Lowndes County superintendent of education candidates shared their visions for the district at a public forum Thursday, when they answered questions about qualifications and school issues.
The six candidates — Sam Allison (R), Rusty Green (I), Roger Hill (I), Edna McGill (R), Cliff Reynolds (D) and Lynn Wright (R) — will face off in the general election Nov. 2 to decide who runs the third-largest employer in the county.
In two-minute responses, candidates answered questions moderated by Dispatch News Editor Garthia Elena Burnett.
Why do you want to be superintendent?
The first question, which asked why candidates wanted to be superintendent and what they thought would be their responsibilities, was directed to Roger Hill, the principal of Caledonia Elementary School.
Hill said he was a “visionary person,” as evidenced by the school earning prestigious Star School status from the state education department.
“I”m a goal-setter,” he added.
After he was finished, each candidate answered the question down the row, with Lynn Wright following Hill.
Wright, the former New Hope High School principal who was fired in May 2010 for allegedly signing off on the unauthorized purchase of a $15,000 lawnmower, pointed to his 28 years in education administration as proof he had the experience to manage the district.
After him was Rusty Green, who has 19 years experience in education. Green said he wanted to take a more creative approach to the superintendent job and questioned whether the current grade scale could be improved on.
“I always want to know why,” he continued. “Why are we doing the things we”re doing?”
Current Lowndes County School District Assistant Superintendent Edna McGill, the next in line, said she was the only candidate with the central office experience that could make a “seamless transition” into the leadership position.
She also pointed to the $1.2 million she”s brought to the county in the form of grants.
New Hope Middle School Principal Sam Allison emphasized his leadership abilities and said he wanted to relieve some of the tension in the district.
“I want to work with the people of Lowndes County,” he said. “Change is important.”
Finally, West Lowndes High School Principal Cliff Reynolds said he would use his experience as a bus driver, teacher and administrator to reach out to teachers and parents.
“There are many thing that you, as employees, go through,” he told the crowd. “I know because I”ve been there.”
He also expressed a desire to unify the district.
What are the LCSD”s top issues?
Among other questions, candidates talked about the challenges facing the LCSD now. When asked to name some critical issues, most candidates touches on the budget, communication and student involvement.
The district can increase student attendance by having a centralized vocational school and by taking stronger disciplinary measures, Wright said.
“Students have to be held accountable,” he added.
Green also said he wanted to see more alternative schools, as well as more communication between district administration and the community, and a long-term plan.
Now, in this economy, the budget is a critical issue, McGill said, adding that she was already intimately involved in the budgeting process.
She also said the district had made grand strides in communication and pointed to a new website feature that allows parents to check up on their children.
Allison said he wanted a long-term plan, especially to improve facilities, and better teamwork between faculty and central office.
Reynolds said he wanted to listen to teachers more because “they”re the ones who get things done,” move board meetings to times more convenient for parents and improve student achievement.
Mirroring some other candidates, Hill also said the budget and a long-range construction plan were two of his main concerns, adding that the district needs more classrooms.
Candidates also took questions about school safety, technology, and the civil rights era desegregation order the district is currently under.
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