In advance of the upcoming May 24 general primary election, the Times-Courier asked candidates running for Board of Education Districts 4 and 5 to answer four questions.
District 4 candidates are Michael Bramlett (incumbent) and Michele Penland. District 5 candidates are Jacob Callihan and Sam Snider.
Here is how they answered:
What experience or skills make you qualified to hold a seat on the Gilmer County Board of Education?
Michael Bramlett: I’ve been a Gilmer Board of Education member for 30 years. I began in 1987 and served several times as board chairman. I’m a lifelong Gilmer County resident and a Gilmer High School graduate and Bobcat. During my time on the board, I had three children graduate from Gilmer schools and currently have four grandchildren enrolled. Along with my service to the board, I retired in 2020 after 42 years of service in the banking industry. Thirty years were as lending officer and 12 as bank manager at BB&T/Truist. All banks served were here in Gilmer County.
Jacob Callihan: When you’re in business for yourself as I am, you’re forced to learn from your mistakes. I had to build relationships with my employees, vendors and community. I learned to compromise when necessary and make personal sacrifices for the good of my business and employees. I know the consequences of financial decisions and face them daily.
Working in the school system gives experience you need to represent our BOE, but it’s different from experiences gained when being solely financially responsible for yourself and others. BOE needs people with different experiences and perspectives working together to achieve the goals at hand.
Michele Penland: As a lifelong Gilmer County resident, I spent 31 years working in the school system as a teacher, administrator and at the district level overseeing testing and secondary curriculum. I was director for Career, Technical and Agricultural Education for 10 years and played an instrumental part in construction of the Agricultural Education Center on the Clear Creek campus.
For the last 30+ years, I’ve worked with my husband, Lee, in our family business, Penland’s Apple House. Between my education and business background, I have the knowledge that will allow me to make a positive impact within our school system.
Sam Snider: My experience and roles in Gilmer County have been varied. I bring 36 years as a teacher, 26 years in Gilmer County. I taught K-12 physical education, science and CTAE.
I have experienced extracurricular activities as the head coach of 17 state champion wrestling teams, state-placing track and cross country teams and winning football teams.
I have served as a department chair, on curriculum committees and formed athletic budgets. I have run a tile business for over 20 years.
I serve as pastor of Mountaintown Baptist Church. I am a father, grandfather and property tax-paying citizen.
What, in your opinion, is the most pressing issue facing the Gilmer County School System, and what suggestions do you have to improve it?
Michael Bramlett: Since COVID and the changes it brought, our school system has implemented multiple strategies to getting our kids back to normal in the classroom. COVID and its effects changed the way of life for everyone, and our system has done a great job at creating strategies to improve attendance, behaviors and overall success of the children. However, our work is not done! We should be having more discussions on items that are important to the public in open sessions more often. Parents and the community should have input.
Jacob Callihan: Right now, our biggest issue is recruiting qualified people to work in our school district. We need to keep working to make Gilmer even more attractive by increasing student achievement and by making sure our local supplement is competitive, if not better, than surrounding districts. I would love to work to create an environment where all employees; administration, teachers, coaches, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, janitorial and maintenance staff would work for and retire from Gilmer schools.
Michele Penland: With a good work ethic, students are motivated and ready to be professional at school and will enhance their value as employees. Attendance has become a major concern since the pandemic. Student absences impact a child’s ability to succeed not only in school but later in the workplace. One solution would be for schools to emphasize character traits K-5 and work ethics 6-12. This will provide a foundation for good judgment and decision-making and can be the determining factor in how well students do in school and in life.
Sam Snider: Leadership. People thrive within safe, clear boundaries. People need encouragement, support and tools to reach their potential, thereby inspiring and encouraging more leaders. We need different ideas. We need people to challenge us. Leaders take ownership of their work and their future. Leaders expect accountability which accompanies greater success. As a leader, I surround myself with people who challenge and question me. So my question would be, why do we seem to always look outside our county for our school leaders? We should embrace leadership and cultivate it daily. We should encourage people to lead with purpose.
When a school board member abstains or votes against a measure that’s been recommended for approval by the superintendent during open monthly meetings, does that board member owe it to the public to explain their reasoning? Why or why not?
Michael Bramlett: As mentioned above, I feel if we had more open, public sessions with free discussion about issues, this should either cut down on the disagreement from the board member(s) or open up times for further, more in-depth discussions.
Jacob Callihan: Yes, BOE members are elected and should always be transparent about their votes. I would not vote no, nor abstain from a vote without giving reason or explanation as to why. I think most questions a board member has about a measure should be asked in open meetings. Members can gather all the information necessary through questions in these open meetings before voting. This would at least give the public a better understanding as to why a member is voting a certain way. I would always operate in full transparency of my stance on an issue.
Michele Penland: Decisions on matters other than employee performance, employment contracts and compensation should be made only after full discussion at a publicly-held board meeting work session, which takes place a few days before voting. From discussion at the public work session, one should be able to see where each board member stands on the issues. Opinions should be expressed before voting at the work session, but after the board vote, board members should abide by and support all majority decisions of the board. Authority of the board rests only with the board as a whole, not with individual board members.
Sam Snider: Many decisions are discussed during work sessions. The superintendent is tasked to lead the school system. The board is primarily elected for oversight and to approve the budget. When a board does not completely agree with the superintendent’s decision, then it is the prerogative of each board member to vote according to their own conscience. Each board member must decide how they will represent the people of their district and Gilmer County. If it is appropriate to discuss the decision, then different views could be clearly stated before a vote is cast. Transparency helps to clarify decisions and reduce confusion.
What is your opinion of school governance teams (teams that include administrators, parents and teachers at each school who provide input on certain matters) and the role they play in Gilmer’s charter system?
Michael Bramlett: I find these teams very important and beneficial to the overall success of the county. Prior to becoming a charter school, governance teams were not in our school system. Therefore, the community input was not as important or utilized. Having these teams has allowed a wide range of viewpoints and inputs that are all needed to ensure our children’s educational success. These teams and their inputs give the board and the superintendent another way to view programs and also allow for other ideas that may have not been considered. Overall, these teams make us a better school system.
Jacob Callihan: School governance teams are very important. They allow parents, teachers and community members input about issues, curriculum decisions, calendars and other programs in schools. They also provide transparency for our community within our schools.
With all the political issues creeping into schools across the country today, it’s important to have this team. Most of the radical curriculum issues are being put in place under the radar, so parents don’t know and educators don’t have any options other than teaching what they’re told. School governance teams give the parents, teachers and community as a whole a voice into our children’s education.
Michele Penland: One of the requirements for a charter school system like Gilmer is each school within the system must have a local school governance team consisting of school personnel, parents and community leaders. Their goal is to increase student achievement and school improvement. This team serves as advocates for their schools and makes recommendations to the superintendent. By having local school governance teams, parents and community leaders can have a voice in decision-making at the school level. This is a great opportunity for those outside the school system to become involved and be heard on matters important to them.
Sam Snider: School governance teams are a vital means to include all stakeholders in a school system. Students should also be in this process. Each planned meeting should be preceded with a list of topics and questions to be discussed. These should be open for those participating to give their insight and their thoughts.
Additional concerns should be gathered for future meetings from all members of the county who wish to submit ideas. Once an idea is decided upon, then a plan should be put into place to execute that measure within our school system. We need more parent participation, not less.