ABOUT SAMMY MCNEILL: I have lived in Moore County most of my life spending the last 43 years in the Westmoore Community. Living in the midst of pottery country along with all the hard-working men and women.

About Sammy McNeill

Upon retiring from the school system in 2016, I spent the next five years doing mission work. The work was centered on our youth and I did it through the WWNTBM in Kings Mountain. Then COVID showed up and basically shut down the work.

Then COVID showed up and basically shut down the work. During that time Bright Light Baptist Church lost their Pastor to covid and called me asking would I fill in for a while. I agreed and a few months later the church asked would I consider remaining as the Pastor. That was five years ago and that’s where I find myself at the present time.

Sammy McNeill has lived in Moore County most of his life, including the last 43 years in the Westmoore Community. After retiring from the school system in 2016, he spent five years engaged in youth-centered mission work through WWNTBM in Kings Mountain. He is the pastor of Bright Light Baptist Church.

There’s a sense of Faith, Family, Friends and Freedom that brings its residents closer together. I have spent my adult life in public service working for Sheriff Wise at the Moore County Sheriff’s Office. Then with the support and encouragement of the Sheriff I accepted a job with the Moore County Schools as their only active officer.

Then with the support and encouragement of the Sheriff I accepted a job with the Moore County Schools as their only active officer. Over the next 24 years I led the way in establishing what is now known as the Moore County Schools Police Department. I served as the Chief until I retired in 2016. During my tenure as Chief the department was recognized on many occasions for its accomplishments in school safety.

In my spare time I served as a certified instructor for the state, teaching and training in the Basic Law Enforcement program at Sandhills Community College. I also spent a few years coaching at Westmoore, North Moore, New Century and Union Pines.

In my spare time I served as a certified instructor for the state, teaching and training in the Basic Law Enforcement program at Sandhills Community College. I also spent a few years coaching at Westmoore, North Moore, New Century and Union Pines. I still consider the years I spent coaching as time well spent.

Working with those students was such a blessing. I even taught American Courts for one semester at one of our high schools, so I understand some of the challenges our teachers face daily.

Sammy McNeill currently serves as pastor of Bright Light Baptist Church. He previously worked at the Moore County Sheriff’s Office and for Moore County Schools, where he served as chief of what is now the Moore County Schools Police Department. He also served as a certified state instructor in the Basic Law Enforcement program at Sandhills Community College, coached at Westmoore, North Moore, New Century and Union Pines, and taught American Courts at a local high school.

2026 North Carolina General Election

We are living in times of uncertainty and it seems weekly we hear of violent acts being committed across our lands. Unfortunately, many of those acts are taking place on school grounds. I know how to secure our schools and I have a plan to do just that. It still amazes me when I hear people say “all you have to do is this…” when they’ve never spent any time inside a school building. Each school presents its own set of obstacles and I know how to navigate them. If elected I would work with the superintendant on how we should address these obstacles. When addressing safe schools one must understand and consider things such as: Location (capacity compared to enrollment), ability to actually lock down all buildings, bus riders compared to car riders, construction (were the facilities constructed within the “safe schools by design model”, cameras, landscaping, traffic patterns, fencing, etc. That’s only the beginning of securing our schools.

Sammy McNeill for Moore County Board of Education - Stance

Plans to work with the superintendent on school-safety issues, including capacity, building lockdowns, transportation, and facility design.

- Plans to work with the superintendent on school-safety issues, including capacity, building lockdowns, transportation, and facility design.

School Facilities & Resources

When addressing safe schools one must understand and consider things such as: Location (capacity compared to enrollment), ability to actually lock down all buildings, bus riders compared to car riders, construction (were the facilities constructed within the “safe schools by design model”, cameras, landscaping, traffic patterns, fencing, etc. That’s only the beginning of securing our schools. You also have to address our special needs population which many times can be forgotten when developing these plans. In addition you have to adhere to the standards established and enforced by OSHA and all other local, state and federal guidelines. Let’s not forget the Americans with Disabilities Act as well.

Said school-safety plans must address the needs of students with disabilities.

- Said school-safety plans must address the needs of students with disabilities.

Access to Education

EMPLOYEES: I will support the employees of the Moore County School System. I appreciate the sacrifice they make and the commitment they have shown to our students. I will always work to make sure they are properly compensated for all they do. I also believe in accountability throughout the entire system. Set the standards high and help the students achieve them. It’s never a good idea to lower standards to accommodate a weakness.

Pledges to support Moore County Schools employees and work to ensure they are properly compensated.

- Pledges to support Moore County Schools employees and work to ensure they are properly compensated.

Teachers

I will always work to make sure they are properly compensated for all they do. I also believe in accountability throughout the entire system. Set the standards high and help the students achieve them. It’s never a good idea to lower standards to accommodate a weakness.

PROFICIENCY: The current reading proficiently rate does concern me. It’s great to see that we’re doing better, and it appears we’re tracking in the right direction. Saying that, I’ll work to determine what programs are working and move on from those programs that continue to underperform. Being a good school system does not satisfy me. Remember “good is the enemy of great”. I’ll work to make the Moore County Schools a great school system.

I’ll work to make the Moore County Schools a great school system. A superintendant once told me “if a child isn’t reading at third grade level when they move on to the fourth grade, their chance of graduating high school is less than 5%”. As a board member I will work tirelessly with our superintendant to determine what methods of teaching are working and what’s not in those early years. Every child deserves the very best we can offer to prepare them for success.

Supports high academic standards and opposes lowering standards to accommodate weaknesses.

Supports high academic standards and opposes lowering standards to "accommodate a weakness."

Plans to assess reading and early-grade teaching programs, retaining those that work and moving on from underperforming programs.

- Supports high academic standards and opposes lowering standards to "accommodate a weakness."
- Plans to assess reading and early-grade teaching programs, retaining those that work and moving on from underperforming programs.

School Curriculum

Let’s not forget the Americans with Disabilities Act as well. All of these present challenges when trying to implement safety plans. I dealt with this for 24 years and understand the roles they play in securing our schools. There’s more to securing our schools than meets the eye. Having law enforcement at every school is a must, but that’s only the beginning of what needs to be addressed. I know how to do it and look forward to seeing it happen.

Supports placing law enforcement at every school as part of broader school-safety planning.

- Supports placing law enforcement at every school as part of broader school-safety planning.

Student Wellbeing

Sammy McNeill

- Plans to assess reading and early-grade teaching programs, retaining those that work and moving on from underperforming programs.

Isaac Brickman

Walter Ley

Chris A. Steiner

- 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