THE STAR, Cleveland County Board of education candidates talk priorities, challenges and team work

Wants to develop trust and "collaborate with teammates" to foster teamwork.

Plans to set goals and establish roles for the team she works with.

Supports communication and receiving feedback from coworkers.

- Wants to develop trust and "collaborate with teammates" to foster teamwork.
- Plans to set goals and establish roles for the team she works with.
- Supports communication and receiving feedback from coworkers.

School Facilities & Resources

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

Access to Education

Plans to establish teacher policies aimed to address "the learning crisis", including increased teacher compassion and empathy, providing active listening instruction, and developing stronger student and parent relationships.

- Plans to establish teacher policies aimed to address "the learning crisis", including increased teacher compassion and empathy, providing active listening instruction, and developing stronger student and parent relationships.

Teachers

School Curriculum

Believes "learning crisis, bullying, and parent involvement" are the most important issues for County Schools.

Plans to install policies aimed to minimize bullying.

- Believes "learning crisis, bullying, and parent involvement" are the most important issues for County Schools.
- Plans to install policies aimed to minimize bullying.

Student Wellbeing

Facebook

Tracy Ross

Cleveland County Democratic Party, SAVE THE CLEVELAND COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD

The Star, Former Crest coach honored

Ballotpedia, Coleman Hunt

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

Coleman Hunt

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

Said, "I have conservative values and promise to represent all students and fight for higher standards of education."

- Said, "I have conservative values and promise to represent all students and fight for higher standards of education."

David Fisher

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

Plans to support advancements in all departments and teachers achieving advanced degrees.

Advocates for teacher support in instruction, classroom management, and curriculum support.

- Plans to support advancements in all departments and teachers achieving advanced degrees.
- Advocates for teacher support in instruction, classroom management, and curriculum support.

Plans to put in measurable goals to increase student achievement.

- Encourages parental engagement.
- Plans to put in measurable goals to increase student achievement.

Wants to make sure schools have the tools to respond to emergency situtations.

- Wants to make sure schools have the tools to respond to emergency situtations.

Gloria Sherman

LinkedIn

Cleveland County Schools, Board of Education

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

Helped create student managment assistance response teams that are trained in suicidial ideation and risk assessment.

Said, "Security will always be a top priority for me."

- Helped create student managment assistance response teams that are trained in suicidial ideation and risk assessment.
- Supported weapon detectors.
- Said, "Security will always be a top priority for me."

Instagram

Twitter

Joel Shores

Ballotpedia, Kenneth A. Ledford

As of June 14, 2024, Kenneth A. Ledford did not have a website or any information online.

Wants to mandate the Superintendent implement policies and procedures that received board approval by providing instructions and evaluations to the Superintendent.

- Wants to mandate the Superintendent implement policies and procedures that received board approval by providing instructions and evaluations to the Superintendent.

Believes the most important issues for County Schools are "developing a board [that]...can work together for the betterment of our children, discipline in the schools, [and] bulling and eliminating inappropriate books in school libraries..."

- Believes the most important issues for County Schools are "developing a board [that]...can work together for the betterment of our children, discipline in the schools, [and] bulling and eliminating inappropriate books in school libraries..."

Wants to develop community trust by installing an Open Door Policy for students, parents, teachers, school staff, and administrators.

- Wants to develop community trust by installing an Open Door Policy for students, parents, teachers, school staff, and administrators.

Kenneth A. Ledford

Said, "I will fight to keep our tax dollars in our county public school system."

- Said, "I will fight to keep our tax dollars in our county public school system."

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

Said, "I will ensure that our students have the digital survival skills and critical thinking skills to navigate our modern high-tech world."

- Said, "I will ensure that our students have the digital survival skills and critical thinking skills to navigate our modern high-tech world."

Said, "I will embrace, promote, and celebrate diversity in Cleveland County schools."

- Said, "I will embrace, promote, and celebrate diversity in Cleveland County schools."

Rod Powell

Candidate website

Supports funding and staffing the maintenance department to properly maintain and improve school assets and infrastructure.

Supports funding and staffing the maintenance department to maintain and improve school assets and infrastructure.

Plans to ensure the School System operates effectively and promises to be a good steward of tax dollars by allocating funds to meet students' needs and drive improvement.

Plans to effectively use funds to meet students' needs.

- Supports funding and staffing the maintenance department to maintain and improve school assets and infrastructure.
- Plans to effectively use funds to meet students' needs.

Believes categorizing students by race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status in education is harmful and perpetuates biases. Supports removing grouping and labels from educational institutions to prevent irreparable harm.

Supports removing groupings and labels, such as race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status, in education to prevent harm and biases.

Believes delegating "close the gap" responsibility to local school districts will better address educational disparities. Said, "accountability occurs after the fact," while "responsibility requires taking continuous ownership."

Believes delegating "close the gap" responsibility to local school districts will better address educational disparities. 

Believes providing a "sound basic education" is a complex task requiring local and state collaboration. Supports investment in education as vital to the future health and well-being of the community.

- Supports removing groupings and labels, such as race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status, in education to prevent harm and biases.
- Believes delegating "close the gap" responsibility to local school districts will better address educational disparities. 

Believes teachers should be treated as professionals and opposes increased governmental oversight. Supports equipping and supporting teachers to improve student outcomes.

Opposes increased governmental oversight of teachers.  

Believes teachers should be respected as professionals and granted autonomy. Opposes excessive government oversight and standardized test-based evaluations.

- Opposes increased governmental oversight of teachers.  

Believes schools should focus less on standardized testing and more on critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Said, "Every new education reform enacted in the US since the 1970s has increased testing and made it increasingly difficult for teachers to teach."

Wants schools to focus less on standardized testing and more on critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 

Believes the US school curriculum is "inflexible and stringent" compared to Finland's flexible, teacher-developed approach. Supports a broad-based guideline allowing local adaptation to meet students' needs.

Supports Finland's flexible, teacher-developed curriculum that allows "valuable class time to promotes inquiry, analysis, and application."

Believes all graduates should be equipped with critical thinking skills, practical knowledge, and a strong academic foundation to pursue college, trade school, or the workforce.

Wants all students to have critical thinking skills, practical knowledge, and a strong academic foundation for college, trade school, or the workforce.

Believes in meeting the diverse needs of students and teachers through differentiated instruction and culturally responsive education. Supports educational equity by providing equal opportunities rather than identical treatment.

Said, "To achieve educational equity our students need the same opportunities, not the same treatment. Our curriculum should incorporate differentiated instruction and culturally responsive education."

- Wants schools to focus less on standardized testing and more on critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 
- Supports Finland's flexible, teacher-developed curriculum that allows "valuable class time to promotes inquiry, analysis, and application."
- Wants all students to have critical thinking skills, practical knowledge, and a strong academic foundation for college, trade school, or the workforce.
- Said, "To achieve educational equity our students need the same opportunities, not the same treatment. Our curriculum should incorporate differentiated instruction and culturally responsive education."

Believes in prioritizing the health, safety, and welfare of students, staff, and the public. Plans to seek necessary funding for personnel, training, and equipment to ensure school safety.

Prioritizes the health, safety, and welfare of students, staff, and the public. 

Believes Cleveland County Schools should provide a "safe, supportive learning environment" and exceptional care for students and staff.

Believes in prioritizing the health, safety, and welfare of students and staff.

Believes the school system must openly share relevant information when problems arise, except for personnel or student issues protected by confidentiality laws.

Believes the school system must share relevant information when problems arise.

- Prioritizes the health, safety, and welfare of students, staff, and the public. 
- Believes the school system must share relevant information when problems arise.

Ron Humphries

- 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. 