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Meet the candidates: Albertville BOE
Published March 16, 2010
The Albertville City Council finished the first round of interviews for the Board of Education position that will be vacated by exiting board member Rick Cederholm. The next round of interviews will take place Monday, starting at 4:30 p.m. at City Hall. Each candidate will have approximately 30 minutes per interview.
Charles L. Ellis Sr.
Family: Wife Edna Faye Ellis
Do you have children currently in the Albertville school system? No, grandchildren, Courtney and Erin.
Does your spouse teach in or work for the school system? No, I have a daughter who teaches first grade.
What schools did you attend? Sorter’s Crossroads Elementary, Marshall County High School, DAR, Auburn University.
What motivates you to want to become a board member? There is a movement away from our public school system toward private school systems.
There are reasons for this movement.
Maybe, if we can answer the why, then the reason will become apparent and the resolve will be manifested.
What do you see as the board’s roles and responsibilities? I perceive the board as a liaison between the two powers, we the system and we the people.
A perception that may be a little out of focus, for sometimes, we the people are asked to bear the burdens without giving consent.
Let us bridge this gap and place our role and responsibilities as support vessels, performing our duties as outlined in our bylaws to foster and nurture the educational capabilities of our system.
What is your vision for education in Albertville? To educate — no more, no less, to perform and deliver, affording our children the best chances to succeed in life as is humanly possible, to full and complete curriculums, with counseling for all.
What do you think is expected of you as a board member? One voice — no more, no less. Sharing my opinions and beliefs with the board, in agreement or in opposition, but always in touch, close enough to reality, to deliver to our system the tools necessary for the system to perform its duties.
What are the current challenges facing the school board? How can we as an entity become more of a tool to assist all parties in our endeavor to provide the system with the best instruments available?
Cultural, economical, environmental barriers that can be divisive, but must be encompassed through understanding and appreciation — for the one — then the all.
Jason H. Matthews
Family: Shannon, wife and daughter, Isabel.
Do you have children currently in the Albertville school system? Yes, in the 4-year-old program.
Does your spouse teach in or work for the school system? No.
What schools did you attend? Susan Moore, K-12, Snead State, two years, University of Alabama, two years.
What motivates you to want to become a board member? I represent a large demographic of Albertville citizens concerned about the continued prosperity of our school system.
What do you see as the board’s roles and responsibilities? Most teaching should be done at home.
However, once that child leaves, the board should be charged with providing a safe and secure environment with the best teachers and technologies available to continue and enhance that child’s education.
What is your vision for education in Albertville? Continue improvements of all school facilities, along with technological tools to enhance the educational experience.
What do you think is expected of you as a board member? Hard work and a passion for the education of the youth of Albertville and the ability to make tough decisions in tough times.
What are the current challenges facing the school board? Proration and the continued integration with the Hispanic population.
John Quick
Family: Traci, wife, and two daughters, Taylor and Anna Katherynn.
Do you have children currently in the Albertville school system? Yes, Taylor is in 10th grade at Albertville High School. Anna Katherynn is in fifth grade at Evans.
Does your spouse teach in or work for the school system? No.
What schools did you attend? Guntersville High School class of ‘87
What motivates you to want to become a board member? The progress that the current board has accomplished in the past few years is exciting to a father of current students in the school system.
What motivates me is, of course, the children. I would like to use my experience and knowledge to work with the current board to further strive to meet and exceed the excellence of Albertville’s school system.
What do you see as the board’s roles and responsibilities? To conduct the business at hand and help the school system move forward.
What is your vision for education in Albertville? We must strive for excellence in the classroom, from both teachers and students to make sure our children are well prepared for the future.
What do you think is expected of you as a board member? To be a good board member, in my opinion, is to be a good listener, motivated, and ready to roll your sleeves up and get ready to work because our children are worth it.
What are the current challenges facing the school board? With our current projects started, we will need to make sure that we stay on track with the budget and that we will have enough in reserve to operate.
Russell Robinson
Family: Married to Kim, children- Emily, 21, and Tanner, 19.
Do you have children currently in the Albertville school system? No, Tanner graduated 2009.
Does your spouse teach in or work for the school system? No.
What schools did you attend? Hokes Bluff High School, Gadsden State Community College, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Jacksonville State University, and West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.
What motivates you to want to become a board member? I feel that everyone should serve their community in some fashion. My interests are in education.
What do you see as the board’s roles and responsibilities? The board sets policy.
What do you think is expected of you as a board member? To work together to maintain the current vision and to deal with future challenges.
What are the current challenges facing the school board? Funding.
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