1.  What has been your involvement with the community and school district? Describe your leadership and volunteerism in the community. Did you or your children attend school in the district? Have you volunteered in or been employed by the school district?
I am a part of 4 generations of educators, and have true commitment to our community and schools. I love the Lord, our community and school. I taught and coached at Mooreville school for 17 years, and my mother taught there for almost 30 years. My husband, brother, children, daughter-in-law, mother and father-in-law, nieces and I all graduated from Mooreville High School. I have nieces, nephews, a 3 year old grandson and others that I am concerned with now in our school system.

Except for the time that I spent in college, I have always lived in the Lee County Schools area, in the same place that I live now.

I continue to be a part of education in curriculum and tutoring. I have worked extensively with staff development and new curricular activities. As sad as it is to have to say this, I have participated in many school safety programs and trainings.

2.  Why do you want to serve on your school board? 
Our children and grandchildren are the future of our community and country. When you think about the fact that they spend at least 13 years, 187 days a year with teachers, coaches and other educational staff, that is a tremendous amount of time that we put our children in the hands of educators. The influence is enormous! I would like for our community and school system to work together for the future of our children.

3.  Students from low-income households often need additional resources to achieve academic success. What should your school district do to ensure that all students are successful?
Our school system should have programs in place to identify the needs of ALL students and provide what is needed.

4.  What strategies would you support to create a safer school environment?  What can your school district do to address cyberbullying, mental health, and physical safety?
The policies and procedures of most school systems have plans in place to address these issues. The main thing is to have them understood and implemented. Then, adverse consequences should be consistently applied when and if necessary.

5.  What do you see as the most pressing infrastructure needs facing your district?
Some of the schools are growing exponentially and there is not enough money (or it isn’t appropriated accordingly) to meet the demand in infrastructure and updates.

6.  Mississippi school districts are funded by a mix of federal, state, and local funds. The state contributes to local school districts through the new Mississippi Student Funding Formula (MSFF). The MSFF is intended to fund teacher salaries, retirement and benefits, transportation costs, facility maintenance, utilities, special education, and other programs. What role will you play in advocating for full funding of MSFF for your district?
As a teacher who felt overqualified and very underpaid for the job requirements, I want to see full funding and fair distribution without being punished for issues that are out of the control of the school district.

7.  Vouchers for private school tuition divert public funds away from public schools and toward unaccountable private schools. Do you agree that tax dollars should be used for only public schools and not for non-public schools? Why or why not?
I do agree that accountability should be across the board and incorporate the best possible practices for students. Opinion is a huge factor here and sometimes gets skewed and does not have the best, well-rounded outcome for our students.

8. In Mississippi, academic standards are set by the Mississippi Department of Education and local districts choose curricula from an MDE-approved list. Do you trust educators in your district to teach using their professional judgment and training or should teaching be further regulated by school board policy or law? If you believe teaching should be further regulated, how so?
I do not think there should be more regulation of teachers by government. As in all professions, there are educators who fall below the standards that they should. But in my experience as an educator, I believe most educators have the best interests of the student at heart and go over and above what they should to assure their students are provided with what they need to be successful.

9. Mississippi is experiencing a severe teacher shortage. What strategies will you support to recruit and retain high-quality educators?
Educators are required to have at least BS degrees and most have a Master’s degree. They have to maintain their own continued education credits per Mississippi state law. Teachers are overwhelmed by large classroom sizes, state testing requirements, janitorial duties, lack of administrative support in some cases, working extracurricular events, coaching and teaching without any respect to their personal time or compensation monetarily.

We are going to have to bring back respect, dignity and sufficient monetary compensation to the profession.