There are four people running for two open spots on the Quitman Independent School District (QISD) Board of Trustees. They are incumbents Raymond Peek and Corey Backer along with former board member Doug Cameron and James Hicks.

Building trust and being honest with the community is an expectation the community deserves. The school is an extension of the community. Without community involvement, traditions and values are lost. The school and its board members are expected to be transparent with all school issues and decisions. When you do that, you get support. Building trust and being honest with the community is an expectation the community deserves. The school is an extension of the community. Without community involvement, traditions and values are lost. The school and its board members are expected to be transparent with all school issues and decisions. When you do that you get support.

I think the best way the board gains the support of the community is to demonstrate that they are a board which makes wise decisions that are based on facts and that are in the best interests of our students and staff. These decisions should also be made in as transparent a manner as possible and made easily accessible to the community. If we deal honestly with the community and establish a history of making sound, well thought out decisions (which I feel we have), consensus and support from the community will naturally follow.

People like to have information on what is happening at the school along with facts about how their tax dollars are being spent. Listening to the taxpayers concerns and keeping them informed is the best way to build consensus and gain their support.

I believe that the best way to build consensus and support of the community is to make sure that our administrators, faculty and all students have all of the necessary resources to make sure every child has the opportunity to succeed in academics, athletics and social environments.

The strength of any organization is its employees. My perception is that our teachers, and administration care about our students getting an education that will enable them to achieve success at college and in the work force. There is always room for improvement when it comes to educating the children of our community.

Along with the majority of the districts in the state, the biggest weakness our district faces is funding. Over the past several years, funding public schools has been put on local tax payers. Until the state comes up with an equitable funding system, funding will always be the biggest weakness. Due to the lack of state funding, it is very difficult to recruit and retain quality teachers and staff. Turnover is an issue with teachers, coaches and administrators. Over the past few years the district established a system to build future leaders from within the district. Now, the district is benefiting with the stability of home grown individuals who made Quitman their home and who are preserving Quitman traditions and values. Aging school facilities is another weakness for the district. Thankfully, the community approved the TRE and Bond so the district can repair deteriorating facility infrastructure and build for the future. One of the major strengths of the district is the community. Over the past two years, the district, along with the community, established a facility committee to determine the needs of our district. Without community involvement this never could have happened. I can see future facility improvements coming before the community to improve the junior high school, basketball gym, and career and technology expansion.

I feel one of our biggest weaknesses has recently become a strength. For too many years we have suffered from a lack of long term stability and vision at the superintendent level. With Ms. Turner in place, though, I feel we have found a sustainable solution that problem. Continuity is important in any organization. We have long had that with our teachers, and are now well on our way to achieving it with our administrators.

(A) The biggest weakness in QISD is the support of parental involvement. I do not believe that this is an issue that is isolated to QISD but most every ISD in the USA. As a nation we have over the past generations have forgotten what respect is and how to show respect to others as well as ourself; (B) Our greatest strength is our faculty whom all seem to have a vested community.

First of all, I hope that I have acquitted myself well these last six years that I have been on the board. It has been a great honor to serve as a Trustee, and I have worked hard to be a diligent and thoughtful board member. I am hopeful that the voters will grant me the opportunity to continue that work. As for why people should vote for me specifically, I would say I have a proven track record on the board, and I am the only person running with a background in education. Experience in education is not a requirement to be on the board, and as a matter of fact a good board is made up from members of all facets of the community, but I also think it’s good for a member or two to “speak teacher”. I have worked in all levels of education, from Pre-K to High School. My educational background, work history, and previous board experience are unmatched in this race, and I think all combine to make me uniquely qualified to continue to serve on the board.

I bring with me every parent, grandparent and citizen that understands that our future for tomorrow are our students of today, it is time we as a community draw together and invest in our future by investing in QISD.

I have worked for Dealers Electrical Supply since graduating from Texas A&M in 1985. I have 30 years of experience in sales, project and personnel management. I served on the Quitman School Board from 2001-2007. I believe my business back ground and past board history will enable me to serve the district well.

I want to bring anyone who wants continuous improvements and not complacency. Load the bus with community members and staff who share the same vision and expectations to make Quitman great.

I vision Quitman’s future as a place where parents want their children to excel in education and to be proud to be a Bulldog.

I think it is imperative that we develop life-long learners who are prepared for success as they enter into adulthood, whether that path is leading them into college, the military, or vocational training. We have made steady improvement in our State scores, and this is trend that must be maintained. I am also proud of some of the new programs we have such as Health Science Technology, Horticulture, and Geometry in Construction, all of which are giving our students hands on, real world experiences that they can carry with them into the workforce.

That upon receiving a diploma from QISD that our students are prepared to be successful in life whether that is attending college, entering the military or work force.

The district needs to network with community leaders and local businesses for career and technology. Not all students will pursue higher education so it’s vital the district prepare students for technical careers. These students will serve an important role in our community as business leaders and specialized skills that will make them successful.

I support the needs of the students. Just as the district has aging building facilities, the sporting facilities are aging as well. At the last board meeting, on the agenda, was a new softball facility along with building a practice softball facility. I have always expressed my support for a softball and baseball facility. However I voted against the motion last month because I strongly feel that building a practice facility is a waste of tax payers’ dollars if there is a high probability the district will build a new softball field by next year. There is no sense in building a practice facility now that will not even be used this year. This is a waste of taxpayers’ money. I am in favor of a long term facility plan; designing in phases a new softball field, baseball field and concession area with bathrooms which will also support the track and agriculture facility. Three years ago the board appropriated $900,000 for facility improvements. These dollars can be used without an increase to the tax rate.

I am not opposed to upgraded athletic facilities or a show area at some point, assuming all of our educational facility needs have been met and we can do so in a financially responsible manner. I support all of our programs and will work for their success, but at my core I am a teacher, with a teacher’s passions, and our first responsibility always lies in providing excellent academics. That being said, the importance of our athletic and extracurricular activities cannot be overstated. These are a source of pride in our community, and they provide opportunities and experiences for our young people that will mold them into the adults they will become.

I am not against the building of and facilities as long as priorities are of the upmost importance. Our High School/Jr High building is pushing 50 years old. I feel like we need to consider new educational facilities which helps all students instead of select groups.

I will always be more strongly tied to expending funding for education, but our athletic facilities and AG Show Area need to be adequate and functional for our students and community. We presently use the Youth Foundation’s field for our girls’ softball team. It is my understanding that our district cannot host an Ag Show event because we do not have Restroom facilities on site. These situations need to be addressed. We need to have facilities that our community and students take pride in.

This community has already done a tremendous thing to improve the schools in the district by voting for the Bond and the TRE. At this point, I’m not sure we have a right to ask the community for anything else. What we need do is prove ourselves worthy of the trust they have placed in us, and deliver on what we promised. The community has done its part and shown their engagement and willingness to act on behalf of the kids in this district, now we need to honor that.

Always being open to inform the residents of QISD about the goals and plans of the district.

A successful school board is one who again enables the faculty and student body the best opportunity to succeed. Building excellence is the best way to engage and to involve the community.

No single tradition in public education is more deeply rooted than local control over the operation of schools; local control has long been thought essential both to the maintenance of community concern and support for public schools and to the quality of the education. Local control over the educational process affords citizens, teachers and staff an opportunity to participate in decision making, it permits the structuring of school programs to fit local needs, and it encourages innovation for educational excellence. Campus advisory committees made up of teachers, parents, and community members should be

The election is May 7 with early voting this week is at the Wood County Courthouse through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Early voting is available May 2 and 3 at the courthouse from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Election day voting is at the Quitman High School foyer from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.