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Frank Brown
The candidates included incumbent Frank Brown, Kelliene Fisher, incumbent Diane Hampton, incumbent Howard McKnight and Kim Phillips.
Each candidate had two minutes to respond to questions asked by those in attendance in the audience. There were two-minute presentations at the end by candidates.
Candidates running for N.C. Senate District 30 were invited, and attending were Don East, Paul Johnson and Ric Marshall. Robert Nickell was invited.
Brown, a Boonville resident, attended Boonville High, Oak Ridge Military Institute and Appalachian State. He has been a coach and principal here and is now an evening coordinator at Surry Community College’s Yadkin Center. He attends Boonville United Methodist Church and has been on the board eight years.
Hampton lives in Hamptonville and is a registered civil engineer with the N.C. Department of Transportation Division 9. Her husband, Randy, is a poultry and cattle farmer, and she attended Clemson University.
McKnight of Boonville attended Boonville High, Appalachian State and Wake Forest University. He has been on the board since 2002 and attends Richmond Hill Baptist Church.
Phillips has been married to local dentist Keith Phillips for 30 years and is a member of Yadkinville Methodist Church. She attended Forbush High in 1976, the University of Greensboro School of Nursing and has a Ph.d in epidemiolgy from the University of North Carolina School of Public Health.
“I’m back again,” said Phillips, a former county commissioner 2004-2008. She ran for school board in 2002.
“I’m running today because I want to improve the academic programs in Yadkin County schools,” she said. Among the commission’s accomplishments were building two new middle schools, she said.
“We relieved overcrowding. We built two science wings on the two high schools,” she said. “It’s tough times. We have teacher layoffs. We have budget cuts. We have unemployment.”
McKnight then took the floor. “As a board member for the past eight years, I have been very pleased with the progress that we have made,” he said, pledging to work for the best interests of the county’s students with a strong curriculum. He said he wants the best faculty members and better test scores.
Hampton has been on board of education for four years, and she said one of her interests has been advanced placement classes. “We have Algebra I in eighth grade now,” she said. “We have the Early College now.”
Heart resuscitators are in the schools now, she said, which is a plus. “My philosophy is that schools should be enjoyable,” she said. “Children should be academically challenged and prepared for the global economy and social skills and financial literacy. I would appreciate your vote May 4.”
Fisher is a mother.
“First of all public servants are supposed to be the voice of the people, and too many times I have seen public officials, local, state and federal, who do not listen to the people. I am not a politician which is probably one of the best qualifications that any candidate can have.”
“Every parent in the county knows how important it is to have a close relationship between themselves and the teachers and knowledge of the educational well-being of our children. Parents should be part of the educational system, not bystanders. Teachers should receive the proper respect that they deserve including fair and honest treatment. Teachers are the front line along with parents in equipping our children to succeed in life.”
The board should look for more ways to expand sources of revenues and use current funds sparingly.
Brown thanked the chamber for the forum. “Eight years seems like a long time, but we still have what I think is unfinished business,” he said. “We have been able to work closely with the county commissioners to build the facilities that we have. The facilities in Yadkin County are second to none. We have really moved forward in that. The challenge that we have now is we have a dropout rate, and the last time I calculated it, it was 20 percent.
“I say ninth grade to the 12th grade. We are about at 20 percent which is still better than most of the state, but we need to work with that. We need to make the courses even more demanding for our students,” said Brown. Early College classes help a lot, he said.
“We have to build a relationship with the commissioners to get what funds that we can, and we have to make sure we use them in a wise and beneficial manner.”
The school board candidates talked about many topics, from mandatory school uniforms to the Yadkin Success Academy.
What’s the greatest need besides money was one of the questions posed to the candidates?
McKnight: A quality education a student deserves. “Certainly we mentioned the money situation, but we need to look at whatever we can do for the needs of those students. Some students may not achieve as well as others. We need to look at those. We need to look at the needs of high achievers. We have to be sure we have the most qualified faculty for those students and that there is no need that goes unwanted.”
Hampton: “Our greatest need for our schools and our schools and our children is for them to graduate ready to conquer the world, ready to go to college, ready to get a job, for them to be ready for high-tech jobs. As an engineer, I’d like to see more emphasis on science and math.”
Fisher: “We need to make sure we keep kids in school. If they do not graduate, they will not succeed in life. There are a lot of kids who do not have books they can take home and study. Education is not a one-size –fits-all. Parents need to be able to help them when they are trying to study for a test.”
Brown: “Probably the greatest need besides money is to help students become more aware about how important getting an education is. Also, I think it’s important that parents learn how important an education is today.”
The jobs of yesterday are gone, Brown said, adding parents need to buy into the idea that the community can buy into working with businesses.
Phillips: “I think we need to get beyond ourselves to see without limits, to not let our dreams get pulled down by ‘nobody’s ever done that before.’ We need to get beyond that. We don’t need to be crabs in a pot. We need to help our children achieve everything. There is no limit to human potential.”
Hampton took the first question on a new reduction in central office staff and that there was “a lack of leadership at the district level.”
“I’m not so sure about what the question is referring to,” she said. “We need a strong superintendent…we don’t need more superintendents or more people at the top. I think our organization has been top-heavy in the past.” Test scores are up, Hampton said.
Fisher: “I think that you need to look at the budget and see where you can trim the most fat.”
Brown: “The reduction in the central office staff simply came about because we didn’t have the money to pay all the positions. Basically I think we have enough people if they are properly assigned to do what needs to be done in Yadkin County. I think we’ll do fine.”
Phillips: “We have a lot of teachers who are getting masters degrees. We could use those teachers in curriculum especially in elementary schools where a lot of those teachers already are.”
McKnight: “I think that we have good quality people. I think that we will be fine if we use the people that we have. I know we are under budget constraints with people. I think that we will be fine, just use the people wisely.”
Fisher was asked about alternative program funding of Yadkin Success Academy, and she said it is important.
“I think it’s very important, especially for some of those kids who may be at-risk. That way we can help them get ready for the future,” Fisher said.
Brown: “Well it serves its purpose in some way, but I have some questions about it. At the last count there were about 41 students there. The total is over $1 million. We do have students who benefit from that. That was one of the schools that would qualify for special funding from the federal government and state if we got the grant, but I really think we need to look closely at that school and see if we are getting the benefits from it that we are paying for.”
Phillips: “It depends on the numbers. We do have to meet the needs of the students who attend there. If financially we can meet those needs in other schools, we should do that.”
McKnight: “We need to look at the program and see if it is needed. It’s a help to those students. We are bound by financial restraints. I think it’s serving a good purpose.”
Hampton: “I think we need to keep a close eye on it. The children need to have their needs served.” There should be balance, she added.
Candidates were asked what they think about block schedules.
Brown: “I think for some classes a block system works well. My personal preference would be block systems.”
Phillips: “I’m not a fan of block class systems. There are some arts classes that do well in block, but I prefer a shorter time period. It’s hard to keep kids’ attention for 90 minutes.”
McKnight: “I think it all depends on the class. In my own situation the block situation worked just fine. It was ideal.”
Hampton: “I think it does depend on the classes. Who wants to spend 90 minutes in an English class? I wish we could do a combination of both if we could work it out.”
Fisher: “It would depend on what kind of class. For the most part I am not a big fan of block classes.”
Phillips was asked if the school board should sue the commissioner to secure funding.
“Unlikely. We have to work together. It’s always a schism,” she said. “Commissioners have the budget for everything to look at. It’s very difficult. It’s a balancing act for the entire county, not just the school system. The schools, it is the most expensive program to fund that we use county dollars for.”
McKnight: “I would certainly hope that two groups of people could work together and it would never get to the point you would have to do anything like that.”
Hampton: “We have to work together. We are all here for the kids. The commissioners care about the kids as much as the school board. I think we have a good relationship now.”
Fisher: “Absolutely not. I think that would send the wrong message to the community.”
Brown: “No I wouldn’t be in favor of suing them unless it was just dire circumstances and they cut us off, and you might have to, but as a general rule, no.”
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