Cerulo

Believes current school facilities lack capacity for projected student growth. Plans to adjust the 10-year plan annually to address this issue.

Believes more new schools will be needed soon despite recent funding and construction. Supports temporary solutions like enhanced magnet options, mobile classrooms, and boundary changes but acknowledges ongoing challenges due to growth.

Believes more new schools will be needed soon despite recent funding and construction. Supports temporary solutions like enhanced magnet options, mobile classrooms, and boundary changes.

Believes large schools hinder student engagement and participation. Supports building smaller schools to foster personal connections and involvement.

Believes Cabarrus County Schools should reflect community values and opposes excessive Federal and State control. Supports local officials advocating for community-specific policies and resource allocation.

- Believes current school facilities lack capacity for projected student growth. Plans to adjust the 10-year plan annually to address this issue.
- Believes more new schools will be needed soon despite recent funding and construction. Supports temporary solutions like enhanced magnet options, mobile classrooms, and boundary changes.
- Believes large schools hinder student engagement and participation. Supports building smaller schools to foster personal connections and involvement.
- Believes Cabarrus County Schools should reflect community values and opposes excessive Federal and State control. Supports local officials advocating for community-specific policies and resource allocation.

Opposes making the CAP the first choice for school options and urges consideration of alternatives like expanding magnet programs and minor redistricting.

Believes in offering diverse educational programs to engage and challenge students at their ability level. Supports providing skills that help students compete for higher education and local workforce opportunities.

Believes in prioritizing parental involvement, keeping families informed, and assisting them in supporting their children and school community.

- Opposes making the CAP the first choice for school options and urges consideration of alternatives like expanding magnet programs and minor redistricting.
- Believes in offering diverse educational programs to engage and challenge students at their ability level. Supports providing skills that help students compete for higher education and local workforce opportunities.
- Believes in prioritizing parental involvement, keeping families informed, and assisting them in supporting their children and school community.

Believes in improving working conditions, resources, professional development, and administrative support for teachers. Supports competitive pay to attract and reward effective teachers.

- Believes in improving working conditions, resources, professional development, and administrative support for teachers. Supports competitive pay to attract and reward effective teachers.

Believes performance test scores and student growth need improvement and highlights funding challenges, noting only "$50 per child for all instructional resources, assessment tools, and textbooks."

Believes performance test scores and student growth need improvement, highlighting funding challenges.

Supports initiatives to improve academic outcomes, including STEM programs, Global Ready schools, IB and SPLASH expansions, NAF High School academies, and a new Early College.

- Believes performance test scores and student growth need improvement, highlighting funding challenges.
- Supports initiatives to improve academic outcomes, including STEM programs, Global Ready schools, IB and SPLASH expansions, NAF High School academies, and a new Early College.

Believes parent involvement is crucial for student success and requires a partnership with schools and teachers. Supports encouraging learning, individual learning styles, and providing accountability to help students reach their full potential.

Believes parent involvement is crucial for student success and requires a partnership with schools and teachers. 

- Believes parent involvement is crucial for student success and requires a partnership with schools and teachers. 

Robert (Rob) Walter

- The Board of Education runs the public school system. They create policies that establish standards, accountability and evaluation of essential operations of the school system.
- The Board of Education member hires a superintendent and can remove them when necessary. The superintendent assists the Board of Education in implementing the board’s policies. 
- The Board of Education is charged with deciding the school budget. This means they decide how to allocate money between different services, such as teacher pay, repairing school facilities, or access to technology.
- Board of Education members are elected every four years. 