Board of Education Platform

John Stallings, Kimberly Wilson Higgins, Lavenia Peterson Burnette
Candidates, Yancey County Board of Education

• We will put Yancey County children first in all of the decisions made by the board.
• We will promise before God and man to uphold the constitution as the premise of our decisions and responsibilities.
• We will send a petition to our State House Representative, to introduce at the next legislative session, a Local Bill to restore the election as Non-Partisan for the Yancey County Board of Education before the next election cycle.
• We will make a Budget Amendment and seek grant funding in order to use funds to support free breakfast/lunches for all students.
• We will work to restore all Teacher Assistants from 37.5 hours/week to 40 hours a week.
• We will support all of the employees of Yancey County Schools and the lawful decisions/actions they make as designated to their position without bias.
• We will encourage a culture of cooperation, respect, delegation of responsibility (pursuant to position) and accountability among our professional educators and staff.
• We will promote a working environment in which administrators, teachers and staff can speak openly about educational and curricular ideas/concerns without fear of retaliation.
• We will restore transparency and accountability that is essential for building trust and credibility within our community.
• We will require that all Yancey County Schools Policies/Procedures and Agendas/Minutes be updated on a timely basis and easily accessible for the general public on the Yancey County Schools website.
• We will choose administrative leaders who make appropriate educational, operational and employment hiring decisions based on unbiased opinions without prejudice or political influence.
• We will restore integrity back to the practice of personnel hiring and decision making practices with hiring committees designated by school principal recommendations without political and BOE member/Superintendent influence.
• We will petition the Department of Transportation to remedy the unsafe conditions that exist at our Middle Schools during drop-off and pick-up.
• We will work to reinstate the Drafting and Engineering Design Program at Mountain Heritage High School with a highly qualified CTE instructor to prepare a qualified workforce for the largest employer in the county.
• We will actively support ALL staff, schools and administration without preference or bias.
• We will assure diversity for committee selections without bias or political affiliation.
• We will restore the spotlight back to the students of Yancey County and will abolish BOE members' notoriety, fame and political prowess.