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District 1 School Board Race

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Robert Nelson, that name rings a bell. Did you have anything to do with Bay Middle School closing?

If he did, I don't recall it, and I probably would have noticed.

If he doesn't respond here, PM him and ask! :wave:
 
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Here are a few of the things that I feel qualify me for the School Board position.

I reside in Pt Washington, which places me directly in SoWal.com’s territory. Living in South Walton has allowed me the opportunity to interact with parents and citizens South of the Bay. Since District 1 runs from the Southwestern corner of the county to North of Red Bay there is a substantial difference in cultures between the North end and South end of the district. Being a graduate of Freeport High School but residing South of the bay I have the distinct advantage of understanding this diversity and how the differing attitudes can be balanced to form a combined, objective outlook.

Having a Masters of Business Administration will increase my ability to interpret business propositions in an effective manner. With a limited amount of resources it will be vital to allocate those resources in a manner that will most significantly impact the educational needs of our students. Being able to interpret and act upon financial statements may be imperative in our fluctuating micro economic environment. Evaluating vendor contracts based on budget constraints as well as being able to incorporate that knowledge into a successful long-term plan will be beneficial.

Having been a Licensed Florida CAM I have consistently balanced the interests multiple people in differing facets of business. I feel that it is fundamental to the well being of the School District to allow parents as well as staff and administration to have the ability to communicate needs and concerns in a method that will be sufficiently recognized. By allowing clear and concise communications channels there will be more opportunity to advance the educational goals of our children.

I am also a licensed Realtor, which should aid in evaluating and understanding potential acquisition of future capital or the contracts that are presented to purchase these assets. Having direct experience in large real estate transactions it will enable me to fully understand what is involved in future land acquisitions as well as the real market value. South Walton, Freeport and further North have experienced a large population growth period. It is my opinion that this growth will continue into the future on a long-term scale. For this reason it will be important to understand the importance of acquiring space to facilitate the requirements of our students.

Finally, the most important qualification I possess is being a parent of both a middle and elementary school child as well as the spouse of a teacher. I have the unique position to have the point of view of parent, child and teacher and see how decisions affect all three. I am passionately dedicated to this position and if elected, plan to make being a school board member top priority. That is, school board member will be my full-time job, not a part-time interest. I think it is important to be in the schools getting first-hand feedback and experiencing the different needs of each school. Too often it has been difficult to garner the attention of the school board or the superintendent. I strongly feel that a board member should be easily accessible by all concerned with the school system.

Thanks for your support! I respect the opinions of the SoWal board and look forward to hearing your comments or suggestions.

 
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Tim:

Thanks for your thoughts on how you would serve the citizens of Walton County if elected to the School Board. You credentials are impressive and your desire to deserve seem genuine.

Having served on a school board for two terms in another state I would suggest that you explorer what the duties and responsibilities of a School Board member are. I was amazed at how limited my authority actually was. After obtaining a certification as a Certified Board member two years into my first term and after attending 8 quarterly State School Board Association meetings and two National School Board Association meetings, I settled into a true understanding of my role. It will not take you long to find out that the day to day operations of the Schools are the responsibility of the Superintendent and your responsibilities solely revolved around the budget and "policy". I could not bring any item to a vote without a recommendation from the Supt.

I spent an average of 15 hrs per week in the capacity of School Board member and was probably spending most of that reading. Expulsion hearings also consummed alot of time.

I had three children in the School system during my years of service and found that it was actually a problem as they were the targets of many - for the actions of their father. I can only imagine how much difficult it would have been if I had a family member employed in the system.

Let me share with you some words that became very meaningful to me during my service:

1. Remember you will never make the right decision - only the least wrong decision. Believe me you will understand that as you sit in a restaurant, attend a movie, walk the streets and even attend church. In this day and age the country is almost evenly divided on every issue.

2. Remember that you view the decisions as a see the whole picture "Board Member". Everyone else measures your decisions as to how your decision affects their child and their child only.

3. Never hire a consultant - no need to waste the taxpayers dollars. Their is an expert on the subject available to you at church, walking your dog, eating in a restaurant or attending a movie. Believe me they will seek you out and tell you exactly what you should do.

4. Understand that no one will ever call you to tell you which person to hire for a Math instructor, but you can bet that they will call you about hiring a football Coach.

5. No parents child could have possibly done what they are being discilined for - not even when you play the tape from the security system showing their child "caught in the act" - it then changes to "someone else put him up to it.

6. Visiting the Schools is going to be difficult - If I wanted to do that I had to schedule it through the Supt. After 2 years on the Board I understood why.

7. If you don't already have "Called-ID" get it.
Just my thoughts and recollections.
 
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Robert and Tim (and Ms. Wilkerson if you are SoWalling)-

I would like to have the 3 of you speak at the May SWHS Parent Roundtable meeting. As soon as I get a date, I will let you know. I think there are some local parents that might actually want to learn about the candidates instead of blindly pulling a lever.
 
I would be honored to attend any meeting of the parents. Just let me know the time and place. If there are any other people or functions that would like to meet with me please let me know. I am not a "politician" and am pretty proud of that fact but I do love to meet people to express my thoughts and intentions.

I also very much appreciate the advice Puppetmaster.
 
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Robert, reading the above posts and Tim's response -- would you like to share your education, work experiences and community involvement that qualify you for this role?
 
I cast my ballot.:D But for who?;-)
 
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