One might wonder why a seemingly mild-mannered mother of three might want to wander into the political arena and run for a seat on the local school board. To offer a brief explanation, consider the following:

Over the span of 11 years since my oldest daughter began kindergarten in Fayette County, I have grown my understanding of our school system first by volunteering in the classroom, broadened my efforts to school-wide through our parent-teacher organizations, and moved a step further to serve and have input on county-level committees and discussion groups. I have also become informed on state and federal-level issues, especially in light of the recent education reform enactment.

As shown by our excellent ranking among Georgia schools, our children are the recipients of a quality education, but most would agree there is room for improvement. Through my own personal experiences, I have observed a lack of consistency among our county schools, from elementary through high school. These differences occur in teaching models used, extracurricular activities sponsored, courses offered, and facilities provided. While I believe each school can and should have a “personality,” standards for consistency should be set and maintained on a county-wide level.

As a school board member, I will push to strengthen our academic focus to challenge all students to perform to their highest potential. As my children have heard many times, my goal is to have them leave the Fayette County school system with as many options open to them as possible. Learning to push themselves to achieve their best is an invaluable lesson.

Many challenges face the next board, which could include three new members:

• Governor Barnes' Education Reform, HB 1187, will require diligent effort to understand its effect on our children and how to best minimize any disruptions while being phased in.

• Open and improved communication between the board of education and parents/citizens is essential. Reworking the format of board meetings to make them more “consumer-friendly” would be a starting point. Comprehensive workshops for the parents of students moving into middle school and high school would help to ease that major transition.

• Alternative scheduling options need to be looked at to allow our high school students some breathing room. The Community School might be a viable option for noncredit exploratory classes for middle and high school students.

• Facilities issues will not go away — most agree that a SPLOST vote will come up again. My feeling is that voters will support a fiscally responsible board that they can trust.

Because the management of the Fayette County school system has an impact on every resident in this county, I encourage you to take the time to vote in the July 18 election. The deadline for registration in June 19 and the Elections Office (770-460-5730, ext. 5408) can give you information on registration and also on absentee ballots. Please remember that even though candidates run for a particular post, this is a county-wide election.

I invite you to contact me with any questions or to further discuss educational issues. I can be reached by phone at 770-461-6643 or e-mail Kgatlin13@aol.com.

Kim Gatlin
Candidate for Fayette County School Board Post 2

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