The Incumbents

Tryon township resident Mike Ashworth decided to run for school board first in 2018 and is the current chair of the board. He has four children in county schools, and he says that what the schools need now is status quo.

Polk Schools: Status Quo, or Is It Time for Change?

Tryon is a people-oriented community that values the arts, nature and the individuality of all persons. The town’s warmth and sense of togetherness is what brought our Managing Director, Mike Ashworth, to Tryon in 2010. He knew this was the right place to call home while visiting an elementary school for his children.

Our Western North Carolina Community

Mike Ashworth has called Tryon home since 2010 and has four children in county schools.

Polk Board of Education recognizes attorney, educators | The Tryon ...

Tryon is a people-oriented community that values the arts, nature and the individuality of all persons. The town’s warmth and sense of togetherness is what brought our Managing Director, Mike Ashworth, to Tryon in 2010.

Mike Ashworth currently serves as chair of the Polk County Board of Education.

2026 North Carolina General Election

As of January 5, 2026, Mike Ashworth did not have a website or any information online.

School Facilities & Resources

Access to Education

“We’re not getting the funding we’d like to have. We take pride in our small headcounts, but that means more staff. We’re spreading things more thin every year.” Teachers have enough on their plates, he said, and they don’t need any more testing added. Facility priorities have been a $6 million HVAC upgrade, moving Forbes Preschool to Tryon Elementary campus, and installing safety equipment at Polk Central.

Opposes adding more testing requirements for teachers.

- Opposes adding more testing requirements for teachers.

Teachers

School Curriculum

Student Wellbeing

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BadRequest

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Mike Ashworth

As of January 5, 2026, Mike Ashworth’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Tryon township resident Mike Ashworth decided to run for school board first in 2018 and is the current chair of the board. He has four children in county schools, and he says that what the schools need now is status quo.

Polk schools: Status quo or is it time for change?

He says that the top ranked school system has an attractive economic benefit as people move here for the quality of the schools. Ashworth has served on numerous boards in the community including Polk Wellness Center, St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation and Thermal Belt Outreach Ministries. He says he is able to work with all members of the board and this makes him an effective school board member.

Mike Ashworth lives in Tryon Township and has four children in county schools. He has served on boards including Polk Wellness Center, St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation, and Thermal Belt Outreach Ministries.

Swearing in of the Elected and Re-Elected Board Members: Geoffrey Tennant, Sherry
Page, Judy Jackson, Mike Ashworth (Action)
The Clerk of Court then administered the oath of office to Mr. Geoffrey Tennant, Ms. Sherry
Page, Ms. Judy Jackson, and Mr. Mike Ashworth. Each of the elected members took the oath of
office individually and all affirmed to fulfill the constitutional and statutory obligations
contained in their oath of office.

BOE Minutes 12-17-18.pdf

ELECTED OFFICIALS

Donald J. Trump, 45th & 47th President of the United States

J.D. Vance, Vice President of the United States

Ted Budd, U.S. Senator

Thom Tillis, U.S. Senator

Tim Moore, U.S. House of Representatives, District 14

Chuck Edwards, U.S. House of Representatives, District 11

Steven W. Troxler, NC Commissioner of Agriculture

Mike Causey, NC Commissioner of Insurance

Luke Farley, NC Labor Commissioner

Dave Boliek, NC Auditor

Brad Briner, NC Treasurer

Timothy Moffitt, NC Senator, District 48

Jake Johnson, NC House Representative, District 113

Andrew Murray, District Attorney, Prosecutorial District 42

Tim Wright, Polk County Sheriff

Sheila Whitmire, Polk County Register of Deeds (2024 Golden Elephant Award)

Myron Yoder, Polk County Commissioner, Chair

David Moore, Polk County Commissioner, Vice Chair (2023 & 2024 Polk County Republican of the Year)

Paul Beiler, Polk County Commissioner

Tommy Melton, Polk County Commissioner

Michael Ashworth, Polk County Board of Education, Chair

Judy N. Jackson, Polk County Board of Education

Sherry Page, Polk County Board of Education

Rick Stich, Polk County Board of Education

__________________

Polk County Republican Party Leadership

Mike currently serves on the Polk County Board of Education. He was elected in 2018.

Party Leadership - Polk County Republican Party

Said the district is not receiving the funding it wants and is spreading its staff thinner to maintain small class sizes.

Calls for avoiding major upheaval in schools, saying teachers, administrators, and staff need normalcy.

Opposes adding more testing for teachers.

As a board of education member, prioritized school facility upgrades, including a $6 million HVAC upgrade, moving Forbes Preschool to Tryon Elementary campus, and installing safety equipment at Polk Central.

As a board of education member, prioritized upgrading the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

Sahid Burgos

Buket Urgen

- 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. 

Member of the board that governs your county's public school system