2022 Candidates for Chatham Board of Education
Candidate BOARD OF EDUCATION, District 3: Del Turner
Who are you?
I am a New York/Chatham hybrid who has resided permanently in Chatham for thirty-two years and been an advocate for the well being of children in Chatham for the past twenty-seven years. Raised and educated in private and public schools, colleges and universities, in both locations, I bring a unique, blended perspective on subjects that stimulate learning, effective teacher pedagogies and forty-five years of experience in finance to the board.
Why are you running?
I have been privileged to be elected to serve on the Board of Education for three terms. I am running for a fourth term because this position is the most logical and optimum place for a person like me to fulfill my compulsion to serve children and through them, serve humanity. Also, my colleagues and I, along with three visionary administrations, have engineered a trajectory for our students that will allow them to successfully navigate their adult lives in any vocation they choose and I would like to see and know that was the outcome in real time.
What will you do for your constituents if elected?
I will proudly continue working with my colleagues and administration to keep Chatham County schools stable, moving forward and setting a standard for other districts across the state. My re-election will also deter efforts, funded by dark money to hijack local offices, this one in particular, for frivolous, misguided purposes, such as expanding parental rights beyond constitutional law, causing chaos for teachers and the school system and regressing academic instruction to levels Chatham County students have long since mastered and excel in.
Candidate BOARD OF EDUCATION, District 3: Jessica Winger
Who are you?
I am a wife and mother of four children who attend Chatham County Schools. I am also a substitute teacher in Chatham County and since October 2020, I have attended nearly every monthly Chatham County Schools Board of Education meeting.
Why are you running for this office?
I am running because, like many parents over the past two years, I have witnessed a disconnected board, out of touch with the families and community they serve. Over the past 2 years, trust has been lost through the inconsistent learning, lack of transparency and disregard for parent voices. It is time for that change.
What will you do for your constituents if elected?
I believe in giving parents a voice in board policy decisions, providing a quality unbiased education, supporting teachers, and building trust between schools and families.
Candidate BOARD OF EDUCATION, District 4: Jane Allen Wilson
Who are you?
I am a native and life-long resident of Chatham County, who grew up in our public schools. A UNC-Chapel Hill graduate, I initially worked for U.S. Senator Terry Sanford and for the House Committee on Finance under legislators George Miller & Joe Hackney, and then in the arts. For close to twenty five years, I advocated for adults and children traumatized and impacted by domestic and sexual violence, and child abuse.
I was funded by the Partnership for Children, collaborating with Childcare Networks, DSS, Hispanic Liaison, law enforcement, the courts, & our schools, in shelter, and in home and school-based settings. I speak Spanish and serve on the Board of the Hispanic Liaison. I taught ESL and was an elementary school librarian in the Dominican Republic. I taught ESL to migrant farmers in NC. I held support groups for teenagers at JM and co-created peer-based bullying/bystander intervention programs at Virginia Cross.
Why are you running?
I believe public education is society’s most important investment and teachers are our most important assets. I am immensely grateful to the many teachers who strive for our children every day. Teachers and staff deserve to be honored and fully supported. I want for all of our county’s children to be seen and valued; to feel challenged and inspired to learn, in an environment which is safe physically, emotionally, and culturally, and by meeting them where they are individually. When I was growing up, education was the largest piece of the funding pie in North Carolina. It is essential to the well-being of our society and to the healthy expression of our democracy. With Del Turner and Gary Leonard, I want to continue our good work as a Board with solid evidence-based programming which also provides for creative exploration, and which helps each student and school meet growth.
What will you do for your constituents if elected?
I will seek kinetic participation by community members, parents, students, staff and teachers by providing multiple opportunities and forums for engagement, similar to our One Chatham strategic planning & during the recent redistricting process. We will review our policies and practices in ongoing ways to assess the systemic and long-range impact on students with a cultural and historic lens to better serve our children now. I will strive for better language, cultural and socio-economic/family member access and inclusivity. I will strive for our schools to maintain a sense of community as we grow. We will anticipate and fully plan for the impact of growth in our county on the school system, not only in preparing for the necessary opening of new schools, but also in maintenance of existing unique schools, so we remain a cohesive district where all children are served well, in whatever part of the county they live.
Candidate BOARD OF EDUCATION, District 5: Gary Leonard
Website or Facebook page: Not provided
Who are you?
I have served on the School Board since 2010 and have been Chairman since 2014. I have taught for forty years and retired from Chatham County Schools in 2007. My wife Debbie, also a retired Chatham County educator, and I live in the community of Bennett in southwest Chatham County and attend Bennett Baptist Church. We have two children and three grandchildren with two of our grandchildren currently attending Chatham County Schools. I have served as Chairman of the Chatham County Recreation Advisory Board, past president of Bennett School PTA, Bennett Recreation Park, and currently a member of South Chatham Lion’s Club. I coached in the school system for most of my career and also served as Athletic Director at Chatham Central for seven years. I also have spent several years as a volunteer recreation coach in various sports.
Why are you running?
Many of the mentors in my life were educators that worked hard to make things better for me and the other students that they taught, and I feel that Chatham County Schools and its educators continue to hold that vital role for our young people. I initially ran for School Board to give back and to make a difference for our students, and I have seen so many amazing things in our schools each day. I want to continue working with our Administration, school staff, county government, and our parents to make Chatham County Schools a great place to educate our children and prepare them for the future.
What will you do for your constituents if elected?
I have always considered our school system a family, and I would continue to advocate for our students and staff. I believe that high expectations foster high achievement and also believe that quality teachers are key to student success. We must strive to have strong community involvement in our schools to personalize the educational experiences of our students. Our schools must foster parent volunteers and mentors because they are essential elements of vibrant schools. I have always attended many school events and will continue to do so to see the amazing accomplishments of our students but also to be accessible to our stakeholders.
Candidate BOARD OF EDUCATION, District 5: Tim Moore
TimMooreForBoardofEducation.com
Who are you?
I was born in Texas, left the US when I was 5. Lived in Latin America until college. Panama, Honduras Colombia and Dominican Republic. After college I joined the Army. Was stationed in Italy and Germany. Primary with the 82nd Airborne. Met my wife Kim in the Army. Both left the Army as Captains. Have lived in Wisconsin, Florida and North Carolina. We have 5 children, 4 are adopted. We have been married 35 years and have lived in NC for 15 years.
Why are you running?
The biggest challenge is the lack of focus on Academic Excellence. Despite the current administration’s recent glorious self-pat on the back of the of the miniscule overall improvements they just announced, the current proficiency of the county Hispanic students was 42% and among Black students of 35%. These dismal results were not discussed in the latest Board meeting and have not changed much over the years. This is the most egregious racial gap in our education system. This is most obvious in the results from the western High Schools of Jordan Mathews and Chatham Central. No new moneys for offices, sport complexes or non-educational critical line items until these gaps are closed.
What will you do for your constituents if elected?
Some initiatives such as 5-11M on new office headquarters and warehousing make little sense since that expenditure does nothing for primary needed improvements in our education system which is drastic improvement in student proficiency. I propose that money be used for attracting new teachers and hiring professional tutors that will focus on the education gaps in Reading Comprehension, Writing and Math. I recommend as Parents Board be started with a group of 3-5 parents from each school, NOT ASSIGNED BY THE ADMINISTRATION. These boards should be selected by parents, and divided by school age groups, Elementary, Middle, High Schools. These Parental Boards should advise on educational material and provide guidance on getting parental involvement and focus on how we collective improve Educational Excellence.
